Digital Commons Network^™

Revitalizing Turtle Creek Park, Michael Hardyway, Ethan Harm, Abbey Jacoby, Casey Stephenson

Final Reports in ENST 411: Environmental Community Projects

We current ENST 411 students, Abbey Jacoby, Michael Hardyway, Ethan Harm, and Casey Stephenson have chosen to work with Jim Knight, East Buffalo Township, the Merrill Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy, and many others in an attempt to revitalize Turtle Creek Park for a plethora of reasons. Three of us are majoring in biology, and two are majoring in environmental science, which makes much of the information and techniques relevant in Turtle Creek applicable to our courses of study. This project included heavy hands on work which allowed us students to leave a memorable and impactful influence on the Lewisburg …

A Just, Sustainable Transition At Fordham University, Ethan Shepard

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper takes a deeper look at Fordham University’s environmental impact and concludes with a strategy outline that works towards a just, sustainable future on the university campus and surrounding areas. New York City is an area already facing the adverse effects of climate change, and there are several threats that have the potential to cause grave consequences moving forward. Prior to constructing a climate action plan, it is integral to understand the past and present status of The Bronx under a socio-environmental lens. Chapter One focuses on the current status of Fordham’s Rose Hill Campus from a sustainability perspective …

Bibliometric Review Of The Landscape And Thematic Structure Of Research On Sustainable Mining In Asean, 1942–2022, Nathatai Janjirawatna, Sirisuhk Rakthin, Philip Hallinger

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This bibliometric review addressed the lack of consolidated information on the current state of sustainable mining in the ASEAN region. The review analyzed bibliographic data associated with 539 Scopus-indexed documents on sustainable mining in ASEAN nations published through the end of 2022. Descriptive statistics identified a great disparity in the scope of research on sustainable mining practices across the ASEAN countries. Surprisingly, a significant portion of the extant research on sustainable mining in the region has been authored by scholars from outside of ASEAN. Keyword analyses highlighted several emerging research topics including life cycle assessment, conservation of natural resources, climate …

Identifying High-Value Tactical Livestock Decisions On A Mixed Enterprise Farm In A Variable Environment, Michael Young, John Young, Ross S. Kingwell, Philip E. Vercoe

Animal production and livestock research articles

Context

Australia is renowned for its climate variation, featuring years with drought and years with floods, which result in significant production and profit variability. Accordingly, to maximise profitability, dryland farming systems need to be dynamically managed in response to unfolding weather conditions.

Aims

The aim of this study is to identify and quantify optimal tactical livestock management for different weather-years.

Methods

This study employed a whole-farm optimisation model to analyse a representative mixed enterprise farm located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. Using this model, we investigated the economic significance of five key livestock management tactics. These included …

Greening The Green: Examining The Resource Use Of Golf Courses With Suggestions On How To Improve Their Sustainability, Kaelan Addison Lestock '24

Honor Scholar Theses

Golf is a journey full of challenges, requiring each player to strive for precision, rather than merely a game of getting a small, dimpled ball in a cup hundreds of yards away in the fewest strokes possible The game is both physical and mental; it tests one’s focus, decision making, and resilience. Those who play competitively rarely feel as though they are competing against another player, instead their opponent is the course. And for those who play recreationally, the game can be a time to reconnect with nature, foster both old and new friendships, or enjoy the pursuit for perfection. …

Machine Learning And Geostatistical Approaches For Discovery Of Weather And Climate Events Related To El Niño Phenomena, Sachi Perera

Computational and Data Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

El Nino and La Nina are worldwide environmental phenomena brought about by repetitive changes in the water temperature of the Pacific Ocean. Even though the El-Nino impact focuses on a smaller area in the Pacific Ocean near the Equator, these developments have global repercussions, where temperature and precipitation are influenced across the globe, causing droughts and floods simultaneously. In this dissertation, we first derived a drought vulnerability index for the Nile basin, identifying regions with high and low drought risk under ENSO conditions. Next, we evaluated the coherence and periodicity of the ENSO signal to detect its implications on MENA …

Settler Colonialism And Ecosystem Change: How Ideology Has Shaped Minnesota’S Environments, Sarah E. Hobby

History Honors Projects

The formation of a uniquely American land ethic—defined by European political history and Christian biblical doctrine and forged through systems of dispossession—is central to the creation of environments within the United States today. Using Minnesota as a microcosm to understand how settler colonial interactions played out all across the United States, this paper analyzes connections between violent dispossession of Indigenous people and the degradation of environments. By understanding how Ojibwe and Dakota people think about and have shaped Minnesotan lands throughout their history and comparing Indigenous land-ethics to the Euro-American-settler land ethic, this paper evaluates the role that ideology and …

Sustainable Service Trends In Restaurants, Suruchi Bhatt

School of Business

Being Sustainable is an essential milestone in the food industry. Companies form and fall because of consumers' reactions to the industry. The food industry and restaurants account for some of the highest Food Waste and Pollution, approximately 34% of the Global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, including food production, processing, distribution, and consumption. (Crippa et al., 2021) In a sector like this, ensuring a complete understanding of sustainability in the industry is of utmost importance. However, the sheer relationship between the sustainable image, the prospect of sustainability, and the reality of implementing it may be far from reality. (Yuying-Huang, 2022)

Framing Wildlife Conservation: Exploring Political Bias In States' Wildlife Action Plans, Ciara Nelson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Climate change affects regions of the United States differently due to factors such as the country's diverse physical landscapes, political environments, and population distributions. This variation leads to varying impacts on humans, wildlife, and ecosystems, with anthropogenic climate change—acknowledging humans as a significant contributor—being a point of contention, especially among some prominent politicians. The relationship between political party affiliation and climate change acknowledgment is evident, with recent political discourse highlighting differing views on the severity of climate change. This political framing influences how environmental policies are perceived and accepted, with the choice of language and framing playing a crucial role …

Assessing Sustainability Within The Brewing Industry: A Literature Review And Benchmarking Analysis., Elijah Thomas Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goals of this study were twofold: to further examine sustainability within the brewing industry through a literature analysis across four academic journals, and a benchmarking analysis of a Louisville, Kentucky brewery’s resource consumption and emissions production. Publications related to the brewing industry were examined for the presence of sustainability keywords: “efficiency, sustainability, carbon footprint, climate change and greenhouse gas”. Benchmarking examined the local brewery’s primary production facility to determine their performance compared to other surveyed breweries pursuing sustainability across the country. Literature examination found noticeable discrepancies between the appearance of sustainability topics within article abstracts and their discussion within …

Educational Influences On Environmental Perception: A Semester Analysis Of The New Ecological Paradigm Scale In Undergraduates, Zoe Zingler

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This study evaluated the impact of a geography course, GEOG 181: Global Environmental Issues, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on students’ endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) using a pre-course and post-course NEP scale survey. Analyzing paired responses (n = 40) through t-tests and z-scores, only four of 15 statements had statistically significant shifts observed for the entire sample. However, a targeted analysis of students initially possessing lower endorsement of the NEP—early deniers—revealed significant paradigm shifts post-course. While women initially showed stronger NEP endorsement, men demonstrated notable changes following the course towards endorsement of the NEP. Academic majors, whether …

Atmospheric Deposition Trends Are Primarily Decreasing In Arkansas And Tennessee, Anna Mccarty

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Atmospheric deposition has likely changed with the influence of increasing global temperatures and subsequent changes in precipitation across the United States and globally. The objective of this project was to analyze atmospheric deposition across northern Arkansas and Tennessee. The three specific objectives were to: i) evaluate trends in atmospheric deposition of various element/compounds, ii) assess the relationship between atmospheric deposition and rainfall, and iii) evaluate if rainfall-adjusted atmospheric deposition is changing over time. Six sites were analyzed from 1980 to 2022, including AR16, AR27, TN00, TN04, TN11, and TN14, which span over northern Arkansas and across Tennessee. The Mann-Kendall Test …

Using Empathy To Shift Climate Change Attitudes., Carson Haller

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

It has shifted from a hunch to an existential threat, it is a harbinger of disaster and bankruptcy, backed by science, and yet a considerable portion of Americans still believe that climate change is a hoax. It is becoming increasingly imperative to convince this portion to join the fight. It has been found that empathy is an effective method of persuasion, prompting the question of whether empathy could be used shift climate change attitudes. The hypothesis of this study was that if a person feels empathy for somebody harmed by the effects of climate change, they will be more willing …

Reconnecting With Nature One Classroom At A Time, Bianca Apuzzo

Senior Honors Projects

Environmental science is more important to today’s society than it has ever been, and developing basic ecoliteracy is the easiest way we can work towards a more sustainable future. Ecoliteracy allows us to connect deeper to nature and provides us with the information needed to protect and restore our beautiful planet. We are rolling downhill, picking up speed as we go, through a silent mass extinction. The scariest part of it all: nobody seems to care.

In response to the lack of environmental education provided to today’s students, I have created a syllabus for a high school level science course …

The Influence Of Edaphic Factors On The Growth And Competitiveness Of Loosestrife (Lythrum Spp.), Martha Mahady

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Wetlands are important areas in the landscape, providing important ecosystem services. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), native to Europe and Asia, invades wetlands in North America, outcompeting native wetland plants and disrupting ecosystem services. While purple loosestrife is invasive in North America, it is not in its native range. Winged loosestrife (Lythrum alatum), a North American native congener, is not invasive in North America. Purple loosestrife from Sussex County, N.J. U.S.A. and purple loosestrife from the United Kingdom, and winged loosestrife were compared in this study. Their response to soil edaphic factors, such as seed vernalization, soil nutrients, soil pH, water, …

A Global Analysis Of Carbon And Nitrogen Stocks In Natural And Anthropogenic Soils, Shih-Chieh Chien

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In terrestrial biomes, soils possess the highest amount of carbon and nitrogen stocks that regulate biogeochemical processes and provide ecosystem services. The amount of carbon and nitrogen stored in soils, as a balance of nutrient influxes and outfluxes, is controlled by various environmental and soil factors, while at the same time soil carbon and nitrogen stocks can be subject to anthropogenic impacts, like nutrient storage in urban soils. To inform a better, general understanding of carbon and nitrogen distribution in urban soils, the present dissertation gathers four articles (from Chapters 2 to 5, respectively) addressing different aspects of the issue, …

Evaluation Of Heavy Metal Pollution, Water Quality, And The Effectiveness Of Remedial Sediment Dredging In The Lower Passaic River, New Jersey, Oluwafemi Soetan

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Toxic metal pollution is a leading environmental concern for aquatic systems globally and remedial dredging has been widely employed to mitigate its harmful impacts. In terms of the short-term impacts of remedial dredging, mixed results are reported in several studies. Despite its immediate negative impacts including saturation of water with toxic metals, increased turbidity, and sediment resuspension, positive impacts can be recorded over a stabilization period of 6 – 24 months after dredging. Nevertheless, the sustainability of these recorded positive effects cannot be ascertained as some studies have reported long-term regression in remediated sites’ conditions. Evaluation of success determinants, site-measure …

Screening Full-Sib And Half-Sib Families Of Chestnut Seedlings For Resistance To Cryphonectria Parasitica Using A Small Stem Assay And A Leaf-Disc Assay, Uma Plambeck

Honors Theses

Cryphonectria parasitica is the ascomycete fungus species that causes chestnut blight disease. Symptoms of chestnut blight include bark cankers and eventually the death of American chestnut, Castanea dentata. However, not all Castanea species are equally affected by the disease, and some Asian species appear highly resistant. The OALDS and SSA in this study aim to assist in screening for resistance to C. parasitica within a year. We investigated the effect of C. parasitica on three North American species, one European species, four East Asian species of Castanea, and nine full-sib families of TACF backcross hybrids. Our study used both a …

The Effect Of Agrivoltaics On Irrigation Water Consumption In Central California, London Camba

Undergraduate Theses

An agricultural system where solar energy generation and agricultural systems are used together for mutual benefit, agrivoltaics reduces loss of water due to evaporation, particularly in drylands. Central California has faced extreme droughts, and water has become a scarce resource. However, the wide-scale use of agrivoltaics has been limited due to lack of knowledge about agrivoltaics and also the lack of funding for start-up agrivoltaics projects. Therefore, this research investigated the potential for agrivoltaics in Central California to reduce irrigation water consumption using a review of multiple crop studies using agrivoltaics to determine an optimal crop for agrivoltaics and a …

Combining Temperature-Dependent Life Table Data Into Insect Life Cycle Model To Forecast Fall Armyworm Spodoptera Frugiperda (Je Smith) Distribution In Maize Agro-Ecological Zones In Africa, Marian Adan, Henri E.Z. Tonnang, Cojdo E.F. Kassa, Klaus Greve, Christian Borgemeister, Georg Goergen

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), an invasive agricultural pest, has significantly impacted crop yields across Africa. This study investigated the relationship between temperature and FAW life history traits, employing life cycle modeling at temperatures of 20, 25, 28, 30, and 32̊C. The development time for eggs, larvae, and pupae varied from 0–3 days, 10–18 days, and 7–16 days, respectively. The optimal temperature range for immature stage survival and female fecundity was identified as 21–25̊C, with the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) and gross reproductive rate (GRR) peaking at 25–28̊C. Model validation confirmed the accuracy of …

Assessing Equitable Distribution Of The Urban Tree Canopy At The Neighborhood Scale In Greenville, South Carolina., April Riehm

All Theses

We are living in an era that necessitates adaptation and resilience. The Earth is warming. Our climate has changed (EPA, 2016). Our planet is also rapidly urbanizing. It is predicted that 68% of people will live in cities by 2050. The City of Greenville is a rapidly growing city in South Carolina that has been losing its tree canopy to development(City of Greenville, 2023). The Urban Tree Canopy (UTC) is a community asset that provides many quality-of-life benefits including improved air quality, stormwater management, carbon sequestration, mental and physical well-being, increased mobility and access, aesthetics, a reduction in energy costs, …

The Water That Will Be: A Qualitative Look Into The Effects Of Visual Imagery On Participation In Water Conservation Initiatives, Shane Martin White

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored the role of visual imagery in water conservation initiatives, focusing on its impact on public understanding, emotional connection, and willingness to participate. Drawing from the Theory of Planned Behavior and Affective Disposition Theory, the study investigated how art interventions can enhance comprehension and engagement with water conservation easements. Utilizing qualitative methods, including interviews, focus groups and PhotoVoice, data was collected from stakeholders in the Illinois River Watershed region. The research examined current levels of understanding regarding conservation easements, evaluated the effectiveness of visual imagery interventions in enhancing public awareness, and identified the potential for collaborative approaches between …

5-Year Strategic Direction, 2024–2028: Institute Of Agriculture And Natural Resources, University Of Nebraska–Lincoln, Institute Of Agriculture And Natural Resources University Of Nebraska-Lincoln

Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources: Institute Publications

IANR: Integrating Learning, Discovery, and Engagement for an Even Better Nebraska

Includes an introduction, description of the components of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the IANR pillars, stratgeic aims for 2024–2028, and a section on implementation.

Do Heat Waves Drive Natural Selection In Damselflies?, Adam Baranyk

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Climate change has led to changes in both mean temperatures and temperature extremes over the recent years. These changes have had differential effects on animals throughout the world. Ectotherms depend on their external environment for thermal regulation, making them especially susceptible to temperature extremes. It is not yet clear whether there is a relationship between physical traits in ectotherms, and survivorship throughout a heat wave. That is, whether or not temperature extremes driven survival selection. In this study, a heat wave was simulated artificially using thermally regulated mesocosms at different temperatures (18°C, 22° C, 26° C, 30° C) with a …

Plant-Plant Interaction In Early- Vs. Late-Successional Varieties Of The Hawaiian Landscape-Dominant Tree, Metrosideros Polymorpha, Tomoko Sakishima

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Plant-plant interactions play an important role in assembling plant communities. Interactions between neighboring plants can vary as a result of the genetic relatedness of neighbors, impacting rates of growth and patterns of resource allocation. When growing alongside close relatives, some species decrease their growth in a form of cooperation, while others grow faster through facilitation. A complication of plant interaction studies arises because decreased growth in the presence of close relatives can also be due to competition for resources, which increases with phenotypic similarity. Further complicating matters, mycorrhizal fungi, through their connections with plant roots, may strongly influence plant interactions. …

Informing Control Efforts For A Prolific Invasive Species: Characterizing Common Carp Spatio-Temporal Distribution And Evaluating The Impacts Of Gear Selectivity In Utah Lake, Rae Fadlovich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Management programs that aim to reduce the consequences of invasive species are often challenged by populations that can rapidly recover from removal efforts. Selectivity, the relative impact of harvest on different size classes, can contribute to population recovery when younger fish are not effectively targeted. In Utah Lake, the location of one of the world’s largest freshwater fish control programs, managers have been attempting to control the common carp (Cyprinus carpio, hereafter “carp”) population since 2009 but efforts have been hindered by the use of selective fishing gears. I conducted a lake-wide field study to gain insights into …

Evaluating Novel Approaches For Improving Anadromous Fish Passage In Coastal Rivers, Aaron Bunch

All Dissertations

Few of the world's rivers remain free-flowing for over 1000 km, significantly impacting anadromous fish populations due to dam-induced habitat fragmentation. Three partial migration barriers (low-head dams) on North Carolina's Cape Fear River (USA)—lock and dam 1 (LD1), lock and dam 2 (LD2), and lock and dam 3 (LD3)—impact American shad Alosa sapidissima, Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus, and striped bass Morone saxatilis populations. Mitigation strategies to pass fish upstream have included conservation locking, nature-like fishway construction, and environmental flows (e-flows). This study introduced a novel e-flow (dam submergence flow), tested acoustic double-tagging techniques for tracking American …

Conversion Of Microcrystalline Cellulose To Hexane Using Hydrogenated Metal Oxides At Low Temperature And Pressure, Mubarak Osman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasing global energy demand and environmental concerns have fueled the exploration of sustainable and efficient methods for renewable fuel production. The conversion of cellulosic waste to hydrocarbon fuels using hydrogenated metal oxides presents a novel and eco-friendly approach to sustainably address energy demand. In this study, hydrogenated metal oxides were used as catalysts in a relatively low-temperature and atmospheric-pressure environment to facilitate the conversion of cellulosic waste into hydrocarbon fuels. Hydrogenated metal oxides have been introduced as potential hydrogen transfer catalysts. The expected result is the selective conversion of cellulose to hexane at relatively low temperatures, which significantly reduces energy …

How Does Hummock Creation In Submerging Salt Marshes Alter Nitrous Oxide Fluxes?, Juliette Doyle

Honors Scholar Theses

Climate change is altering ecosystems and the services they provide. Salt marsh ecosystems typically protect coastal areas and filter nitrogen out of water, but are rapidly submerging due to rising sea levels and human development that prevents landward migration. Recent restoration efforts to preserve salt marshes attempt to build elevation capital and promote vegetation and animal habitat, but it is unclear how such efforts affect salt marsh biogeochemistry and dynamics of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. To better understand how adding sediment to submerging salt marshes may alter nitrous oxide fluxes, I leveraged a salt marsh hummock creation experiment …

Relationships In Lacustrine Ecosystems: Carbon, Color, And Precipitation In North Temperate Lakes, Emma M. Squires

Environmental Studies Honors Projects

Lakes are an important part of the global carbon cycle. Carbon from terrestrial sources washes into lakes where it can be processed and then emitted to the atmosphere, buried in sediments, or make its way downstream to an ocean. During rain events, precipitation can flush dissolved organic carbon (DOC)-enriched water from the upper soil layers into lakes. As climate change causes increased precipitation totals and precipitation events in the upper Midwest, this may cause increased DOC in lakes. Increased DOC in lakes leads to increased microbial respiration, contributing to increased greenhouse gas release from lakes. Thus, it is important to …