Digital Commons Network^™

Mapping Accuracy Of Close-Range Terrestrial Digital Photogrammetry, Y. Zhou, C. B. Weerasekara, A, Y, Sheshukov

School of Natural Resources: Documents and Reviews

No abstract provided.

Mapping For Accountability: Decolonizing Land Acknowledgment Initiatives, Salma Monani, Sarah E. Gilsoul

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

What does it mean to map Indigenous presence onto lands that have been appropriated by settler colonial nation states? This chapter examines the challenges and potentials of re-inscribing Indigenous land relations through a digital mapping project, Indigenous Pennsylvania: Past, Present and Future. Situating itself within the growing scholarship of Indigenous cartographies, the chapter presents Indigenous Pennsylvania as an example of d-ecomedia, a shorthand we offer for ecomedia projects that foreground decolonial methodologies. Such methodologies prompt us to attend to a storied sense of Indigenous place-based relations through attention to Indigenous spatial and temporal modes of mediation.

Keynote Address And Meeting Program, Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Modeling Monthly Actual Evapotranspiration: An Application Of Geographically Weighted Regression Technique In The Passaic River Basin, Felix Oteng Mensah, Clement Aga Alo

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Actual evapotranspiration (ET) is perhaps the most difficult quantity to directly measure among the major water balance components. Because of the high cost and labor constraints associated with the direct measurement of ET, empirical data-driven modeling has frequently been used to estimate ET. Beyond the widely used traditional type regression that has the effect of producing ‘global’ parameter estimates, assumed to be uniform throughout an area, we utilized a more localized spatially non-stationary technique - the geographically weighted regression (GWR) - to estimate mean monthly ET in the Passaic River Basin (PRB). We identified the key environmental controls of ET …

Polytech To Polytek: Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Indigenous Science, And The Future Forward Polytechnic University, Cutcha Risling Baldy, Kaitlin P. Reed, Kayla Begay

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

It is clear from Cal Poly Humboldt’s Polytechnic Prospectus that Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and Indigenous communities are key parts of what elevates Humboldt’s development of a polytechnic university for the next century. The prospectus demonstrates Humboldt's proposed framework for a different comprehensive polytechnic "will also be informed by Indigenous communities and ways of knowing, as many Native peoples have lived sustainably in their places since time immemorial” (19). There are many considerations when engaging with TEK, especially around sustainable use. It is also important that engagement with TEK and Indigenous science not only center knowledge sharing, but also how …

Impact Of Covid-19 Nationwide Lockdowns And Unlock Phases In India On River Water Quality Of Upper Part Of The Ganga River, Dhara Kakwani, Abha Kumari, Kumar Suranjit Prasad, Bablu Prasad

Applied Environmental Research

The river water quality index (RWQI) of the upper Ganga canal has been computed to assess the effect of lockdown and unlock phases lead down by COVID-19 in India. Geospatial distribution of RWQI from January 2019 to December 2021 in the study area revealed significant impacts of lockdown on water quality. However, unlock phases (post lockdown) have deteriorated water quality since August 2020 and reached to actual conditions of the river by August 2021. To evaluate the lockdown as a management strategy to clean the river, other factors were reviewed including rainfall data, migration, and other activities. The results revealed …

Tallgrass Prairie Center 2022-2023 Highlights, University Of Northern Iowa. Tallgrass Prairie Center.

Annual Reports

Contents:

--- Staff
--- From Our Director
--- Iowa Roadside Management: Enhancing our public roadsides
--- Research and Restoration: Investigating successful methods for prairie restoration
--- Plant Materials: A prairie pedigree for Iowa’s roadsides and beyond
--- Prairie on Farms: Making prairie practical
--- Irvine Prairie: Restoring a piece of the original Iowa landscape
--- Prairie Roots Project: A deeper appreciation of the prairie ecosystem
--- A Hidden Gem - UNI's Biological Preserves: A legacy of service and partnership
--- Green Iowa AmeriCorps: Service members expand TPC capacity
--- Student Accomplishments: Hands-on experiences at the TPC lead to new adventures …

Futures On Dry Ground: Anthropology And Coastal Planning, Theodore Hilton, Sheehan Moore

Publications and Research

Around the world, governments, industry, and other actors are creating plans to save coasts from environmental crisis. Louisiana is one prominent example: levees and other measures protect oil and gas infrastructure from inundation as the wetlands buffer rapidly erodes—in large part due to that same industry. The state’s primary answer to land loss is a $50 billion Coastal Master Plan. To illuminate such responses in Louisiana and globally, this article reviews emerging literature and frames an anthropology of coastal planning around three themes: (1) novel orientations toward time and space, (2) the reproduction of power and capital in the name …

Complexities Of Community Consultation In Chile's Lithium Industry, Isabella R. Whelan

Honors Theses

Echoed by November’s COP27 in Egypt, the climate crisis has become an increasingly pressing and global issue, with the need to move away from fossil fuels more urgent than ever. In attempts to decarbonize the global economy, many countries and companies have turned to electrification –particularly within the transportation sector, one of today’s largest contributors of greenhouse gasses. A crucial component of energy storage and batteries is lithium, now considered a “critical mineral.” Demand for lithium has skyrocketed in recent years and is only expected to continue growing. More than fifty percent of the world’s lithium supply is found within …

A Psychometric Study Of Thai Farmer's Risk Perception On Agricultural Risks, Cato Lacroix

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Agricultural risks, such as pests and disease, crop price, debt, and floods and/or droughts, pose a threat to farmers as their livelihood relies on their crop yields. The purpose of this research is to evaluate cash crop and high-value crop farmers’ risk perception towards agricultural risks, as well as their ability to cope and deal with these risks in Ayutthaya and Chanthaburi Province, Thailand. To determine the perceptions on agricultural risk, the psychometric paradigm was used which is among the first study in Thailand to do so. This study hypothesized that different crop types, farming regions, and socio-economic factors, may …

Climate Adaptation Nexus Of Manjing’S Smallholder Tea Agroforestry And Livelihood Diversification Through Prospective Ecological Utilization On Highlands In The Greater Mekong Subregion In China, Yang Hongyan

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

A holistic approach that integrates environmental and cultural aspects within the community livelihood framework is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of agroforestry to tackle climate variability. Engaging the livelihoods of smallholder ancient tea agroforestry in the Jingmai Mountain region in the Mekong River Sub-region of Yunnan Province of China, the study aimed to determine the nexus of smallholder ancient tea agroforestry and livelihood diversification through prospective utilization under the context of climate change. Desk studies, field observations, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews were employed for data collection. 239 smallholders and 10 key informants were interviewed. Descriptive statistics analysis, regression analysis, narrative …

Breakwater: Anti-Blackness In Geoscience Lessons From Long Beach, Ca, Christina Marsh

Pomona Senior Theses

Breakwaters are more than just physical structures that protect against storm surges and in the context of Long Beach, CA, my hometown, they are actualizations of economic, social, environmental, geologic, and policy challenges. Inspired by Trace: Memory, History, Race, and the American Landscape by Lauret Savoy, and Teaching to Transgress by bell hooks, I use an extended metaphor and autoethnographic approach to connect a chronology of my educational life to the physical structure of a breakwater. Where the breakwater also acts as a signifier of my personal experiences of seeing it, questioning its purpose, and not always finding an answer. …

Coastal Science For Resilience And Management At The Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Nc, Usa, Michael J. Flynn, Thomas R. Allen, Meaghan E. Johnson, David E. Hallac

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

National seashores are cherished public lands with rich environmental, cultural, and historic resources. The Cape Hatteras National Seashore is one such coastal asset that is both bountiful yet vulnerable, with historic lighthouses, critical habitats, and recreational amenities alike facing threats of sea-level rise and continual storm and climate change impacts. Over 3 million visitors to the Seashore in 2021 set an annual visitation record. Historic resources such as the Bodie Island Lighthouse and Ocracoke Lighthouse are among the most visited sites, yet these assets are also among those most vulnerable to flooding, compromised structural integrity, and reduced accessibility. Future challenges …

Methods For Investigating Geo-Stem Learning Ecosystems: A Case-Study Of Illinois Earth Science Teachers, Cheryl L.B. Manning

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The complex interactions between people and resources in communities that foster innovation can be thought of as ecosystems. These ecosystems have the potential to broaden participation in the geoscience community if we invest in collaborations that map out long-term solutions and career pathways for young community members. Geo-STEM learning ecosystems (GLE) engage local communities in sustainable programs that promote geoscience literacy and inspire people to learn the geosciences. A goal of GLE is to leverage existing social systems and accelerate geo-STEM solutions for society. Thus far, few studies in the geosciences have interrogated what is meant by a “learning ecosystem” …

Quantitative Change Analysis Of Undisturbed Lands In Eastern South Dakota: 2012-2021, Riley W. Wollschlager

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The actual rate of loss of undisturbed prairie and woodland in eastern South Dakota is unknown, and the landscape composition of the region continues to change. Undisturbed land is land with no proven prior cropping or other disturbance history. Agriculture, development, recreation, and other land use practices create disturbances resulting in the further conversion of undisturbed prairies and woodlands. Previous work by South Dakota State University (SDSU) quantified the remaining undisturbed land in eastern South Dakota as of 2012 (Bauman et al 2016). Farm Service Agency (FSA) common land unit (CLU) and National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery were the …

Data From: The Geography Of Glaciers And Perennial Snowfields In The American West, Andrew G. Fountain, Bryce Glenn, Hassan J. Basagic

Geology Faculty Datasets

A comprehensive mid-20th century inventory of glaciers and perennial snowfields (G&PS) was compiled for the American West, west of the 100° meridian. The inventory was derived from U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000 topographic maps based on aerial photographs acquired during 35 years,1955–1990.

Analysis Of The Introduction Of Green Laboratory Certification Program At The University At Albany, State University Of New York To Increase Sustainability In Laboratories, Samantha Long

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Universities around the world are making changes to become more sustainable including lowering energy and water consumption, reducing waste production, and looking at procurement methods. At the University at Albany, State University of New York, there is an ongoing effort to increase sustainability and climate resiliency to align with state and international goals. One of the key areas needing improvement are scientific laboratories because they have a substantially larger energy consumption than other buildings. An analysis of current practices on campus was conducted and improvements suggested from research of similar programs. This included expanding and testing a campus specific “Green …

Business Meeting Report (Secretary's And Treasurer's Report), Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

The Transition To Low And Near Zero Carbon Emission Ports : Extent And Determinants, Anas Alamoush

World Maritime University Ph.D. Dissertations

Port CO2 emissions are still high due to the dependence of equipment and energy on fossil fuels. This puts the port under pressure stemming from, inter alia, logistics chains, stakeholders and regulations, in addition to not being in line with the Paris Agreement’s goal for industries to decarbonise by mid-century. The research problem suggests that ports need to reduce their high carbon emissions and decarbonise, to contribute to the mitigation of climate change that started hitting hard including worldwide countries ports. However, there are practical and academic gaps that contribute and exacerbate the problem while this phenomenon is not yet …

Net Zero Roadmap For Copper And Nickel, Columbia Center On Sustainable Investment, Carbon Trust, Rmi, Payne Institute For Public Policy

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

As we seek to meet the challenges of climate change impacts, many commodities will play an increasing role in decarbonizing economies. There are increasing challenges of addressing the emissions from extraction of these commodities needed to support the zero-carbon transition.

CCSI, in a consortium with Carbon Trust, RMI, and the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines, developed the Net Zero Roadmap to 2050 for Copper and Nickel Value Chains to support the copper and nickel mining sectors in taking collective, coordinated action by providing a clear, approachable, and accepted roadmap for decarbonization.

Our key messages …

Estimating Potential Exposure From Abandoned Uranium Mine Sites Through Machine Learning Classification Of Animal Behavior: A Case Study In The Navajo Nation, Christopher Girlamo

Geography ETDs

Waste from Abandoned Uranium Mines (AUMs) has negatively impacted Indigenous communities for generations. To answer these concerns, this research collaborated with Navajo Nation community members in Cove, AZ and Red Valley, AZ in order to better predict the potential AUM waste exposure their flocks face. A GIS-Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (GIS-MCDA) model quantified potential exposure to AUM waste. Animal behavior was classified based on GPS and accelerometer data utilizing a Hidden Markov Model (HMM). The results of both the GIS-MCDA and animal behavior classification modeling was combined into a cumulative exposure potential value for each animal. This study found that livestock …

Iere Annual Report 2023, Erin Largo-Wight, James Taylor, Kelly Rhoden, Ruby Cox, Nicole Lowe

Annual Reports

2023 Annual Report of the Institute for Environmental Research and Education

Quantifying The Carbon Stored And Sequestered By The Trees On Pomona College’S Campus, Paola A. Giron-Carson

Scripps Senior Theses

We are experiencing a climate crisis that must be confronted with strategic mitigation. Pomona College contributes to the climate crisis through its emissions for which there is a baseline record. However there is no baseline record of the climate mitigation currently performed by the trees on Pomona’s campus through carbon storage. This study seeks to determine a current baseline quantity of carbon stored and sequestrated by Pomona’s trees as well as possible courses of climate mitigation for Pomona College to take. Initial information gathering was conducted through interviews with several stakeholders. This study was conducted using data collected prior to …

Cloud Seeding, Wildfire Smoke Emissions, And Solar Geoengineering: Why Is Climate Modification Unregulated?, Karen Bradshaw, Monika U. Ehrman

Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters

This Article is the first to identify that companies and agencies systemically modify climatic airspaces through wildfire smoke emissions, weather modification (cloud seeding to cause rain), and solar geoengineering. Climate modification is not a conspiracy theory or a hypothetical: it is happening, and it is changing weather patterns. Yet, climate modification is almost wholly unregulated. Further, it is also not recorded or tracked in systemic ways. That is to say, even government agencies do not have comprehensive records of whether; how often; or how much climate modification is occurring. The data is simply not gathered, aggregated, or stored. As a …

Computational Decision Support For Socio-Technical Awareness Of Land-Use Planning Under Complexity—A Dam Resilience Planning Case Study, Andreas Tolk, Jennifer A. Richkus, F. Leron Shults, Wesley J. Wildman

VMASC Publications

Land-use planning for modern societies requires technical competence as well as social competence. We therefore propose an integrative solution enabling better land-use planning and management through better-informed decision-making. We adapt a method developed for cross-disciplinary team building to identify the stakeholders and their various objectives and value systems. We use these results to populate artificial societies embedded into a dynamic data analytics framework as a tool to identify, explore, and visualize the challenges resulting from the different objectives and value systems in land-use planning and management. To prove the feasibility of the proposed solution, we present two use cases from …

An Assessment Of "Long-Thin" Airline Routes: Network Structure And Emissions Implications For Environmental Policy, Porter Burns

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this research was to define, map, and quantify the network and environmental implications of “long-thin” routes (LTRs) – a route structure that has been discussed in the aviation industry but not formally studied in literature. LTRs were defined through the use of global OAG scheduling data from 1998 to 2018 to identify trends in air traffic growth and network dynamics. Flights were separated into seven aircraft class sizes (e.g., 75–150 seats, 150–225 seats) to measure LTRs at multiple scales. Routes were considered “long” if the stage length was at or above the 75^th percentile in each …

Pasture Condition Guides For The Southern Rangelands, Including The Gascoyne, Murchison And Goldfields-Nullarbor, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, Philip We Thomas, Wayne J. Fletcher, Kath Ryan, Joshua E. Foster, John K. Stretch, Jim S. Addison

Bulletins 4000 -

These guides address a recognised gap in readily applicable and easily accessible information on southern rangelands pasture condition and management.

These guides provide descriptions and images for southern rangelands pastures with similar management requirements for the grazing of native pastures by livestock. Therefore, the focus is on palatability of vegetation to livestock, and the effects of livestock management and external factors on the condition of the vegetation and soils.

The first section provides an overview and map, introduces concepts and terms important to understanding arid shrubland management in general, these guides in particular, and includes an economic analysis of the …

Red Wolf Multispecies Justice Publication 2023, Eskar, Elizabeth Bennett, Finley Schad, Alex Baldwin, Oluwaseyifunmi Adejugbe, Mufti Nadimul Quamar Ahmed, Maisie Schad, Sadie Braddock, Azra Soyer, Melih Soyer, Anne-Laure Blanche, Zubair Barkat, Amol K, Sarah Ann Woodbury, Kirsten Vinyeta

Publications

Our understanding of multispecies justice is still solidifying. In spring 2023, a group of Utah State University undergraduate and graduate students attended a course by Dr.Kirsten Vinyeta on Multispecies Justice and Indigenous Approaches to the Environment. Throughout this course, we studied the works of scholars and writers from a variety of social locations and identities who challenge Western theoretical frameworks in social science.

This publication celebrates our intellectual struggle with this emerging field and opens a forum for conversations about justice for humans and additional species. This issue features various writings, reflections, and photos from students taking the Multispecies Justice …

Deriving Spatially Explicit Direct And Indirect Interaction Networks From Animal Movement Data, Anni Yang, Mark Q. Wilber, Kezia R. Manlove, Ryan S. Miller, Raoul Boughton, James Beasley, Joseph Northrup, Kurt C. Vercauteren, George Wittemyer, Kim Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Quantifying spatiotemporally explicit interactions within animal populations facilitates the understanding of social structure and its relationship with ecological processes. Data from animal tracking technologies (Global Positioning Systems [“GPS”]) can circumvent longstanding challenges in the estimation of spatiotemporally explicit interactions, but the discrete nature and coarse temporal resolution of data mean that ephemeral interactions that occur between consecutive GPS locations go undetected. Here, we developed a method to quantify individual and spatial patterns of interaction using continuous-time movement models (CTMMs) fit to GPS tracking data. We first applied CTMMs to infer the full movement trajectories at an arbitrarily fine temporal scale …

Cultivating Connection: Fanua And Environmental Stewardship In Samoan Youth, Julia Stern , '25

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

This study explores how the concept of fanua is cultivated in Samoan youth. Fanua can be simply defined as land, but the term more deeply encompasses the inherent and reciprocal connection between Samoans and their natural environment. In a world increasingly disconnected with the natural world due to technology and globalization, Samoans have been able to maintain a strong connection with their environment. This study looks at the family, the formal schooling system, and other lived experiences of Samoan youth as mechanisms through which fanua is taught and learned. Eleven talanoa sessions were conducted with teachers, parents, and Samoan youth …