Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Multiple Stressors On Stream Communities: The Convergence Of Drought, Nutrient Pollution, And Invasive Species, Robert Joseph Fournier Iii

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Freshwater systems experience multi-faceted degradation from a variety of ecological and environmental stressors. Three common stressors in these systems, drought, nutrient pollution, and invasive species, have wide-ranging effects on stream population- community- and ecosystem dynamics. We have a broad understanding of how each of these stressors works to influence stream systems independently. However, we still know relatively little about if, and how, these stressors might interact when they co-occur. Though drought is a natural part of many stream systems, all three of these stressors can be exacerbated or facilitated by anthropogenic actions. Accordingly, as human population and resource use continue …

Projecting Water Available For Irrigation Use And Identifying Water Supply Stress Under Climate Change Scenarios In Selected U.S. Fruit And Vegetable Production Regions, Andrew Shaw

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Climate change affects water resources differently across geospatial regions in the United States (U.S). There is a concern of how water availability will be affected by changes in long-term temperature and precipitation patterns, specifically in major production regions for eight fruit and vegetable crops. The effects on surface water available for irrigation use and supply stress in five regions containing 31 Agricultural Statistics Districts (ASDs) were assessed. The Water Supply Stress Index Model was used and modified to project water available for irrigation use across nine climate scenarios driven by historical data, five General Circulation Models, two population scenarios, and …

Wicked Ideas For Wicked Problems: Marine Debris And The Complexity Of Governance, Dawn Helene Driesbach

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Myriad challenges regarding earth's common spaces, those unregulated by sovereign state authorities, mount and intensify as resources diminish and competition for commercial, scientific and security advantages increases; the pollution and degradation of those spaces simultaneously expands. Threats to the global commons complicate efforts to achieve international consensus which impedes attempts to develop effective governance. As an example, marine debris is a growing problem and is an existential threat to the global commons.

This dissertation aims to characterize marine debris as a wicked problem and explores the complexity of governance in the global ocean commons by answering two fundamental questions. Under …

Compost And Biochar To Promote Soil Biological Activities Under Sweet Potatoes Cultivation In A Subtropical Semiarid Region, Josabeth Navarro, Jahdiel Salazar, James Jihoon Kang, Jason Parsons, Chu-Lin Cheng, Alexandria Castillo, Engil Isadora Pujol Pereira

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

South Texas is located in a subtropical semiarid climate, and due to high temperature and irregular precipitation, farmers opt to leave their fields fallow during the summer months jeopardizing overall soil health. We evaluated whether sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) cultivation coupled with drip irrigation could restore soil biological activities compared with bare fallow. Additionally, because sweet potatoes have high demand of soil nutrients, especially potassium (K), we evaluated the nutrient supply of locally sourced soil amendments. Sweet potato was cultivated during summer 2018 in McAllen, Texas, under control (no fertilizer), NPK (synthetic fertilizer), RC (yard-waste compost), and AC (compost produced …

Soil Management Systems To Overcome Multiple Constraints For Dryland Crops On Deep Sands In A Water Limited Environment On The South Coast Of Western Australia, David J. Hall, Stephen L. Davies, Richard W. Bell, Tom Edwards

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Deep sands on the south coast sandplain of Western Australia (WA) have multiple soil constraints including water repellence, high soil strength, low nutrient levels and subsoil acidity. The aim of the study was to test contrasting methods of managing water repellence and to assess their impacts on one or more soil constraints to crop production. These methods included seeding tyne design (knife point, winged points, paired row), soil wetting agent addition, strategic inversion tillage (rotary spading, mouldboard ploughing to 0.35 m) and clay-rich subsoil addition (170 t ha−1 with incorporation by spading to 0.20 or 0.35 m). Limesand (2 t …

A Spatial And Multivariate Approach To Examining Effects Of Urbanization On Nitrogen Sources, Organic Matter Inputs, And Trophic Structure In Streams Of Cobb And Paulding Counties, Georgia., Katharine Horning

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Urbanization and land use changes have a negative effect on streams often causing numerous physical changes in stream morphology, a change in nutrient concentrations, and altered ecosystems contributing to a loss of habitat, decreased biodiversity, and loss of stability for ecosystem function (Walsh et al., 2005; Meyer et al., 2005; Cardinale and Palmer, 2012). The use of stable isotope analysis for monitoring could be valuable because it accounts for temporal integration from anthropogenic wastewater inputs, characterized by a shift in the abundance of ¹⁵N. This project had three main objectives: (1) to examine how nitrogen and carbon sources are …

Potential Of Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.) For Paired Phytoremediation And Bioenergy Production, Hanah T. Rheay, Emmanuel C. Omondi, Catherine E. Brewer

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a multi-use crop that has been investigated for its potential use in phytoremediation of heavy metals, radionuclides, and organic contaminants, and as a feedstock for bioenergy production. A review of research literature indicates that hemp is a suitable crop for phytoremediation, and a competitive option for bioenergy. Coupling phytoremediation and bioenergy production from a single hemp crop is a potential solution to overcoming the economic constraints of phytoremediation projects. The current challenge is ensuring that the extracted contaminants are not introduced into the consumer marketplace. After several decades of limited research on hemp in the …

Impacts Of Climate Change On Multiple Use Management Of Bureau Of Land Management Land In The Intermountain West, Usa, Elaine M. Brice, Brett A. Miller, Hongchao Zhang, Kirsten Goldstein, Scott N. Zimmer, Guenchik J. Grosklos, Patrick Belmont, Courtney G. Flint, Jennifer E. Givens, Peter B. Adler, Mark W. Brunson, Jordan W. Smith

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Although natural resource managers are concerned about climate change, many are unable to adequately incorporate climate change science into their adaptation strategies or management plans, and are not always aware of or do not employ the most current scientific knowledge. One of the most prominent natural resource management agencies in the United States is the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which is tasked with managing over 248 million acres (>1 million km²) of public lands for multiple, often conflicting, uses. Climate change will affect the sustainability of many of these land uses and could further increase conflicts …

Save Water Drink Wine: Challenges Of Implementing The Ethnography Of The Temecula Valley Wine Industry Into Food-Energy-Water Nexus Decision-Making, Zaida E. Darley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study demonstrates the interrelationships of people, food, energy, and water associated with Temecula Valley’s wine industry and reveals contradictions and biases in how people view these resources, which ultimately shape management and policies. The FEW (Food, Energy, and Water) Nexus is an approach increasingly used by policy- and decision-makers to understand the interrelationship of several resources. However, a FEW Nexus approach often lacks in social aspects that influence environmentally and economically sustainable outcomes, especially in the wine and wine tourism industry. When quantitative and qualitative data are available, the other challenge is which assessment to use. Two assessments often …

An Examination Of Key Stakeholder’S Challenges For The Implementation Of The Blue Economy Strategic Policy (2018-2030), In Seychelles, Chrissan Chrissan Barbe

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Spanish Moss As A Biological Indicator To Examine Relationships Between Metal Air Pollution, Vegetation Cover, And Environmental Equity In Tampa, Florida, Yousif Abdullah

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Studies of inequality in exposure to less common air pollutants, like metals, are often limited by the costs of high spatial resolution measurements. Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is a promising bioindicator for measuring air pollution due to its lower cost, enabling capture of time-average environmental concentrations at high spatial resolution. This study had three major aims. First, I aimed to use Spanish moss as a bioindicator to characterize ambient concentrations of selected metals (Ti, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cd, Hg, Pb, As, and Sb) in Tampa, Florida. My second goal was to determine the impact of vegetation cover on metals …

Chemical Effects Of Cold Atmospheric Plasma On Food Nutrients, Juan Manuel Pérez Andrés

Doctoral

A range of nonthermal techniques have demonstrated process efficacy in ensuring food product safety, extension of shelf-life and in general a retention of key quality attributes. However, various physical, chemical and biochemical effects of nonthermal techniques on both macro and micronutrients are evident, leading to both desirable and undesirable changes in food products. It is important to outline the effects of non-thermal techniques on food chemistry and the associated degradation mechanisms with the treatment of foods. Oxidation is one of the key mechanisms responsible for undesirable effects induced by non-thermal techniques. Degradation of key macromolecules largely depends on the processing …

Marine Wild-Capture Fisheries After Nuclear War, Kim J. N. Scherrer, Cheryl S. Harrison, Ryan F. Heneghan, Eric Galbraith, Charles G. Bardeen, Joshua Coupe, Jonas Jägermeyr, Nicole S. Lovenduski, August Luna, Alan Robock, Jessica Stevens, Samantha Stevenson, Owen B. Toon, Lili Xia

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Nuclear war, beyond its devastating direct impacts, is expected to cause global climatic perturbations through injections of soot into the upper atmosphere. Reduced temperature and sunlight could drive unprecedented reductions in agricultural production, endangering global food security. However, the effects of nuclear war on marine wild-capture fisheries, which significantly contribute to the global animal protein and micronutrient supply, remain unexplored. We simulate the climatic effects of six war scenarios on fish biomass and catch globally, using a state-of-the-art Earth system model and global process-based fisheries model. We also simulate how either rapidly increased fish demand (driven by food shortages) or …

The Quantification Of Heavy Metals In Infant Formulas Offered By The Florida Wic Program, Naya Martin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many infants rely on the WIC program to provide their main source of sustenance in theform of infant formula. In 2016, about 86% of the eligible infant population participated in this program. Infants in Florida account for about 30% of participation in the Southeast. For this reason, it is necessary to ensure that the formulas offered by this program provide the best opportunity for an optimal health outcome.

Exposure to heavy metals can have detrimental effects on the development of infants and children. Arsenic, lead, and cadmium specifically have been commonly found in certain types of infant formulas. Significant exposures …

Gearing Up Impact Assessment As A Vehicle For Achieving The Un Sustainable Development Goals, Angus Morrison-Saunders, Luis E. Sánchez, Francois Retief, John Sinclair, Meinhard Doelle, Megan Jones, Jan-Albert Wessels, Jenny Pope

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This article reflects on the potential for impact assessment (IA) to be a major vehicle for implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While it is acknowledged that the SDGs are intended to deliver broader outcomes than IA currently does, we nevertheless argue there is significant convergence between IA and the SDGs, which we explore utilising the key dimensions of sustainability assessment: comprehensiveness, strategicness and integratedness. We conclude that ‘geared up’ IA might be used as a major vehicle to facilitate achievement of the SDGs. However, IA must become more comprehensive and integrated, such that the full suite of SDGs …

Spatial And Temporal Dynamics Of Human–Wildlife Conflicts In The Kenya Greater Tsavo Ecosystem, Joseph M. Mukeka, Joseph O. Ogutu, Erustus Kanga, Eivin Røskaft

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Biodiversity conservation in developing countries is faced with many and mounting challenges, including increasing human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs). In Africa and other developing countries, increasing HWCs, particularly those adjacent to protected areas, can adversely affect local stakeholder perceptions and support for conservation. We analyzed HWC reports for multiple wildlife species compiled >23 years (1995–2017) from the Greater Tsavo Ecosystem (GTE) in Kenya to determine HWC trends. The GTE is the largest protected area in Kenya, covering 22,681 km². Overall, 39,022 HWC incidents were reported in 6 GTE regions (i.e., Taveta, Mutomo, Kibwezi, Rombo, Galana, Bachuma). The 5 wildlife species …

Indigenous Guardianship And Moose Monitoring: Weaving Indigenous And Western Ways Of Knowing, Jesse N. Popp, Pauline Priadka, Megan Young, Kevin Koch, James Morgan

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Increasing global rates of wildlife species extinctions, extirpations, and declines warrant improvements to population monitoring and management approaches. To address regional environmental and wildlife issues, Indigenous communities globally are re-establishing traditional roles as stewards of the land through emerging Indigenous Guardianship Programs (IGPs). By providing the opportunity for community-level participation in monitoring and management, IGPs help foster cohesive solutions for long-term conservation of species while promoting environmental stewardship at the community level. Addressing challenges in monitoring and management of wildlife is especially critical for species that are of cultural and ecological importance at both community and distribution-wide scales. Herein, we …

Solar Irradiance And Enso Affect Food Security In Lake Tanganyika, A Major African Inland Fishery, Michael M. Mcglue, S. J. Ivory, J. R. Stone, A. S. Cohen, T. M. Kamulali, J. C. Latimer, M. A. Brannon, I. A. Kimirei, M. J. Soreghan

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

Food security in a warming world is a grave concern for rapidly growing impoverished populations. Low-latitude inland fisheries provide protein for millions of rural poor, yet the impacts of high-frequency climate oscillations on these aquatic ecosystems are unknown. Here, we present a sub-annual-to-annual resolution paleolimnological reconstruction of upwelling, productivity, and algal composition at Lake Tanganyika, one of Africa's largest landlocked fisheries. The data reveal increases in diatom production at centennial-scale solar irradiance maxima, and interannual variability in upwelling linked to La Niña. Our study shows that interactions between global climatic controls and El Niño-Southern Oscillation teleconnections exert profound influences on …

Influence Of Characteristics Of Marine Macroalgae On Feeding Preferences Of The Milkfish (Chanos Chanos) In Peninsular Malaysia, Lim Wai Yin

Student Works (2020-2029)

Herbivores can alter several ecological mechanisms including interactions between native and non-native autotrophs that may determine invasion success of the non-native autotrophs. This study looked into the autotroph-herbivore interactions in coastal marine ecosystems of Peninsular Malaysia, mainly to determine if autotroph nutritional components and geographical differences significantly influence herbivore feeding behaviours. The relative consumption rate (RCR) of milkfish (Chanos chanos Forsskål), a generalist herbivore obtained from the Straits of Malacca was documented through feeding trials using 12 macroalgal species collected from different coastal areas of the Straits of Malacca, the Straits of Johor, and the South China Sea. The herbivore …

The Coastal Monitor Winter/Spring 2020 (Volume 6, No 2), John Tanacredi Ph.D.

The Coastal Monitor

It is a distinct pleasure to welcome our new President, Dr. James Lentini, who epitomizes the STEAM connection between Art and Science at Molloy College. Dr. Lentini has been a leader in higher education for more than 30 years and has had stellar academic training in the arts which include his passion for music. From composer, to classical guitarist, to music technology on an international level, receiving countless awards, honors, and praise from the most prestigious entities in the Arts. His transition to Molloy College was at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and his leadership, under these most difficult …

Frost Identification Guide For Cereals, Ben Biddulph, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Bulletins 4000 -

Frost damage reduces crop yield and grain quality. Early identification of symptoms allows timely crop salvage decisions to be made.

Factors Contributing To The Decline Of Bees, Coleman Behne

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Pesticides and parasites are the main causes for the decline in honey bees. This presentation focuses on four of the main factors contributing to bee decline and the stakeholders involved as well as potential solutions.

Water Current, Volume 52, No. 3, Fall 2020

Water Current Newsletter

NWC Convenes August 3 Mini-Conference

Water and Public Safety

University Receives $5 million Gift to Create Program on Water, Climate and Health

Water Quality Assessment In The Occurrence Of Acanthaster Spp. (Crown-Of-Thorns Starfish, Cots) On Coral Reefs In Menjangan Island, Bali, Indonesia, Novia Arinda Pradisty, Eghbert Elvan Ampou, Rizki Hanintyo

Makara Journal of Science

Aquatic stressors are known to cause biological impairment that can result in biodiversity loss in several Marine Protected Areas (MPA), including in Menjangan Island, West Bali National Park. The objectives of this study were to correlate the changes in water quality parameters with the biological effect of Crown-of-Thorns starfish (CoTS) population dynamics and to assess the most applicable parameters for continuous environmental monitoring. Field observations and surveys were conducted three times in 2017, during the wet season, dry season and season transition, in order to assess the effect of seasonal variability. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) was performed to determine the relationship …

Environmental Investigation Of Bio-Modification Of Steel Slag Through Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation, Junke Zhang, Peidong Su, Yadong Li, Lin Li

Civil and Architectural Engineering Faculty Research

Steel slag (SS) is one of byproduct of steel manufacture industry. The environmental concerns of SS may limit their re-use in different applications. The goal of this study was to investigate the leaching behavior of metals from SS before and after treated by microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP). Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, synthetic precipitation leaching procedure and water leaching tests were performed to evaluate the leaching behavior of major elements (Fe, Mg and Ca) and trace elements (Ba, Cu and Mn) in three scenarios. The concentrations of leaching metals increased with the content of SS. After it reached the peak …

Physiological And Biochemical Responses Of Two Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.) Cultivars Differing In Thermotolerance To High Night Temperatures During Anthesis, Dimitra A. Loka, Derrick M. Oosterhuis

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Heat stress constitutes a major threat to crop production, and according to climatic projections, night temperatures are expected to increase faster and to a greater extent compared to day temperatures. While extensive research has been dedicated to the effects of higher than optimum day temperatures on cotton physiology, metabolism, and yield, and while heat-tolerant cotton cultivars have been introduced, the responses of such heat-tolerant cultivars to high night temperatures have not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to assess the efficiency of heat-tolerant cultivars to high night temperatures stress by monitoring the physiological and biochemical responses of two …

Suitability Of Resampled Multispectral Datasets For Mapping Flowering Plants In The Kenyan Savannah, David Masereti Makori, Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman, Tobias Landmann, Onisimo Mutanga, John Odindi, Evelyn Nguku, Henry E. Tonnang, Suresh Raina

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Pollination services and honeybee health in general are important in the African savannahs particularly to farmers who often rely on honeybee products as a supplementary source of income. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the floral cycle, abundance and spatial distribution of melliferous plants in the African savannah landscapes. Furthermore, placement of apiaries in the landscapes could benefit from information on spatiotemporal patterns of flowering plants, by optimising honeybees’ foraging behaviours, which could improve apiary productivity. This study sought to assess the suitability of simulated multispectral data for mapping melliferous (flowering) plants in the African savannahs. Bi-temporal AISA Eagle hyperspectral …

Relationship Between Humidity And Physiology In Warm And Humid Conditions: A Literature Review, Yuliya Dzyuban

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Change in precipitation patterns caused by global warming will likely increase humidity in some areas of the world. Moreover, populations in tropical climates with already high humidity levels can experience an added stress on their health and thermal comfort due to an amplifying effect of heat and moisture. Humidity is a generic term commonly used to describe moisture in the air. However, there are numerous variables that describe different properties of humid air that can be used in scientific studies. While relative humidity remains the most used, it has several shortcomings associated with its high correlation with air temperature. Thus, …

Socio-Economic And Environmental Implications Of Replacing Conventional Poultry Feed With Insect-Based Feed In Kenya, Zewdu Abro, Menale Kassie, Chrysantus Tanga, Dennis Beesigamukama, Gracious Diiro

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The growing scarcity of resources for feed production and environmental concerns highlight the unsustainability of conventional feed sources. Insect farming is considered as an alternative feed due to its low land and water requirements, its low ecological footprint, and circular economy contribution by converting biowaste into high-quality feed ingredients. While there is growing research on the technical feasibility and nutritional performance of insect-based feed, its potential beneifts are not quanitified. Using experimental and secondary data, we assess the potential socio-economic benefits of black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) to the Kenyan poultry sector. We find that replacing 5–50% of the …

Foliar Application Of Low Concentrations Of Titanium Dioxide And Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles To The Common Sunflower Under Field Conditions, Marek Kolenčík, Dávid Ernst, Martin Urík, Ľuba Ďurišová, Marek Bujdoš, Martin Šebesta, Edmund Dobročka, Samuel Kšiňan, Ramakanth Illa, Qian Yu, Huan Feng, Ivan Černý, Veronika Holišová, Gabriela Kratošová

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Nano-fertilisers have only recently been introduced to intensify plant production, and there still remains inadequate scientific knowledge on their plant-related effects. This paper therefore compares the effects of two nano-fertilisers on common sunflower production under field conditions. The benefits arising from the foliar application of micronutrient-based zinc oxide fertiliser were compared with those from the titanium dioxide plant-growth enhancer. Both the zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) were delivered by foliar application in nano-size at a concentration of 2.6 mg·L⁻¹. The foliar-applied nanoparticles (NPs) had good crystallinity and a mean size distribution under 30 nm. …