Digital Commons Network^™

A Critical Perspective On The Society Of Environmental Toxicology And Chemistry's Adherence To Founding Principles— Opportunities For The Future, Barnett A. Rattner, Annegaaike Leopold, Carys L. Mitchelmore, Glenn W. Suter, Mark S. Johnson, Adriana C. Bejarano, Lawrence A. Kapustka, Niranjana Krishnan, Derek C. G. Muir, Beatrice O. Opeolu, Martha Georgina Orozco-Medina, April Reed, Bruce W. Vigon, Adam R. Wronski

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) is a global organization whose mission is the advancement of environmental science and management through collaboration, leadership, communication and education. On SETAC's 45th anniversary, the following question was raised: Are the 1979 founding principles of SETAC, multidisciplinary approaches to solving environmental problems, multisector engagement and scientific objectivity, still useful, adequate and effective in fulfilling its mission? In a special session held at the 45th Annual Meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, a critical evaluation of the founding principles was initiated by reviewing SETAC's history and ongoing activities, and recommendations were made …

First Record Of Arrhenophagus Chionaspidis Aurivillius (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) Parasitizing White Mango Scale In Kenya: Its Potential Distribution And Prospects In Biocontrol, Francis Obala, Abdelmutalab G.A. Azrag, Rehemah Gwokyalya, Shepard Ndlela, Ingo Grass, Georg Petschenka, Sunday Ekesi, Samira A. Mohamed

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The white mango scale, Aulacaspis tubercularis Newstead (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), is one of the most destructive pests of mango worldwide. Its current management in most of the invaded areas largely depends on the intensive use of chemical insecticides. Biological control using parasitoids represents one of the most effective and environmentally sustainable management options. However, in Kenya, one of Africa's leading mango-producing countries, no effective parasitoid species associated with A. tubercularis had previously been recorded. This study aimed to identify encyrtid parasitoids associated with A. tubercularis in Kenya, and to assess how bioclimatic factors influence their occurrence and habitat suitability. Mango leaves …

Impact Of Environmental Microparticles On Insect Olfaction, Steve B.S. Baleba, Danube K.N. Wandji, Yves H. Tchiechoua, Komi Mensah Agboka, Iman B. Hassaballa, Victor O. Omondi, Beatrice T. Nganso, Saliou Niassy, Souleymane Diallo, Merid N. Getahun

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Terrestrial insects underpin key ecosystem services, including pollination, herbivory regulation, decomposition, nutrient cycling, and disease control. These functions depend on chemical communication that guides insects to food, mates, hosts, shelters, and oviposition sites while helping them avoid threats. Environmental microparticles, such as micro- and nanoplastics, tyre wear particles, soot, mineral dust, and agricultural residues, are now widespread across air, soil, vegetation, and indoor environments, exposing insects through contact, deposition, and ingestion. Growing evidence shows that these particles disrupt insect olfaction by adsorbing volatile compounds, blocking antennal sensilla, and interfering with receptor and neuronal processes. These disruptions impair foraging, mating, oviposition, …

Assessing Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) Distribution Using Traditional Sampling Methods In Conjunction With Edna On Trinity River Tributaries Within The Hoopa Tribal Boundaries, Ely D. Boone

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Detecting the presence of species using environmental DNA (eDNA) is a fast-growing field of study that shows much promise for population monitoring. In fisheries biology, eDNA is a potentially powerful tool compared to traditional fisheries monitoring techniques such as visual observation via snorkel surveys. When eDNA and traditional survey methods are employed in tandem, using the same spatial and temporal sampling design, eDNA often detects target species when traditional methods do not. In this study, instead of utilizing this paired study design, I implemented eDNA and snorkel surveys at different sampling scales with eDNA being collected at a single downstream …

A Framework For Evaluating Riparian Climate Refugia In The Eel River Watershed, California, Farrah Tyler

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Climate change is increasing the need to identify and protect landscapes that support biodiversity through both habitat connectivity and climate refugia. Climate refugia are areas that remain relatively buffered from regional climatic change, enabling species to persist despite shifting environmental conditions. Riparian ecosystems can function as both movement corridors and climate refugia, yet methods for identifying these features and understanding the environmental processes that sustain them remain limited. In California's North Coast region, the identification and conservation of watersheds that may serve as climate refugia for sensitive plant and animal species will be essential for long-term ecosystem management and conservation. …

Environmental Pesticide Exposure In The Etiology Of Pediatric Brain Tumors And Leukemia: A Scoping Review Of Epidemiological Studies, G. N. Vandesteeg, A. R. Russman, M. R. Sandbulte, E. G. Rogan, M. G. Rhodes

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Study Of Fire Regimes In Southwestern Australia Using Geospatial Techniques, Ana Do Carmo Carvalho

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The Northern Jarrah Forest in Southwestern Australia (SWA), part of a global biodiversity hotspot, is home to fire-sensitive tree species such as marri (Corymbia calophylla) and jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata). As climate change intensifies drought and extreme fire events, understanding the drivers of fire severity is increasingly critical. This thesis analyses fire regimes within the Mundaring drinking water catchment to better understand the spatiotemporal complexity of fire severity in relation to fire history and environmental factors.

The thesis commences with a review of three Fire History Databases (FHDs) used in SWA, highlighting significant inconsistencies and data gaps across time and space. …

Understanding Climate Change And Wellbeing Through Bhutan's Pursuit Of Gross National Happiness, Tashi Dorji

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Climate change has evolved into one of the biggest global challenges of the twenty first century reshaping ecological systems and social conditions with wide-ranging implications for human wellbeing. Bhutan offers a distinct context to explore interactions between climate change and wellbeing as it remains guided by its wellbeing-centred development philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH). At the same time, it remains highly vulnerable to climate change despite being the only carbon negative country in the world. Nonetheless, the intersections between climate change and GNH have not been systematically explored.

This research aims to explore the relationship between climate change and …

Resilience For Whom? A Study In Pathways And Production Of Unequal Risk In The Rockaways, Aaryan M. Nair

Publications and Research

This paper investigates how climate adaptation policies in the Rockaway Peninsula of New York City produce unequal outcomes despite their ostensibly neutral design, framing resilience as an environmental and climate justice problem. Situated within a landscape marked by stark socioeconomic disparities, aging housing stock, and high exposure to coastal flooding, the study demonstrates that existing adaptation strategies—centered on uniform technical standards, insurance frameworks, and large-scale coastal infrastructure—systematically advantage actors with greater financial and institutional capacity while leaving low-income residents, particularly renters, disproportionately vulnerable.

The analysis identifies three core dynamics underlying this “unequal-by-design” resilience regime: (1) the stratified feasibility of compliance …

Key To Spartina Of The West Coast Based On Vegetative Characteristics, Mary Pfauth, Mark D. Sytsma, Mitchell Kloer, Jennifer Riddle, Jacob Rose, Gabriel E. Campbell

Center for Lakes and Reservoirs Publications and Presentations

In their natural condition, Pacific Coast estuaries have extensive open mudflats in the intertidal area that are important shorebird feeding habitat and are used for oystering and recreational fishing. Several non-native cordgrass species are invading Pacific estuaries and damaging these functions and uses. Early detection is critical to effective management of cordgrass infestation. This key is intended to provide an easy-to-use reference for quick identification of Spartina (synonym: Sporobolus) species on the Pacific coast. We choose to focus on vegetative characteristics here, since flowers are not always visible when it can be advantageous to survey.

This publication is intended to …

The Colorado River: Searching For Solutions In The Face Of Uncertainty: Conference Summary, Emilia Endara, Douglas Kenney

Books, Reports, and Studies

The Colorado River is facing unprecedented change and uncertainty. Average annual flows continue to decline, and negotiations to craft post-2026 guidelines to manage the river have repeatedly bogged down in disagreements about delivery obligations, sharing shortages, and mandatory conservation. While some clarity may emerge in the coming months, the ability to sustain many existing municipal and agricultural water users is already being compromised. Meanwhile, there is growing recognition that a durable resolution must also address the water rights of sovereign Tribal Nations and better integrate environmental values into river management. All sovereigns, stakeholders, and sectors must work together now more …

Thirst For Data: State Responses To Data Center Water Use, Daniel Anderson, Sydney Stellato

Books, Reports, and Studies

No abstract provided.

Factors Influencing Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris Gallopavo Silvestris) Productivity And Nesting Chronology In West Virginia, Kirstin Palumbo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Identifying drivers of variation in the timing of breeding behaviors, such as courtship activities and nesting chronology, is important for the effective management of avian species. Likewise, productivity is an important component of game bird population dynamics and can be broken up into multiple components such as the probability of nesting, clutch size, and nest success. One species that experiences a relatively long reproductive season is the Eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). Contemporary research in the southeastern United States has raised concerns regarding declines in both wild turkey populations and overall productivity. West Virginia, however, is unique …

Comparing Unet And Hrnet For Geomorphic Feature Extraction From Digital Terrain Model-Derived Land Surface Parameters, Behnam Solouki

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Automated extraction of geomorphic features from high spatial resolution terrain data is important for environmental monitoring, geohazard assessment, and landscape change analysis. This study compares two convolutional neural network architectures, UNet and High-Resolution Network (HRNet), for semantic segmentation of mine benches and sinkholes from lidar-derived digital terrain models and land surface parameters. Mine benches represent anthropogenic, elongated, stepped landforms associated with historic surface mining, whereas sinkholes are natural, compact depressions common in karst terrain. Three terrain-derived input layers were used: square-root-transformed slope, broad-scale topographic position index, and fine-scale annulus topographic position index. Models were trained using five training sample sizes, …

Comparative Assessment Of Energy And Emission Costs For Geothermal Heat Pumps And Fossil-Fuel Heating Systems Across U.S. Climatic Zones, Md Shahin Alam, Shima Afshar, Seyed Ali Arefifar, Mohammad Haq

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In response to growing concerns over global warming and energy sustainability, transitioning from fossil-fuel-based heating systems to renewable alternatives is essential. This study evaluates the economic and environmental performance of geothermal heat pumps for building heating and compares it with conventional coal-fired boilers, natural-gas boilers, and diesel furnaces. Using the heating degree-day (HDD) method, heating energy demand was analyzed for four U.S. cities—Anchorage (AK), San Francisco (CA), Salt Lake City (UT), and Las Vegas (NV)—representing diverse climatic zones. The analysis integrates thermodynamic and economic parameters, including the coefficient of performance (COP = 2–5) and annual fuel-utilization efficiency (AFUE = 80–97%), …

Application Of Organic Geochemistry To The Characterization Of Hydrochar And Biochar: Insights Into Composition And Optimization, Michael A. Kruge, Teresa A. Centeno, Alvaro Amado-Fierro, José Manuel González-Lafuente, Rubén Forján, José Luis Gallego

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Hydrothermal carbonization has garnered significant attention in recent studies due to potential applications of the hydrochar produced, which overlap with those of torrefied biochar, including soil improvement, carbon sequestration, and energy production. However, unlike the relatively uniform properties of biochar, hydrochar characteristics can vary greatly depending on the feedstock used. Advanced characterization techniques are essential to better understand these materials and enhance their practical applications. Research on hydrochar requires a multi-faceted approach, including molecular-level studies, to optimize production processes and identify specific applications.

In this regard, analytical methods commonly used in organic geochemistry could play a crucial role in deepening …

Nanostructured Cathode Catalysts For Aem Electrolysis: From Catalyst Design To Degradation And Hydrogen Dynamics, Yamini Kumaran

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) presents a promising pathway toward cost-effective and sustainable hydrogen production by integrating the chemical robustness of alkaline systems with the compact, zero-gap design of proton exchange membrane electrolyzers. However, the widespread implementation of AEMWE is limited by the availability of highly active and durable platinum-group-metal (PGM)-free catalysts and by an incomplete understanding of their degradation behavior under realistic operating conditions.

This dissertation focuses on the development, characterization, and mechanistic investigation of nanostructured MoNi₄–MoO₂-based electrodes for efficient and stable hydrogen generation under alkaline and membrane-integrated environments. MoNi₄–MoO₂ nanorods …

Advancing Periodic Time Series Analysis: Application, Bias Assessment, And Optimal Window Selection In The Variable Bandpass Periodic Block Bootstrap Method, Yanan Sun

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Time series analysis is essential for understanding long-term patterns, periodic behavior, and underlying correlations in complex datasets. The periodically correlated (PC) time series is a type of time series where the correlation structure repeats over fixed intervals. The Variable Bandpass Periodic Block Bootstrap (VBPBB) has recently been proposed as a resampling method that preserves PC structures through the use of periodogram, bandpass filters, and block bootstrap resampling. Although promising, VBPBB remains underutilized, and its limitations have not been fully examined. This dissertation advances both the application and methodological development of the VBPBB.

The first project applies the VBPBB to a …

Environmental Engineers Develop Solutions To Problems Of Planetary Health: The Legacy Of Professor P. Aarne Vesilind, Daniel B. Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The principal ethical obligation of the engineering profession, to "hold paramount the health, safety, and welfare of the public," has been challenged for decades. Professor P. Aarne Vesilind identified two primary deficiencies: an anthropocentric bias that values nature only instrumentally and the use of non-mandatory, aspirational language for environmental protection, which resulted in the exclusion of enforceable environmental canons. This paper argues that two recent developments provide a comprehensive response to Vesilind's recommendations for engineering ethics. First, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has redefined environmental engineering as "developing solutions to problems of planetary health." Second, Oerther proposed a …

A Transdisciplinary Approach To Advancing Water Security And Public Health: The “Nurse + Engineer” Model For Achieving Sustainability In Wash Systems Using Community-Based Participatory Research, Daniel B. Oerther, Sarah Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Human health is linked to the health of the environment, a concept referred to as planetary health. As environmental challenges become increasingly complex, single-disciplinary approaches are insufficient to achieve sustainable solutions. This article presents a transdisciplinary framework, termed the "Nurse + Engineer" model, as a novel methodology for addressing complex problems at the nexus of environmental engineering and public health. The model integrates the technical design and systems-level thinking of environmental engineering with the community-based, patient-centered care of nursing. This work details the key lessons learned from the retrospective application of this framework to a series of multi-year, community-based participatory …

Priority Questions For The Next Decade Of Blue Carbon Science, Peter I. Macreadie, George E. Biddulph, Pere Masque, Hilary Kennedy, Jimena Samper-Villarreal, J. Patrick Megonigal, Hannah K. Morrissette, Tania E. Romero-Gonzalez, Vanessa Hatje, Jana Friedrich, Sigit D. Sasmito, Kenta Watanabe, Inés Mazarrasa, Dorte Krause-Jensen, Janine B. Adams, Miguel Cifuentes-Jara, Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Andre S. Rovai, Milica Stankovic, Kirsten Isensee, Ana M. Queirós, Luzhen Chen, Jorge Herrera-Silveira, Catriona L. Hurd, Rashid Ismail, Ken W. Krauss, Anna Lafratta, Maria M. Palacios, William E.N. Austin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Blue carbon ecosystems, classically defined as mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrasses, but increasingly expanded to include ecosystems such as tidal flats, macroalgal forests and shelf sediments, contribute to climate change mitigation and biodiversity support. Here, seven years after the last global assessment of research priorities, we conducted a priority-setting exercise to identify persistent knowledge and implementation gaps, and the strategic priorities that must be addressed to enable scalable, high-integrity and equitable management of blue carbon ecosystems in a rapidly evolving policy and finance landscape. The highest priority focuses on managing blue carbon ecosystems to support coastal communities while integrating traditional …

Stakeholder Co-Design Of Sustainable Urban Pest Management Strategies, Elizabeth C. Lowe, Nathan J. Butterworth, Alexander Austin, Cameron Webb, Tanya Latty

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The high levels of broad-spectrum insecticides used to manage invertebrates in many cities around the world has significant environmental and health impacts. Integrated pest management (IPM) is a framework for sustainable pest control practice, but uptake of IPM remains low in most cities. We used participatory action research with pest management industry stakeholders (practitioners, industry representatives, researchers and government employees) to identify key issues in urban pest management in Australia, set priorities for change and discuss collaborative solutions. Via an online survey and a face-to-face workshop, the participants identified the key themes of education and training, public awareness, environmental impacts …

The Value Of Saltbush Revegetation For Biodiversity In A Highly Fragmented Landscape, Robert A. Davis, Michael D. Craig, Tim S. Doherty, Jonathan D. Majer, Eddie J.B. Van Etten

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Secondary salinization is a significant global issue affecting up to 1 billion hectares of land, impacting biodiversity and particularly vegetation. One form of revegetation that can provide a return to landholders is saltbush (Atriplex spp.), which provides forage for a wide range of livestock. The effectiveness of saltbush plantings in providing useful habitat for fauna in agricultural landscapes suffering from secondary salinity is poorly understood. We aimed to address this knowledge gap by surveying bird, ant, and spider communities, and quantifying vegetation structure and floristic composition in saltbush and native woodlands in agricultural landscapes affected by secondary salinization in Western …

Lack Of Increase In Mercury Contamination In Coastal Western Australia Since European Settlement, Martin Dahl, Larissa Schneider, Harald Biester, Richard Bindler, Antonio Martinez Cortizas, Paul S. Lavery, Miguel A. Mateo, Oscar Serrano

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Current knowledge of long-term mercury (Hg) deposition is predominantly based on studies from the Northern Hemisphere, leading to a geographical bias in the comprehension of the global Hg cycle. Aiming to contribute to fill this knowledge gap, our study presents a high-resolution Hg record of a seagrass Posidonia australis sedimentary archive encompassing the last 3300 years in the Waychinicup estuary (Western Australia, WA). This setting is an ideal site for studying the natural Hg cycle, as it is located in the southwest of the state, outside the prevailing wind patterns that transport emissions from major Hg sources. Our results show …

Swimming In Uncertainty: Filling Data Gaps And Providing An Educational Platform For Beach Water Quality At Tybee Island, Georgia, Lukas Roberson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

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Swimming in beaches water contaminated with high levels of bacteria can make you sick. Current monitoring at the public beaches on Tybee Island consists of weekly monitoring and enumeration of fecal indicator bacteria that takes 24 hours for results. If the number of bacteria exceed regulatory limits, a public health advisory is issued, and affected waters are retested until …

Evaluating Stormwater & Carbon Benefits Of Urban Street Trees, Anthony J. Rodriguez Diaz

Theses

Urban areas experience a multitude of environmental challenges, including flooding and air pollution. In response to these pressures, urban forests have emerged as an essential nature-based strategy to enhance resilience and reduce climate-related risks. The implementation and expansion of urban street trees further contribute to this effort by mitigating stormwater runoff and reducing atmospheric carbon emissions.

Fortunately, advances in environmental modeling have made it increasingly possible to quantify these ecosystem services using specialized software. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service's i-Tree suite exemplifies this progress. The software provides a comprehensive set of tools designed to quantify environmental …

Empowering Youth In A Changing Climate: Design, Implementation, And Evaluation Of A Salt Marsh Summer Science Program, Dan Levesque

Graduate Masters Theses

Climate change presents not only environmental challenges but also emotional challenges for today’s youth. This thesis documents the design, implementation, and evaluation of a field-based summer science program aimed at empowering adolescents with coastal salt marsh ecology while addressing climate change emotions and science identity development. The program, based in a Massachusetts salt marsh, was adapted from existing public environmental curricula and guided by place- and experience-based learning principles. Over Spring and Summer 2025, 13 students (ages 13-18) participated in extra-curricular field trips, hands-on research activities, and reflective discussions about the environment and the emotions it brings forth. Pre- and …

Bio-Papcz: Corn Starch-Based Composite Bioplastic Reinforced With Pineapple Leaf Fiber (Palf), Zinc Oxide (Zno), And Polyvinyl Alcohol (Pva), Marvin C. Caya, Shervin Austin C. Huang, Jovar Khalel J. Maghari, Ruel M. Levida

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

Plastic pollution poses a serious global threat, as petroleum-based plastics persist for centuries, and their surging production of over 450 million tons overwhelms ecosystems (Ritchie et al., 2023). Using a quantitative experimental research design, the study examined the effects of varying concentrations of cornstarch-based bioplastic reinforced with pineapple leaf fiber (PALF), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and zinc oxide (ZnO) on the bioplastic’s tensile strength and soil degradability. Sample C2 (ZnO 3.0 %w/w; PVA 9.0 %w/w) demonstrated the optimal tensile properties with a tensile strength of 0.76 MPa and an elongation at break of 6.40%, which was attributed to the addition of …

Environmental Science And Sustainable Development: Behavioral Transformation To Knowledge System Integration For Sustainability Action, Ahyahudin Sodri, Herdis Herdiansyah

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Sustainability issues are now a global concern. However, knowing the root causes of problems and the target is not the only factor that constantly motivates change for the better (Wamsle & Osberg, 2022) as such change also requires encouragement from actors, including individuals, organizations, and communities. Therefore, the human aspect is crucial for the successful achievement of sustainability (Hariram et al., 2023). In other words, questions on sustainability are not just about "what should be done?" and also on “how to get people to do it?” and “why are currently available interventions not yet fully utilized?” …

Perspectives On Implementing Environmentally Sustainable Practices In Cataract Surgeries: Interviews Of Administrative And Frontline Healthcare Workers, Daniel Parra, Brooke Sherry, Emma Pak, Lauren Taylor, Erin S. Rogers, Sarah E. Hochman, Maria De Los Angeles Ramos Cadena, Joel S. Schuman, Christina R. Prescott, Cassandra L. Thiel

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

BACKGROUND: Healthcare is responsible for 8.5% of greenhouse gas emission in the United States. Physicians are becoming increasingly concerned about the climate crisis, particularly in the field of ophthalmology where there is a growing body of literature related to sustainability. Although emissions of cataracts surgery, one of the most performed surgical procedures in the world, have been quantified, modifications to practice have yet to be made. This study aims to uplift the perspectives of a diverse set of healthcare workers on implementing environmentally sustainable practices in the cataract surgery setting.

METHODS: 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals working in …