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The John Muir Newsletter, Spring 2015, The John Muir Center

Muir Center Newsletters (1981-2015)

SPRING 2015 jJui JMaaaa, JL^aXAXaa, V>P , THE JOHN MUIR CENTER Reflections on John Muir— One-hundred years after his death Bill Swagerty, Co-Director, John Muir Center During 2014, many institutions honored John Muir's legacy with an event associated with the centennial of his death on December 24, 1914. It was also the fiftieth anniversary of passage of the Wilderness Act by Congress in 1964 and the 150th anniversary of the Yosemite Act, transferring the core of what would become Yosemite National Park from the State of California to the federal government. Pacific hosted the 60th California History Institute from …

Raising Arrowrock: A Political Ecology Case Study, Richard Martinez

McNair Scholars Research Journal

The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) currently evaluates construction alternatives for the Arrowrock Dam’s future. The process presents a uniquely complex situation as policy, public, and private interests converge. The fear of flooding and availability of irrigation water have deeply influenced the economics through which federal agencies justified building dams in the early 20th century. However, the current political, economic, and environmental stakeholders grapple to fulfill their interests. Furthermore, major policies such as the National Environmental Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, and state protections on the upper tributaries of the Boise River convolute the final decision set for 2017.

Fisheries Management Paper No.273 - Blue Swimmer Crab Resource Of The Peel-Harvey Estuary Harvest Strategy, 2015-2020. Version 1.0, Department Of Fisheries, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

Harvest strategies for aquatic resources managed by the Western Australian Department of Fisheries (the Department) are formal documents prepared to support the decision-making processes required to ensure the management of these resources are consistent with the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD). The objectives of ESD are reflected in the objects of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA), Section 3, and the draft Aquatic Resources Management Bill 2013 (ARMB), Clause 9, which will replace the FRMA once enacted.

The publication of these strategies is intended to make the decision-making considerations and processes for the management of specified aquatic resources …

Landscape And Anthropogenic Features Influence The Use Of Auditory Vigilance By Mule Deer, Emma Lynch, Joseph M. Northrup, Megan F. Mckenna, Charles R. Anderson Jr, Lisa Angeloni, George Wittemyer

United States National Park Service: Publications

While visual forms of vigilance behavior and their relationship with predation risk have been broadly examined, animals also employ other vigilance modalities such as auditory vigilance by listening for the acoustic cues of predators. Similar to the tradeoffs associated with visual vigilance, auditory behavior potentially structures the energy budgets and behavior of animals. The cryptic nature of auditory vigilance makes it difficult to study, but on-animal acoustical monitoring has rapidly advanced our ability to investigate behaviors and conditions related to sound. We utilized this technique to investigate the ways external stimuli in an active natural gas development field affect periodic …

Taming The Teesta: Exploring The Holistic Effects Of Hydroelectric Dam Development On The Teesta River Through Documentary Film, Taylor Graham

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since time immemorial, the Lepcha people have called the Himalayan region that makes up the modern state of Sikkim their home and have held sacred the rivers, mountains, and forests that make up the biologically diverse region. Over the past two decades, India’s rapid development has generated a powerful thirst for electricity, and the country has increasingly looked to the cold, powerful rivers thundering from the Himalayas to supply that desired power. Hydroelectric projects have been proposed and implemented throughout the Himalayan region. Nowhere, however, are the dams as numerous or their effects as acutely felt as in India’s northwestern …

Arsenic Geochemistry In Warm Spring Ponds: New Field And Experimental Results, Heather Boese

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Silver Bow Creek (SBC) flows into the Warm Springs Ponds Operable Unit (WSPOU), where various containment cells are used to precipitate copper and other metals (e.g., Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn). Lime is added seasonally to increase the pH and assist in removal of metals from the water column. Although the WSPOU is effective at removing copper and other cationic trace metals, concentrations of dissolved arsenic exiting the facility are often above the site specific standard, 20 20 ug/L, during low-flow periods each summer and fall.

This thesis is a continuation of arsenic geochemistry studies by Montana Tech in the …

Volume 07, Rachel C. Lombardi, Ben Osterhout, Lindsay Graybill, Rebecca E. Dey, Skyler T. Carpenter, Emma Beckett, Jason Ware, Mollie Andrews, James Bates, Landon Cooper, Tiffani Jeffries, Maria Wheaton, Dallas Price, Laura Kahler, Sarah Charlton, Anna Bultrowicz, Emily Spittle, Erin Godwin, Eamon Brokenbrough

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction from Interim Dean Dr. Jennifer Apperson

Spatial Analysis of Potential Risk Factors Associated with Addition of Atlantic Coast Pipeline Through Virginia by Rachel C. Lombardi

"Delicate Matters with No Speaking," "Hope and Nothing," "Mono Duality" by Ben Osterhout

"Connect" Graphic Design Senior Project by Lindsay Graybill

Phenolic Acids in Brassicaceae Plants: Ovipositional Stimulants or Deterrents for Cabbage White Butterfly, Pieris Rapae? by Rebecca E. Dey And Skyler T. Carpenter

"Abecedarian Cards" by Emma Beckett, Jason Ware, And Mollie Andrews

Helvetica: A Type Specimen Book by James Bates, Landon Cooper, Tiffani Jeffries, And Maria Wheaton

“Things Left Behind” by Dallas …

Uncertainty Quantification And Calibration Of Physical Models, Xian He

Open Access Dissertations

An ecosystem model is a representation of a real complex ecological system, and is usually described by sophisticated mathematical models. Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM) is one of the ecosystem models, that describes the dynamics of car- bon, nitrogen, water and other vegetation related variables. There are uncertainties in the TEM which are attributed to inaccurate input data, insufficient knowledge of the parameters, inherent randomness and simplification of the physical model. Quantification of uncertainty of such an ecosystem model is computationally very heavy. Bayesian calibration method has been used as an efficient way to calibrate and quantify uncertainties of the computer …

Biology And Ecology Of Bigheaded Carp In An Invaded Ecosystem, Alison Adele Coulter

Open Access Dissertations

Globally, the homogenization of species has become a threat to biodiversity. As species are transported around the world, a portion of these species, released intentionally or accidentally, may become invasive and can produce negative impacts. Great effort has been invested into early identification and prevention of invasions as these are considered less expensive than managing an invasion. Unfortunately, species may exhibit varying characteristics across ecosystems, and so their behavior and potential survival in a new environment may be difficult to predict. Therefore, I examined trends in the biology and behavior of invasive fishes, including the plasticity surrounding these and how …

Consequences Of Short-Term Water Temperature Variability To Fish: Current And Future Climate Change Impacts, David P. Coulter

Open Access Dissertations

Water temperature has a profound influence on aquatic ectotherms by affecting all aspects of biological organization; from chemical and molecular functioning to whole-organism and population-level impacts. Natural processes and anthropogenic activities can create conditions where temperatures vary greatly through space and time. While exposure to temperature changes lasting ≥ 24 hours have been examined in some species, it is unclear how more rapid (< 24 hours; sub-daily) thermal fluctuations affect aquatic ectotherms. I used a combination of field observations, laboratory experiments, and modeling simulations to understand: 1) how habitat quality of aquatic ectotherms is affected in thermally dynamic environments; 2) the role of sub-daily temperature fluctuations on growth, survival, and stress responses in juvenile and adult fish; 3) how fish early life stages are affected by sub-daily temperature fluctuations; and 4) what impact thermally dynamic environments have on a model species at a population-level. A model quantifying habitat quality around power plant thermal discharges indicated that elevated and variable discharge temperatures affected habitat quality over a relatively small spatial area for aquatic ectotherms. Models examining elevated temperatures representing climate warming showed that the effects of industrial discharges and climate warming could have an interactive effect on habitat quality by increasing the spatial area and duration over which industrial thermal effluents impact aquatic ectotherms. Laboratory experiments indicated that closely related fishes can respond differently to the same sub-daily temperature fluctuations. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) had higher consumption and growth under sub-daily temperature fluctuations but developed skin lesions; an indication of thermal stress. In contrast, these same fluctuations reduced growth in physiologically similar walleye (Sander vitreus) …

International Water And Food Security Development: Performance Evaluation And Assessment Of Research Needs At Multiple Scales, Caitlin Anne Grady

Open Access Dissertations

Water and food security remain the top development challenges of the decade, and perhaps the century. Since the Millennium Development Goals were established in 2000, billions of people have obtained access to more food, better nutrition, improved water, and basic sanitation facilities worldwide. This progress has been accomplished through the dedication of international organizations, non-governmental organizations, country-level governments, private corporations, and individuals at international, regional, and local scales. Truly tremendous strides have been made in water and food provisioning for humans worldwide. These past two decades have also seen the largest population growth on record, the highest rates of childhood …

Sawmill Slough Preserve Expansion Proposal 2015, Unf Environmental Center, Unf Sustainability Committee

Professional Presentations

The Sawmill Slough Preserve is a living laboratory which not only promotes student and faculty research and education, but also, serves as a safe harbor and protects a unique biodiversity within a developing urban island environment. Many students choose UNF not just for the academic environment, but for the surrounding natural environment as well. The natural habitats and wildlife that reside on campus foster education and greatly enhance the experience of UNF students. The recommended expansion areas are fundamental in fulfilling the mission of the Preserve to encourage natural biodiversity, and the values of the University, such as “community engagement” …

Water Current, Volume 47, No. 2, Spring 2015

Water Current Newsletter

All Seats Reserved For June Tour to Republican River Basin

Water for Food, Filmmaker Team On Drought Documentary

The Effects Of Urbanization On Fear In Wildlife, Sarah Spier, Joseph J. Fontaine

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Through this study we sought out to determine if Fox Squirrels in Lincoln, Nebraska exhibited a change in response to aerial versus terrestrial predators in urban areas. We addressed the possible consequences that human disturbance has on daily stimuli, predator behaviors, and, in turn, prey behaviors. Specifically, the experiment exposed Fox Squirrels to the vocalizations and visual models of an aerial predator, terrestrial predator, and a control species. Squirrels did not show a significant change in behavior between predator types. However, fox squirrels displayed correct anti-predator behaviors by only responding to the predators and not the control. The time it …

Civic Capacity And Integrative Public Leadership: A Case Study Of The Nebraska Water Leaders Academy, Joleisa S. Cramer

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explored the impact of the Nebraska Water Leaders Academy (NWLA) on natural resource management by investigating a link between civic capacity and integrative public leadership in the context of adaptive governance. This mixed mode case study utilized a comprehensive, quantitative on-line questionnaire on civic capacity and integrative public leadership as well as qualitative interviews completed by NWLA alumni. The study included 31 questionnaire responses from NWLA alumni, 53 alumni-chosen rater responses, and 21 interviews.

NWLA alumni were found to frequently employ their civic capacity and integrative public leadership skills to promote and improve collaborative natural resource management. There …

Comparison Of Fish Assemblages In Restored And Natural Mangrove Habitats Along An Urban Shoreline, Joseph R. Peters, Lauren A. Yeager, Craig A. Layman

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The installation of living shorelines is one strategy used to ameliorate habitat degradation along developed coastlines. In this process, existing hard structures, such as sea walls and riprap revetments, are supplemented with habitat forming species, e.g., oysters and mangrove trees, to improve habitat quality and function. Shoreline restorations in Biscayne Bay, Florida, USA, often utilize red mangroves, Rhizophora mangle (Linneaus, 1753), in addition to riprap revetments, to help stabilize the shoreline. This riprap-mangrove habitat provides structure for marine organisms to utilize and is believed to improve shoreline habitats in areas previously cleared of mangroves. We examined whether habitat provisioning was …

The Blue Heron Wetland Restoration Project: Eradication Of Ludwigia Peploides Ssp. Montevidensis From The Blue Heron Wetlands Of Portland, Or, Alexander Staunch

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The Blue Heron Wetland Restoration Project (BHWRP) is an ongoing community driven effort to eradicate Ludwigia peploides ssp. montevidensis from a 3.5 acre ephemeral wetland in Portland, OR. Established in summer 2011 by the East Columbia Neighborhood Association (ECNA), the BHWRP consisted of an herbicide efficacy pilot study, widespread eradication effort, and establishment of a stewardship program. Ludwigia peploides ssp. montevidensis is an emerging threat to northwestern Oregon and the infestation within the Blue Heron Wetlands (BHW) represented one of the first known infestations of L. peploides ssp. montevidensis within the State of Oregon.

First observed within the BHW in …

Peripheral No More: Repositioning Narratives For Empowerment And Change In Sustainability Education, Rell G. Ohlson

Leadership for Sustainability Education Comprehensive Papers

The field of sustainability education challenges dominant modes of thought, with a particular emphasis on the need for diversity and "multiple perspectives" in order to confront complex issues (Capra, 2005; Sterling, 2001; Wheatley, 2006). If this is the case, why are certain perspectives still missing and what narratives have been given prominence? This comprehensive paper examines the problems of a dominant narrative in sustainability education. In order for sustainability education to be truly transformative and empowering for students, leaders, and their communities, the narrative of sustainability must be repositioned from a dominant, white, middle-class context to one that affirms, values …

The Restoration Process: Lessons From A Community-Based Conservation Initiative In Tunkhel, Mongolia, John Wendt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As policy makers transition away from central planning, Mongolia’s natural resource professionals are challenged with cultivating community support for stewardship in a time of escalating ecological disturbance. Nutag Action Research Partners has partnered with community members and government officials in Tunkhel, a small village in north-central Mongolia, to develop local resource management capacity and jointly draft a Conservation Plan for a commonly grazed riparian pasture. This study is a preliminary assessment of the ecological and social factors influencing project implementation. Information was collected using a variety of qualitative methods including meeting observation, surveys, interviews, photographs, and a review of previous …

Existential Avalanche The Lived Experience Of Climate Change In Dolpo And Mustang, Nepal, Keegan Mcchesney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Himalayan communities stand precariously in an era of phenomenological uncertainty. Climate change is merely a lens through which we may observe and begin to understand such localized modern complexities. The people of the Tarap Valley in Dolpo, Nepal have experienced an increase in avalanches, snow leopard attacks and unpredictable precipitation patterns in recent years. In upper Mustang, Nepal, people have endured the harshest winter in generations and suffered from reduced water access. Environmental, climatic and weather related changes in both Himalayan districts have severely impacted traditional livelihoods and led some to adopt modern means of adaptation. Despite the scientific evidence …

Gouldian Finch Non Breeding Population And Habitat Assessment 2015: Ord-East Kimberley Expansion Project - Weaber Plain Development Area, Save The Gouldian Fund

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

As part of the requirement for State approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, an assessment and regular monitoring of the endangered Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae) is required during the operation of the Ord River Irrigation Area Weaber Plain Development Project in Kimberley, Western Australia. This report details the findings from 1) surveys of non-breeding Gouldian finches and vegetation assessment of their associated feeding habitats during the non breeding season (September 2014 – December 2014), and 2) wet season vegetation surveys of Gouldian finch feeding grasses (November 2014 – March 2015).

A Feasibility Study Of Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles To Survey Avian Abundance By Using Audio Recording, Janine M. Barr, Andrew M. Wilson

Student Publications

Roadside counts are commonly used to assess songbird abundance, but they result in oversampling habitat edges and underrepresenting core habitats, areas of steep terrain, and wetlands. Accessing off-road habitats can be logistical challenging and time-consuming, resulting in low survey efficiency. Aerial ecological surveys, using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) have already proven to be valuable in wildlife monitoring. Previous studies have used photography or videography to provide permanent documentation of wildlife surveys through low altitude aerial imagery. A significant advantage of UAVs over manned aircraft is their greater safety and lower costs. We propose that UAVs can also be …

Blue Carbon In Freshwater / Brackish Marshes On The Barrier Islands Of Virginia Aboveground Net Primary Productivity And Carbon Pools, Emily Caitlin Adams

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

"Blue carbon" is a relatively new concept describing carbon distributed tidally and sequestered via net production within coastal ecosystems, including seagrass beds, mangrove forests, and salt-water marshes. These systems sequester carbon at least 10 times faster than terrestrial systems. Fresh to brackish wetlands that receive irregular tidal influence due to overwash and storm events have not been typically studied as blue carbon systems. My objective was to quantify carbon pools within four interdunal fresh to brackish marshes on Hog Island, Virginia to determine their blue carbon potential. Marshes 1 and 2 were farthest from the ocean, below and above a …

Potential For Biocontrol Of Environmental Vibrio Spp. By Predatory Bacteria Bacteriovorax, Patrick Tennis

OES Theses and Dissertations

The scale of predator-prey interactions varies from the iconic (e.g., lions and gazelles) to the microscopic (e.g., protists and bacteria). Bdellovibrio-and-like-organisms (BALOs) are bacteria that prey upon other Gram-negative bacteria, including pathogens. In particular, the halophilic genus Vibrio, many species of which are disease agents, has been shown to be susceptible to attack by BALOs. One motivation of the present research is to assess the potential for biocontrol of Vibrio by Bacteriovorax. This investigation is the first to test the susceptibility of Vibrio strains (n = 26) originating from a variety of geographic locations to predation by …

Blue Carbon In Coastal Freshwater/Brackish Marshes On The Barrier Islands Of Virginia: Belowground Carbon Dynamics, Nathan M. Sedghi

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Some coastal ecosystems sequester substantially more carbon (blue carbon) than land locked systems due to high net primary production and deposition associated with oceanic influences. Most blue carbon research has focused on mangroves, seagrass beds, and salt marshes. Studies on blue carbon potential of coastal freshwater marshes are less common. Barrier islands frequently flood, with seawater reaching interior ecosystems. I examined brackish/freshwater marshes on Virginia barrier islands for possible roles as blue carbon systems. I studied four interior marshes on Hog Island, which varied in proximity to a direct overwash path and protection by a trail berm that divides northern …

A Survey Of Aquatic Organisms For The Cyanotoxin Beta-Methylamino-L-Alanine (Bmaa), Ian M. Sammler

OES Theses and Dissertations

Cyanobacteria blooms are increasing globally as a result of eutrophication. Many cyanobacteria are potentially harmful, not only because of the oxygen depleted zones created when they decay, but also because of the toxins they produce. β- Methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), reportedly produced by many species of cyanobacteria, is a non-proteinogenic amino acid that has been linked to the development of neurodegenerative diseases (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer's) in humans. This study presents results from an assessment of BMAA in cyanobacteria and their grazers from the lower Chesapeake Bay and Lake Erie regions. BMAA was analyzed in samples prepared with the EZ:Faast™ …

Sex-Specific Foraging Habits And Roost Characteristics Of The Evening Bat (Nycticeius Humeralis) In An Intensively Managed Forest In North-Central Arkansas, Daniel Ryan Istvanko

Student Theses and Dissertations

The synergistic effects of white-nose syndrome (WNS) and habitat destruction have caused declines in bat populations throughout eastern North America, deeming knowledge of the spatial-temporal patterns of many bat species increasingly important to conservationists. Although many studies address the roosting ecology of imperiled forest-dwelling bats, little is known about the foraging habits of more abundant, sympatric forest-dependent species. There is even less knowledge pertaining to foraging differences between male and female bats. Therefore, during June-August 2013 and 2014, I evaluated the foraging and roosting habits of the evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis) in north-central Arkansas, using radio-telemetry. Foraging range size was …

The Use Of Ultra-Violet (Uv) Light Emitting Diodes (Leds) In An Advanced Oxidation Process (Aop) With Brilliant Blue Fcf As An Indicator, Robert W. Scott Iv

Theses and Dissertations

Water contamination can result from terrorist acts, industrial accidents, or natural phenomena. Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) represent a potentially useful method for water decontamination. This research explored the application of Brilliant Blue FCF as a witness dye in an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) employing Ultra-Violet (UV) Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) with peroxide (H₂O₂). In addition to exploring the attributes of Brilliant Blue FCF within this application, this research employed this dye to evaluate the effect of varied UV LED duty cycles (pulsing) on the reaction rates of a UV/H₂O₂ AOP. Experiments performed using …

The Fierce Green Fire: Vol 5 Issue 17, Wofford College Environmental Studies Program

The Fierce Green Fire

No abstract provided.

Changes In Spatial Patterns Of Caragana Stenophylla Along A Climatic Drought Gradient On The Inner Mongolian Plateau, Li-Na Xie, Hong-Yu Guo, Christopher A. Gabler, Qing-Fang Li, Cheng-Cang Ma

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Few studies have investigated the influence of water availability on plant population spatial patterns. We studied changes in the spatial patterns of Caragana stenophylla along a climatic drought gradient within the Inner Mongolian Plateau, China. We examined spatial patterns, seed density, “nurse effects” of shrubs on seedlings, transpiration rates and water use efficiency (WUE) of C. stenophylla across semi-arid, arid, and intensively arid zones. Our results showed that patches of C. stenophylla populations shifted from a random to a clumped spatial pattern towards drier environments. Seed density and seedling survival rate of C. stenophylla decreased from the semi-arid zone to …