Digital Commons Network^™

Valuing Ecological Systems And Services, Robert Costanza, Ida Kubiszewski, David E. Ervin, Randall Bluffstone, Darrell Brown, Heejun Chang, Veronica Dujon, Elise F. Granek, Stephen Polasky, Vivek Shandas, J. Alan Yeakley, James Boyd

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

Making trade-offs between ecological services and other contributors to human well-being is a difficult but critical process that requires valuation. This allows both better recognition of the ecological, social, and economic trade-offs and also allows us to bill those who use up or destroy ecological services and reward those that produce or enhance them. It also aids improved ecosystems policy. In this paper we clarify some of the controversies in defining the contributions to human well-being from functioning ecosystems, many of which people are not even aware of.We go on to describe the applicability of the various valuation methods that …

The Distribution And Life Cycle Of Alliaria Petiolate In Lincoln, Nebraska, Caleb Pharris

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard) is a biennial alien invasive plant species of the Brassicacea family. It is responsible for displacing native plant species throughout North America and its management has proven to be extremely difficult. Recently several populations of Alliaria petiolata have been discovered in southwestern Lincoln, Nebraska. The spread of Alliaria petiolata is a concern for natural resource managers and the general public. Due to the difficulty of its control, Alliaria petiolata is capable of creating monocultures which diminish the aesthetic value of an ecosystem. While most commonly found in the understory of hardwood forests, it is capable of …

Green Jobs And The Ohio Economy: The Workforce Skills And Training Ohio Green Industries Need, Wright State University, Center For Urban And Public Affairs, U.S. Department Of Labor Employment And Training Administration

Economic Development

In spring 2011, a survey was conducted with private employers representing selected sectors within the potential green industry. The following report presents research results about employers and the labor force skills they require to be successful in Ohio’s Green Industry.

As mentioned in earlier parts of this report series, there are many challenges to studying the green economy. The word “potential” in the first sentence of this report is a critical term, because there is no known listing of companies in the green industry. Green industry business association lists exist, but those are membership-based lists and not intended to be …

Limnological Assistance For Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Quarterly Report, Period Ending June 30, 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Limnological Studies

Project 1

• Technical assistance with the implementation of the Interagency Monitoring Action Plan (I-MAP) for Quagga Mussels is ongoing. During this quarter, analysis was completed for 42 juvenile/adult samples and analyses of the remaining samples are underway.
• As of 7/07/11 all sample sets will have been collected for Veliger abundance and settlement at different depths of Lake Mead; sampling continues for Growth of adult quagga mussels within Las Vegas Wash/Las Vegas Bay.
• The Interagency Quagga Mussel Meeting was held on 05/17/11; the next meeting is scheduled for 08/25/11.

Project 2

• Appendix 7, an addition to the Long-term Limnological and Aquatic …

Microbial Community Function In Freshwater Wetland Soils: Using Extracellular Enzyme Analysis To Study The Effect Of Moisture And Vegetation, Aaron Porter

Theses and Dissertations

Differences in microbial function via extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) were investigated to determine the potential effects of hydrology and plant-soil-microbe interactions in a young non-tidal freshwater riparian wetland. To study these relationships, three plots were established along a moisture gradient (Wet, Intermediate, Dry) within VCU Rice Center Within each main plot, five subplots were left undisturbed while another five were cleared of all above-ground plant biomass. Homogenized soil cores (top 10 cm) were analyzed for pH, redox, C:N, soil organic matter (SOM) content, saturation, and temperature. Microbial function was assessed using extracellular enzyme analysis. For most enzymes, a site difference …

Use Of Remote Sensing To Support Forest And Wetlands Policies In The Usa, Audrey L. Mayer, Ricardo D. Lopez

College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Publications

The use of remote sensing for environmental policy development is now quite common and well-documented, as images from remote sensing platforms are often used to focus attention on emerging environmental issues and spur debate on potential policy solutions. However, its use in policy implementation and evaluation has not been examined in much detail. Here we examine the use of remote sensing to support the implementation and enforcement of policies regarding the conservation of forests and wetlands in the USA. Specifically, we focus on the “Roadless Rule” and “Travel Management Rules” as enforced by the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service …

Linking Rates Of Diffusion And Consumption In Relationto Resources, Tal Avgar, Daniel Kuefler, John M. Fryxell

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

The functional response is a fundamental model of the relationship between consumer intake rate and resource abundance. The random walk is a fundamental model of animal movement and is well approximated by simple diffusion. Both models are central to our understanding of numerous ecological processes but are rarely linked in ecological theory. To derive a synthetic model, we draw on the common logical premise underlying these models and show how the diffusion and consumption rates of consumers depend on elementary attributes of naturally occurring consumer-resource interactions: the abundance, spatial aggregation, and traveling speed of resources as well as consumer handling …

Filling The Gap: Commonsense Solutions For Meeting Front Range Water Needs: Executive Summary, Western Resource Advocates, Trout Unlimited, Colorado Environmental Coalition (U.S.)

Navigating the Future of the Colorado River (Martz Summer Conference, June 8-10)

8 pages.

"February 2011"

Presented by Drew Beckwith, Water Policy Manager, Western Resource Advocates, on June 10th at Clyde O. Martz Summer Conference 2011, Navigating the Future of the Colorado River Basin

Full report available at: http://www.westernresourceadvocates.org/gap

Creating An Environmental Education Program For Camp Fire Usa, Shannon Diaz

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

The topic area for this Senior Project is Environmental Education. There were four environmental hands-on lesson plans that were created for the non-profit organization Camp Fire USA, Central Coast Council. These lessons will be implemented at Camp Natoma, the resident camp the Central Coast Council owns in Paso Robles, California. The lesson plans take up hour-long increments and have been created for youth ages eight through fifteen. The topics covered in the lessons include: composting; reduce, reuse, and recycle; solar energy; and wetlands. These lesson plans will be implemented as a new “Nature Class” that campers can choose to take …

Camera Study For Mammalian Carnivore Presence Across Seasons In Montana De Oro State Park, San Luis Obispo County, Ca, Samuel R. Young

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

Montana de Oro (MDO) is one of the largest state parks in California. Little is known however about its wildlife or their habits. Large predators such as mountain lion (Puma concolor) and black bear (Ursus americanus), and non–native species such as red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral pig (Sus scropha) are of management concern because of their potentially dramatic ecological roles. Cameras were deployed at 5 sites along the Coon Creek hiking trail in spring (May 3–June 7), summer (July 15–August 19), and fall (October 10–November 23) sessions with the goal of …

Effects Of Species, Water, And Nitrogen On Competition Among Three Prairie Grasses, Jerry L. Weatherford, Randall W. Myster

The Prairie Naturalist

We conducted an experiment to investigate effects of species, water (W), and nitrogen (N) on competition among little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), and indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans). All biomass parameters and the root:shoot ratio of little bluestem were reduced by the presence off 1 of 2 other species, and its shoot biomass and total biomass were both increased by addition of N. Root and shoot biomass of sideoats grama were reduced by the presence of indiangrass and its total biomass was reduced by the presence of itself, whereas its shoot biomass was increased by addition of W at …

Assessing The Role Of Conspecific Attraction In Habitat Restoration For Henslow’S Sparrows In Iowa, Jennifer A. Vogel, Rolf R. Koford, David L. Otis

The Prairie Naturalist

The presence of conspecific individuals may provide important cues about habitat quality for territorial songbirds. We tested the ability of a conspecific song playback system to attract Henslow’s sparrows to previously unoccupied restored habitat. We successfully attracted Heslow’s sparrows to 3 of 7 treatment plots using conspecific song playbacks and we found no Henslow’s sparrows in control plots. The addition of social cues using playback systems in restored grassland habitats may aid conservation efforts of Henslow’s sparrows to available habitat.

Calodium Hepaticum In White-Tailed Jackrabbits In South Dakota, Dustin J. Schaible, Charles D. Dieter, Regg D. Neiger, Michael B. Hildreth

The Prairie Naturalist

White-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus townsendii) are common on the prairie, and an important species in prairie food webs (Lim 1987). Although it has been suggested that jackrabbits have cyclic populations (Donoho 1972, Gross et al. 1974, Anderson and Shumar 1986), there is concern that a general downward trend exists in populations in the Northern Great Plains (Feldhamer et al. 2003). Disease incidence in white-tailed jackrabbits is poorly known (Feldhamer et al. 2003), but may be an important factor in population changes. Tularemia, a disease caused by bacteria (Francisella tularensis), occurs throughout the Northern Hemisphere and can affect many mammals including hares, …

Multiple Bats Entangled On Cactus, Jon C. Pigage, Richard L. Bunn

The Prairie Naturalist

Accidental deaths of bats by entanglement on plants and barbed wire are common (McNicholl 1988, Norquay et al. 2010). It has been hypothesized these incidents involve miscalculations by bats on how close they fly to plants or barbed wire or when chasing insects highly concentrated around vegetation (Norquay et al. 2010). Once the bats hit the plants or barbed wire, they become entangled and or impaled while struggling to free themselves. The earliest reports involved little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) and unidentified bats entangled on burdock, Arctium sp. (Lyon 1925, Little 1925). Additional reports of bats becoming entangled in plants …

First Record Of The Least Weasel In The Black Hills Of South Dakota, Tim R. Mullican

The Prairie Naturalist

The least weasel (Mustela nivalis) is a circumboreal species, occurring in North America from Alaska to the Appalachian Mountains (Jones et al. 1983). In the Great Plains, the least weasel recently expanded its range southward through Nebraska (Benedict et al. 2000) and Kansas (Choate et al. 1979, Bailey and Terman 1986) into Oklahoma (Clark and Clark 1988). Also, in recent decades, the least weasel has expanded from eastern and central Nebraska into western Nebraska (Benedict et al. 2000). In South Dakota, least weasels have been previously reported from the eastern 3/4 of the state (Jones et al. 1983, Higgins et …

Crustaceous Zooplankton Transfer Between A Floodplain Wetland And The Missouri River, Shannon J. Fisher

The Prairie Naturalist

Floodplain interactions are a critical riverine ecosystem function, including zooplankton transfer. Floodplain alternations have had an assumed impact on zooplankton productivity. I assessed floodplain wetland and main channel densities of crustaceous zooplankton, alluding to organism transfer in the Missouri River, North Dakota. Significant t-test differences (P < 0.05) were present between backwater and channel habitat zooplankton densities in 83, 75, 83, and 50% of the sample periods for cyclopoid copepods, copepod nauplii, Daphnia spp., and Bosmina spp. respectively, suggesting the presence of uncoupled zooplankton dynamics during portions of each annual cycle. Two relationships with increased flows were found, including a biologically significant decrease (P = 0.09) of backwater copepod nauplii numbers and a significant increase (P = 0.02) in the channel density of Daphnia spp. During the highest flow periods, fewer significant differences in zooplankton densities were present between the backwater and channel habitats, indicating moderate homogenization.

Leadership In Sustainable Chemicals Policy: Opportunities For Oregon, Jennifer H. Allen, Alexis Dinno

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

Oregon is uniquely positioned to lead in the development of safer alternatives to toxic chemicals. Existing chemicals policy in the United States does not comprehensively protect human health or the environment from the potential impacts of chemical exposure. Very few of the 84,000 chemical substances produced, processed or imported for commercial purposes in the United States have been studied for health and environmental impacts. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has access to only limited information about potential health or environmental hazards. Manufacturers have the right to withhold what they consider to be confidential business information. Because of this lack of …

Unlv Stars Unabridged Report, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Reports (USI)

University of Nevada, Las Vegas, by earning a 2011 Silver Rating in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Ratings System (STARS), is ahead of the curve among public universities – and improving.

STARS is a voluntary, self–reporting framework developed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) to help measure sustainability performance over time and among colleges and universities nationwide. The UNLV Sustainability Council oversaw STARS, which by measuring sustainability can help UNLV to reduce energy consumption and waste, improve education, attract research, and generate jobs.

A rating of Silver puts UNLV in great company – with …

Seed Abundance For Waterfowl In Wetlands Managed By The Illinois Department Of Natural Resources, Joshua D. Stafford, Aaron P. Yetter, Christopher S. Hine, Randolph S. Smith, Michelle M. Horath

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Managed wetlands on public lands in Illinois, United States, provide foraging habitats for migrating and wintering waterfowl. However, few studies have estimated abundances of waterfowl foods in mid-migration regions of North America, yet such information is needed to inform management and conservation decision-making. During 2005– 2007, we used a multistage sampling design to estimate moist-soil plant seed production (kg/ha, dry mass) and energetic carrying capacity at sites managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and modeled variation in seed biomass. Average seed biomass among all sites ranged from 1,030.0 6 64.1 (SE) kg/ha in 2005 to 501.5 6 124.1 …

Mapping Conservation Opportunity Areas For The Intertwine's Regional Conservation Strategy, Theresa Burcsu, James S. Kagan

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

As part of efforts to develop the Regional Conservation Strategy (RCS) for the greater Portland-Vancouver region, Oregon State University’s Institute for Natural Resources (INR) was asked to use spatial modeling to identify conservation opportunity areas (COAs). To complete the project, INR analysts proposed a strategy that would map high value areas using a landscape approach that is focused on relatively high spatial resolution data sets available for the whole metropolitan region. The approach creates 2 main metrics: one focused on terrestrial organisms and the other focused on aquatic and riparian organisms. These are combined to create a map of highly …

Secretive Marsh Bird Species Co-Occurrences And Habitat Associations Across The Midwest, Usa, Jason R. Bolenbaugh, Sarah E. Lehnen, David G. Krementz

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Because secretive marsh birds are difficult to detect, population status and habitat use for these birds are not well known. We conducted repeated surveys for secretive marsh birds across 264 sites in the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Joint Venture region to estimate abundance, occupancy, and detection probabilities during the 2008 and 2009 breeding seasons. We identified species groups based on observed species co-occurrences. Two species, least bittern Ixobrychus exilis and American bittern Botaurus lentiginosus, co-occurred with other species less often than expected by chance, and two species groups, rails (Virginia rail Rallus limicola and sora Porzana carolina) and …

Distribution Of Crayfish Species In Select North Dakota Streams, Cari-Ann Hayer, Terrance L. Velazquez, Mclain S. Johnson, Brian Graeb

The Prairie Naturalist

Crayfish have an integral role in aquatic ecosystems, serving as herbivores, predators, detritivores, and prey for fishes and other aquatic and terrestrial animals (Momot 1995, Taylor et al. 1996, Martin 1997). Many crayfish populations are currently declining as a result of habitat alteration (Taylor et al. 1996) and invasive predators (e.g., rusty crayfish Orconectes rusticus [Girard; Lodge et al. 2000]). Knowledge of crayfish distribution and biology in North America and specifically North Dakota is sparse or lacking (Taylor et al. 1996) and baseline information is necessary to identify effects of anthropogenic alterations. Early inventories documented 3 crayfish species in North …

The Conservation And Habitat Ecology Of Antillean Manatees (Trichechus Manatus Manatus) In The Drowned Cayes Area Of Belize, Central America, Katherine Spencer Lacommare

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The Drowned Cayes area of Belize, Central America is regionally important for the conservation of Antillean manatees in the Caribbean (Lefebvre et al. 2001; Quintana-Rizzo & Reynolds 2008). These islands are increasingly threatened by human activities such as tourism, development and population growth. The objective of this dissertation is to evaluate manatee habitat use and status in this area. The 5 specific objectives are to examine manatee (1) distribution in the Drowned Cayes, (2) use of seagrass beds and forage selection, (3) resting habitat use and selection (4) response to disturbance, and (5) trends in abundance and to suggest a …

Notes: River Otters Use Agricultural Field Along The Turtle Riveri In Eastern North Dakota As Crossover And Latrine Area, Maggie D. Triska, Steven C. Loughry, Thomas L. Sergass

The Prairie Naturalist

Recently, the Nearctic river otter (Lontra canadensis) has been re-colonizing portions of eastern North Dakota. The landscape in eastern North Dakota is dominated by agricultural fields and pastures, habitats which have received little research attention related to otter habitat use. During 2008, we searched shorelines to detect otter latrines, which is a common method for determining otter presence. Generally, latrines are locations along bodies of water where otters deposit scats, urine, and glandular secretions for olfactory communication, and groom, wrestle, and play, which may mat vegetation. In the northeastern United States, inland riverine system studies have shown latrines …

Resource Selection By Elk At Two Spatial Scales In The Black Hills, South Dakota, Mark A. Rumble, R. Scott Gamo

The Prairie Naturalist

Understanding resource selection by elk (Cervus elaphus) at multiple spatial scales may provide information that will help resolve the increasing number of resource conflicts involving elk. We quantified vegetation at 412 sites where the precise location of elk was known by direct observation and 509 random sites in the Black Hills of South Dakota during 1998– 2001. We obtained stand level variables from geographic information system coverages for a 250 m buffer around elk and random sites. We used classification and regression trees to simultaneously evaluate environmental thresholds of resources selected by feeding and bedded elk at the site and …

Habitat Selection By Female Swift Foxes (Vulpes Velox) During The Pup- Rearing Season, Indrani Sasmal, Jonathan A. Jenks, Troy W. Grovenburg, Shubham Datta, Greg. M. Schroeder, Robert W. Klaver, Kevin M. Honness

The Prairie Naturalist

The swift fox (Vulpes velox) was historically distributed in western South Dakota including the region surrounding Badlands National Park (BNP). The species declined during the mid-1800s, largely due to habitat loss and poisoning targeted at wolves (Canis lupis) and coyotes (C. latrans). Only a small population of swift foxes near Ardmore, South Dakota persisted. In 2003, an introduction program was initiated at BNP with swift foxes translocated from Colorado and Wyoming. We report on habitat use by female swift foxes during the pup-rearing season (May–July) in 2009. Analyses of location data from 13 radiomarked female foxes indicated disproportional use (P < 0.001) of some habitats relative to their availability within swift fox home ranges. Swift foxes used grassland (ŵ = 1.01), sparse vegetation (ŵ = 1.43) and prairie dog towns (ŵ = 1.18) in proportion to their availability, whereas they were less likely to use woodland (ŵ = 0.00), shrubland (ŵ = 0.14), pasture/agricultural-land (ŵ = 0.25) and development (ŵ = 0.16) relative to availability. Swift foxes typically are located in habitats that provide greater visibility, such as shortgrass prairie and areas with sparse vegetation; which allow detection of approaching coyotes (e.g., primary predator of swift foxes).

Phragmites Australis In South Dakota: Historical Distribution And Environment, Carol A. Johnston, Kayla L. Miller

The Prairie Naturalist

Common reed, Phragmites australis, has long been a component of Northern Plains wetlands, but impending invasion by the non-native P. australis haplotype M may displace native haplotypes in the future. To increase understanding of historical Phragmites occurrence, we developed a geographic information system (GIS) protocol to improve the georeferencing of specimens from South Dakota herbaria, and mapped the distribution of Phragmites relative to geology, physiographic regions, and water bodies. There were 91 Phragmites herbarium specimens from South Dakota and adjacent Wyoming. Phragmites collections occurred in nearly all physiographic regions of the state, with concentrations occurring in the Prairie Coteau of …

The Implications Of Water Insecurity For Fragile And Failing States: The Case Of Pakistan, Jennifer Norins

Graduate Masters Theses

As we become more firmly established in the 21st century, the international system faces a number of increasingly more difficult challenges that pose threats to global security and human progress. Among these challenges, water scarcity and failing states have each received prominent attention in both the academic and policy realms. Water serves a number of critical purposes for human survival and socio-economic activity. The threat of water scarcity is becoming increasingly salient and the capacity of states to ensure water security, and other securities which water security supports, is being tested. Fragile and failing states also occupy significant space in …

Enhanced Membrane Distillation : Analytical And Deionization Applications, Ken Gethard

Dissertations

Membrane distillation (MD) is a newer technology that is being investigated for applications such as seawater desalination and concentration of fruit and sucrose solutions. The major advantage of MD over traditional thermal distillation is that it requires a substantially lower thermal energy requirement to power the process. This allows low grade energy sources such as waste heat or solar energy to be used with MD. Compared to concentration processes such as reversed osmosis or ion-exchange, MD does not require specialized equipment, high electrical consumption, the use of strong acids and bases nor does it generate hazardous waste as a by-product. …

Education In The Environment: A Strategy For Continued Interagency Outdoor Education Programming: Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending May 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Reports (PLI Education)

Highlights of the university’s focused efforts during the past three months include the following:

• Two Families in Nature events were held, benefitting approximately 140 people
• The Families in Nature program was honored at the Nevada Recreation & Park Society 2011 Conference (March 16-18). It was chosen both as Program of the Year and Best Program for Children
• More than 500 4th-6th grade students participated in Wilderness Education activities and saw the “Art of Nature” Wilderness presentation
• The Nevada Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights was promoted through 11 outreach booths and events
• A total of 17 teachers participated in a workshop …