Digital Commons Network^™

If Sustainable Living Is Our Goal, Complexability Should Be Our Game: Playing Between Simplicity And Complexity​, Tim Lutz

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Dr. Tim Lutz, Earth and Space Sciences Emeritus, presents "If sustainable living is our goal, complexability should be our game: Playing between simplicity and complexity".

If Sustainable Living Is Our Goal, Complexability Should Be Our Game: Playing Between Simplicity And Complexity, Tim Lutz

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Dr. Tim Lutz, Earth and Space Sciences Emeritus, presents "If sustainable living is our goal, complexability should be our game: Playing between simplicity and complexity"

Effects Of Hydrological Connectivity On Created Marsh Sustainability, Katie Swann

LSU Master's Theses

While efforts are being made to curb the high rate of coastal land loss in Louisiana, and even to restore ecosystem services and functions, it is generally accepted that restoration of these areas and functions is not a one-to-one value. It may take decadal time scales to reach efficient functional processing of nutrients and carbon storage rates, which may never reach true capacity comparable to similar naturally-organized systems. Although it is imperative to preserve these areas, restoration of ecosystem services and biogeochemical processes of coastal wetlands are preferable to future without action scenarios. Effectively directing the use of the limited …

Rewilding The Built Environment: Navigating Economic, Political, And Social Barriers To Urban Ecological Restoration, Carly E. Smith

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Urban rewilding offers a nature-based approach to restoring ecological processes in cities while advancing climate resilience, biodiversity, and public well-being. Unlike conventional green infrastructure, rewilding allows ecosystems to develop with minimal intervention, emphasizing succession, complexity, and long-term adaptability. This paper examines the political, economic, and social factors that frame how rewilding is understood and implemented in urban planning. Governmental frameworks often prioritize order, predictability, and short-term results, making it difficult to accommodate the uncertainty and ecological complexity that rewilding requires. Economic models struggle to capture its long-term value, frequently overlooking ecosystem services or reconciling competing land uses. Social perceptions of …

Dramatic Biases In Terrestrial Nitrogen Fixation In Earth System Models Revealed By Natural Isotope Signatures, Maoyuan Fang, Shushi Peng, Philippe Ciais, Daniel S. Goll, Benjamin Z. Houlton, Ying-Ping Wang, Yilong Wang, Pan Liu, Joshua B. Fisher, Pierre Regnier

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the primary input of new reactive nitrogen to natural terrestrial ecosystems. However, this flux is poorly constrained due to its unclear drivers and associated control mechanisms. Here, we extend the existing theory of nitrogen (N) isotope mass balance to estimate BNF rates and then use a Bayesian approach to constrain the BNF rates in natural terrestrial ecosystems by using measurements of natural N-isotope ratios (δ¹⁵N) in plants (δ_P) and soil (δ_S). Together with pairwise δ_P and δ_S measurements from 18 forest sites covering diverse climates and thousands …

Rainwater Harvesting For Domestic Use In Suburb Areas Of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania: A Case Study Of Wazo Hill, Scholastica S. Ishengoma, Mahir Mohammed Said, Neema O. Msuya

Tanzania Journal of Science

Despite the increasing reliance of rainwater harvesting in semi-urban areas, there is a lack of comprehensive localized data on the safety of harvested rainwater, particularly in areas such as Wazo Hill where communities predominantly depend on it. This study evaluates the quality of harvested rooftop rainwater intended for human consumption and assesses its compliance with the World health Organization (WHO) and Draft East Africa Standards (DEAS) for drinking water. Rainwater samples were collected from various catchment surfaces and storage systems located in Wazo Hill, Tanzania. A stratified random sampling technique was employed to select the households equipped with rainwater harvesting …

Assessment Of Bacteriological Quality And Physico-Chemical Parameters Of Domestic Water Sources In Relation To Human Health Risk In Kigamboni, Tanzania, Joseph A. Mwakosya

Tanzania Journal of Science

Data on bacteriological quality and physico-chemical parameters is crucial for protection and sustainable utilization of water resources. This study determined bacteriological quality and physico-chemical parameters of well and tap water sourcesin relation to human health risk in Kigamboni, Tanzania. Thirty water samples were collected randomly and analyzed using SPSS software. The mean values for well water samples of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, Chloride, Sulphate, Nitrate, Phosphate, and Calcium Carbonate were 7.2, 960.27 mg/L, 528.13 mg/L, 1.52 NTU, 288.00 mg/L, 30.13 mg/L, 0.05 mg/L, 0.08 mg/L, and 160.07 mg/L, respectively. The mean values for tap water …

A Guide To Breaking Seed Dormancy Of Common Wetland Plant Species, Samantha R. Kurkowski, Rae Robinson, Sandra E. Johnston, Montana M. Horchler, Adrienne E. Ernst, Margaret D. Haney, Karin M. Kettenring

All Current Publications

This guide was developed from a series of seed dormancy break and germination experiments conducted over 4 years with 41 species. The purpose of this guide is to synthesize the information we learned through these experiments and present the findings for those interested in breaking seed dormancy, such as land managers, restoration practitioners, and wetland researchers. Ultimately, we hope this guidance catalyzes further wetland restoration throughout the Intermountain West.

Protocol For Assessing And Managing Radon Gas Exposure Risks In Caves: A Case Study Of Altamira And Paleolithic Cave Art Of Northern Spain World Heritage Site, Sergio Sanchez-Moral, Javier Lario, Soledad Cuezva, Juan Carlos Cañaveras, Tamara Martín-Pozas, Angel Fernández-Cortés

International Journal of Speleology

Exposure to radon and its progeny poses a significant health risk for workers in tourist caves. Implementing protective measures is challenging due to increasingly strict gas concentration and dose limits in new regulations. This study evaluates the annual effective radiation doses received by workers and researchers, considering seasonal and spatial radon variability. Radon levels, temperature, and ventilation patterns were continuously monitored for at least one year in each cave. Results show significant radon fluctuations influenced by seasonal ventilation regimes driven by thermal gradients between the cave and external atmosphere. Using International Commission on Radiological Protection guidelines, the study calculates the …

Revised Draft Final Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Unreclaimed Sites: Ur-08 (Anderson Shaft) Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Where Have You Been? Backtracking Microplastic To Its Source Using The Biomolecular Composition Of The Ecocorona, Amanda L. Dawson, Utpal Bose, Sophia Escobar-Correas, Kuok Yap, David J. Craik, Cassandra L. Pegg

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Microplastics are a diffuse contaminant with various global sources, pathways, and sinks. This study aimed to backtrack microplastics across environments using metaproteomic and eDNA metabarcoding information stored within the ecocorona. Pristine polyamide (PA) fibers, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers and fragments, and PET and PA preincubated in bovine serum albumin (BSA) were deployed into a tank housing Penaeus monodon to develop an ecocorona. Upon collection, BSA was detected within the ecocorona, along with P. monodon proteins, using mass spectrometry. BSA preincubation influenced the diversity and abundance of ecocorona proteins with pristine microplastics having more significantly enriched proteins. Most ecocorona proteins reflected …

Decarbonization Is Happening In U.S. Higher Education, But Carbon Neutrality Goals Alone Are Not Delivering It, Alexander R. Barron, Nubraz F. Khan, Greta Anesko, Emma S. Larsen, Junwen Ding, Shey P. Sanges, Aaron L. Strong

Environmental Science and Policy: Faculty Publications

Carbon neutrality emerged as an overall framework for climate action several decades ago, with the assumption that institutions would follow a carbon management hierarchy - reducing their own emissions (i.e. decarbonization) and relying on high-quality offsets to address any residual emissions. In practice, offsets and other accounting-based emissions reductions have often dominated both discussion and action. However, sector-wide studies examining the balance between decarbonization and offsetting have been limited. Here, we examine 23 U.S. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that have declared carbon neutrality and contrast their direct (Scope 1) greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts with a broader universe of U.S. …

U.S. Water Infrastructure: Diving Into Needs And Recent Policy Developments, Joseph Kane

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

As part of the Brookings Scholar Lecture Series, Brookings Mountain West presents a lecture titled, "U.S. Water Infrastructure: Diving Into Needs and Recent Policy Developments" by Brookings fellow in Brookings Metro, Joseph Kane. Whether providing drinking water, treating wastewater, or managing stormwater, water infrastructure in the United States spans a wide range of human-made and natural systems. In turn, the enormous scale and variety of these systems is leading to an array of challenges: aging and vulnerable infrastructure; fragmented governance and siloed planning across different geographies; a lack of financial, technical, and managerial capacity; difficulties adapting to new industrial and …

Turning Waste Into Fertilizer: Aloe Vera Leaf Shavings Improve Plant Growth And Support Soil Fertility In Organic Systems, Isaiah Edward Jaramillo, Carine Cocco, James Jihoon Kang, Chu-Lin Cheng, Engil Pereira

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Aloe vera industry discards large amounts of outer leaf tissue (“shavings”), creating an opportunity to repurpose this byproduct as a sustainable fertilizer. This study evaluated whether aloe shavings can serve as a plant-based alternative to compost in organic Aloe vera production. A field trial in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas tested three treatments: aloe shavings (applied to supply 39 kg N ha−1), organic compost (39 kg N ha−1), and a non-fertilized control. Laboratory incubations further assessed nitrogen mineralization and microbial respiration. Aloe shavings significantly enhanced vegetative growth: leaf number increased from 5.7 to 12.3 leaves per plant …

Clark Tailings Consolidated Waste Management Area (Ctcwma) Site Investigation Draft Data Summary Report 2024 Surface Water, Groundwater, And Soil Characterization, Woodard & Curran

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Microclimatic Conditions In Shulgan-Tash Cave (Southern Ural, Russia): Implications For The Preservation Of Eastern Europe’S Largest Paleolithic Art Collection, Olga Chervyatsova, Rayan Akhmedyanovb, Nailya Saifullina, Ludmila Kuzmina, Mihael Kotov, Yuri Dublyansky

International Journal of Speleology

This study presents the results of a long-term investigation of the microclimatic conditions in Shulgan-Tash Cave (Southern Urals, Russia), which hosts the largest assemblage of Upper Paleolithic paintings (ca. 16.3–19.6 ka) in Eastern Europe. The cave exhibits two distinct seasonal ventilation regimes – winter and summer – differentially influence its two levels of galleries. In the Lower Level, which contains 83% of the images, near-atmospheric CO₂ concentrations persist year-round, and temperature variations associated with seasonal infiltration events are minimal (1.0–1.3°C). By contrast, the Upper Level, including the decorated Hall of Paintings, is affected by downdrafts of CO₂-rich …

Cloud Seeding: Enhancing Winter Snowpack To Bolster Utah's Water Supply, Lily Lambert, Kendall Becker, Binod Pokharel, Scott Hotaling

All Current Publications

As Utah’s climate warms, the state is working to combat the decline in winter snowpack caused by rising temperatures. Cloud seeding is a safe technology that, under the right conditions, can boost snowfall. In this fact sheet, we describe what cloud seeding is, where it is currently used in Utah, and the safety measures and management practices that ensure its responsible use.

Eutrophication, Hope Northagen, Sarah Erwin, Ethan Gilliam

All Current Publications

Eutrophication refers to the ecological state of a water body after excessive nutrient pollution. The external introduction of nutrients (primarily nitrogen and phosphorus) accelerates the growth and reproduction of plants, algae, and microbes. This fact sheet explains where eutrophication comes from, its impacts, how it is treated, and what you can do to help restore and protect our lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Empirical Methods For Support System Design In Deep Serpentinite Excavations: A Critical Evaluation, Anas Driouch, Redouane Oubah, Abdelaziz Lahmili, Latifa Ouadif

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Underground mining excavations in fragile serpentinite rock masses represent a significant challenge today. The complicated features of these rock formations, especially at great depths, make it difficult to classify them using commonly employed methods. This paper focuses on the application of empirical methods for the classification of serpentinite rock masses and the design of support systems in underground mining excavations. Specifically, it concerns an access tunnel excavated entirely in serpentinite at a depth of 460 m. Geomechanical classification systems indicate that the Tunnelling Quality Index (Q-system) and Rock Mass Rating (RMR) evaluate serpentinites as rock masses of exceptionally poor to …

Building Resilient And Sustainable Supply Chains: A Distributed Ledger-Based Learning Feedback Loop, Tan Gürpinar, Mehmet A. Gulum

Computer Science Faculty publications

Global supply chains face increasing disruptions from cyber threats, geopolitical instability, extreme weather events, and a range of economic, social, and environmental sustainability challenges. As these disruptions intensify, enhancing Supply Chain Resilience (SCR) has become a strategic priority. This study investigates how Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) can contribute to SCR by mitigating vulnerabilities and strengthening key capabilities within global supply chains. A qualitative research approach is employed, utilizing expert evaluations to examine DLT’s impact on supply chain vulnerabilities and capabilities. Five workshops were conducted with 25 industry professionals from logistics, IT, procurement, and risk management. Experts examined how DLT could …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) 2025 Monthly Progress Report. Consent Decree For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit. Civil Action No. Cv 89-039-Bu-Seh, Josh Bryson

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Day-Night Shifts In Water-Soluble Ions Of Size-Resolved Aerosols Before And After The Covid-19 Lockdown In A Coastal Megacity: Metro Manila, Philippines, Grace Betito, Paola Angela Bañaga, Rachel A. Braun, Maria Obiminda Cambaliza, Melliza Templonuevo Cruz, Alexander B. Macdonald, James Bernard Simpas, Connor Stahl, Armin Sooroshian

SOSE Affiliate: Manila Observatory

The COVID-19 pandemic-driven lockdowns offer a unique opportunity to examine how reductions in anthropogenic emissions impacted atmospheric aerosol composition in urban environments. This study investigates the day-night variability of size-resolved water-soluble ions in ambient particulate matter (PM) collected in Metro Manila before (November 2019–February 2020) and after (November 2020–February 2021) lockdown implementation. Using tandem Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactors (MOUDIs), aerosol samples were collected during daytime (06:00–18:00) and nighttime (18:00–06:00) periods and analyzed for key ionic species (sulfate, ammonium, nitrate, oxalate, sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium) via ion chromatography. Submicrometer water-soluble mass declined post-lockdown, particularly during daytime, reflecting suppressed secondary formation …

Mechanistic Distinction Between Oxidative And Chlorination Transformations Of Chloroperoxidase From Caldariomyces Fumago Demonstrated By Dye Decolorization, Norman Paz-Ramirez, Jacob Redwinski, Matthew A. Cranswick, Kyle A. Grice, Kari Stone

Chemistry Department Faculty Articles

Effluents from the textile industry, particularly those containing synthetic azo dyes, poses a significant environmental threat, necessitating the development of more effective and sustainable pollutant removal methods. Traditional dye removal techniques often fall short in efficiency and environmental impact, prompting the exploration of enzymatic degradation as a promising alternative. This study focuses on chloroperoxidase, a natural biocatalyst recognized for its ability to oxidize synthetic dyes into less harmful products. By exploring the mechanistic distinction between chlorination and oxidative processes, we investigate the enzyme’s specific degradation pathways for azo dyes and the resulting by-products. Utilizing analytical techniques, including liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry …

Final 2025 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Butte Koa Playground Soil Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final 2025 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Cccs Gymnasium Soil Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Plastic Mulch And Irrigation On Hemp Chemistry And Leaf Endophytes, Allison Rietman, Connor Morozumi, Robert C. Pearce, Natalie Christian

Journal of Agricultural Hemp Research

As an emerging crop, cultivation techniques for industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) are still being developed and optimized. For example, irrigation and plastic mulching are some management practices that have been touted for their benefits in improving crop quality. Both techniques ensure ample water availability, which has often been attributed to improving hemp cannabinoid and terpene composition. In this study, we examined how supplemental irrigation implemented in a plastic mulch system influenced the cannabinoid and terpene profiles of one cultivar of CBD hemp, Lifter. We grew industrial hemp in field with plastic mulch and applied regular irrigation to one group …

Draft Final 2025 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Butte Koa Playground Soil Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

A Multidecadal Analysis Of Groundwater Level And Streamflow Decline In Southern Forest Catchments, Western Australia, Richard J. George, Rose-Anne Bell, W. Lachlan Mccaw, Gregory Paul Raper

Natural Resources Research Articles

Previous analysis of hydrological data in the eucalypt dominated forests of Western Australia’s Darling Ranges show that reduced winter rainfall over the last 50 years has lowered groundwater levels and diminished streamflow by up to 70%. Consequently, climate-independent reverse osmosis seawater desalination and groundwater resources now supply Perth and nearby regional areas, as runoff from forested catchments is no longer sufficient or reliable. In the high rainfall (~1200 mm/yr) mixed forest areas dominated by Eucalyptus diversicolor (karri) and Eucalyptus marginata (jarrah) 200 km to the south of Perth (the ‘Southern Forest’), similar analysis of climate impacts on watertables has not …

Fisheries Research Report No. 354: Recreational Fishing For Abalone In Western Australia In 2024/2025 - Estimates Of Participation, Effort And Catch, Claire B. Smallwood, Karina L. Ryan, Lachlan W. Strain

Fisheries Research Reports

The Western Australian Recreational Abalone Fishery (RAF) operates in shallow coastal waters as a hand collection fishery while wading or diving. Three species of abalone are allowed to be caught. Roe’s abalone (Haliotis roei) are generally collected while wading from the shore in accessible nearshore reef complexes along the West and South Coast Bioregions. Greenlip abalone (H. laevigata) and Brownlip abalone (H. conicopora) are collected while wading (including snorkelling and freediving) and diving (using compressed air) predominantly along the South Coast Bioregion.

Recreational fishing for the three abalone species is licensed and highly regulated, especially in the Western Zone (which …

Review Of How To Win Environmental Victories, By Richard S. Groover, Phd, Shalini Upadhyaya

Virginia Journal of Science

Book Review:

Groover, Richard S. 2025. How to Win Environmental Victories. Nighthawk Publication, 116 pp.