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The Effects Of Climate Change On Biodiversity: Pressing Issues And Research Priorities, Friedhelm Krupp, Lytton J. Musselman, Mohammed M.A. Kotb, Ilka Weidig

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Photochemical Degradation Of Dissolved Organic Matter And Dissolved Lignin Phenols From The Congo River, Robert G. M. Spencer, Aron Stubbins, Peter J. Hernes, Kenneth Mopper, Anthony K. Aufdenkampe, Rachael Y. Dyda, Vincent L. Mwamba, Arthur M. Mangangu, Jose N. Wabakanghanzi, Johan Six

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Photochemical degradation of Congo River dissolved organic matter (DOM) was investigated to examine the fate of terrigenous DOM derived from tropical ecosystems. Tropical riverine DOM receives greater exposure to solar radiation, particularly in large river plumes discharging directly into the open ocean. Initial Congo River DOM exhibited dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and compositional characteristics typical of organic rich blackwater systems. During a 57 day irradiation experiment, Congo River DOM was shown to be highly photoreactive with a decrease in DOC, chromophoric DOM (CDOM), lignin phenol concentrations (Σ8) and carbon-normalized yields (Λ8), equivalent to losses of ~45, 85–95, >95 and …

Melting Of Major Glaciers In The Western Himalayas: Evidence Of Climatic Changes From Long Term Msu Derived Tropospheric Temperature Trend (1979-2008), Anup K. Prasad, Keun-Hang Susan Yang, Hesham El-Askary, Menas Kafatos

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Global warming or the increase of the surface and atmospheric temperatures of the Earth, is increasingly discernible in the polar, sub-polar and major land glacial areas. The Himalayan and Tibetan Plateau Glaciers, which are the largest glaciers outside of the Polar regions, are showing a large-scale decrease of snow cover and an extensive glacial retreat. These glaciers such as Siachen and Gangotri are a major water resource for Asia as they feed major rivers such as the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra. Due to scarcity of ground measuring stations, the long-term observations of atmospheric temperatures acquired from the Microwave Sounding Unit …

The Coming Transformation: Values To Sustain Human And Natural Communities, Stephen R. Kellert, James Gustave Speth

Yale School of the Environment Publications Series

No abstract provided.

The Problem With Particularized Injury: The Disjuncture Between Broad-Based Environmental Harm And Standing Jurisprudence, Hope M. Babcock

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Several recent events harmonically converged into the topic for this article. The first was a posting on Georgetown Law’s environmental law professors’ listserv by Professor John Bonine, which raised a number of questions about whether and how standing doctrine might be rethought in light of the Supreme Court’s opinion in Massachusetts v. EPA. That opinion relaxed the states’ standing burden because of the unique sovereign interests, finding that federalism bargaining earned states “special solicitude” when it came to meeting the Court’s standing requirements.

The second was a complaint filed by a consortium of regional environmental organizations, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, …

Geoelectrical Response Of Surfactant Solutions In A Quartzitic Sand Analog Aquifer, Meghan Therese Magill

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In this project, the resistivity and phase shift of ten surfactant aqueous solutions in a sand matrix were measured using spectral induced polarization (SIP). In addition, specific conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and dielectric constant measurements of the solutions were also evaluated. The frequency range assessed was 0.091-12000Hz. The surfactants, which are typically used in the remediation of tetrachloroethylene, were Aerosol MA 80-I, Dowfax 8390, and Steol CS-330. The surfactants were mixed into solutions of both deionized and tap water at varying concentrations and injected into a closed system of silica sand. The surfactant treatments altered resistivity, specific conductivity, and pH …

Systematic Analysis Of Identifying Key Dimensions Of Environmentally And Socially Responsible Hotels, Courtney Suess

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Development in Southeast Asia involves making good decisions for the future, so the idea that good planning can ignore sustainability is something of an oxymoron. Good development has to be sustainable and we have reached a point where the old ways of tourism development are intolerable. For example, hotels spring up without planning for the future. This short sightedness means natural endowments, like coastlines, erode and forests are cut down, chasing away the wildlife; or cultural history in the form of temples, historic buildings, and sacred places are destroyed. Ironically, tourism development is eradicating the very forms of product that …

Atmospheric Soluble Dust Records From A Tibetan Ice Core: Possible Climate Proxies And Teleconnection With The Pacific Decadal Oscillation, B. Grigholm, P. A. Mayewski, S. Kang, Y. Zhang, Susan Kaspari, S. B. Sneed, Q. Zhang

Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

In autumn 2005, a joint expedition between the University of Maine and the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research recovered three ice cores from Guoqu Glacier (33°34′37.8″N, 91°10′35.3″E, 5720 m above sea level) on the northern side of Mt. Geladaindong, central Tibetan Plateau. Isotopes (δ¹⁸O), major soluble ions (Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻), and radionuclide (β‐activity) measurements from one of the cores revealed a 70‐year record (1935–2005). Statistical analysis of major ion time series suggests that atmospheric soluble …

Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit And Adaptive Co-Management: A Case Study Of Narwhal Co-Management In Arctic Bay, Nunavut, Aaron T. Dale

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Since 2001 the community of Arctic Bay, located on north-western Baffin Island, in Nunavut, Canada, has been experimenting with a new approach to narwhal management—‘community-based’ narwhal managemet. The new management system has developed some decision-making powers to the local Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization, who are empowered/required to draft by-laws to govern the hunt. Community-based narwhal management links local, regional, territorial, and national actors and agencies in a co-management arrangement that draws its powers from, and is steered by, the Nunavut Final Agreement (1993), the comprehensive land claims agreement between the Inuit of Nunavut and Her Majesty the Queen in Right …

Historic Sediment Accretion Rates In A Louisiana Coastal Marsh And Implications For Sustainability, Rebekah Perkins Smith

LSU Master's Theses

Deltaic marshes of the Mississippi River in Louisiana disappeared at a rate of 88 km2 annually from 1956 to 2000 (Barras et al. 2003) as marshes become inundated by sea water. Marsh surface elevation varies spatially and temporally due to fluvial sediment deposition, resuspension, erosion, compaction, sea level rise, and organic matter accumulation and decomposition. If net accretion from sediment deposition and/or peat production is insufficient, marshes respond to sea level rise by migrating landward. Since human development prevents landward migration of marsh in Breton Sound Basin, Louisiana, marsh sustainability can only be achieved if vertical accretion keeps pace with …

Biological And Economic Considerations In Establishing A Short-Rotation Bioenergy Plantation, Jamie L. Schuler, M. Pelkki, Chris Stuhlinger

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The development of bio-fuel synthesis technologies has led to increased interest in woody crops grown specifically for energy production. These woody feedstocks typically involve fast-growing species (e.g., Salix spp., Populus spp.) planted at high densities using short rotations and intensive cultural practices like weed control and fertilization. Under ideal conditions, this type of system can produce 20 dry Mg/ha/yr, which is substantially higher than the 2.5-4 dry Mg/ha/yr produced by pine plantations in the southern U.S. Many of these plantings are projected to be established on lower quality agricultural lands. Recent attempts at establishing these plantations have highlighted some of …

Management And Social Indicators Of Soil Carbon Storage In A Residential Ecosystem, Midlothian, Va, Christopher M. Gough, Eliza A. Fritz

Virginia Journal of Science

Soil carbon storage- defined here as carbon mass per unit ground area- is an important ecosystem service, sequestering carbon that might otherwise exist in atmospheric CO₂ . Significant attention has focused on the effects that humans have on carbon cycling, but little is known about how human behaviors and attitudes relate to lawn carbon storage. The objectives of this study were to conduct household surveys in concert with soil carbon sampling in a 10-year-old exurban neighborhood near Richmond, Virginia to quantify differences in soil carbon storage between residential lawns and mixed pine-hardwood forest fragments, and to determine how lawn …

University Of North Florida Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory And Projections 2009, Radha Pyati, Katrina Norbom, Megan Walker-Radtke

Campus Sustainability

This report describes the 2009 greenhouse gas emissions inventory of the University of North Florida. Such inventories are becoming more important as society approaches restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions due to their effects on global warming. Greenhouse gas emissions inventories have been conducted on hundreds of campuses in the United States, as well as thousands of other organizations worldwide, including U.S. private corporations. An inventory like this generally forms the initial baseline for a campus climate action plan. Climate action plans have also been created by hundreds of universities and other entities. Following the release of this report, a UNF …

A Review Of Mitigation Measures For Reducing Wildlife Mortality On Roadways, David J. Glista, Travis L. Devault, J. Andrew Dewoody

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A growing literature in the field of road ecology suggests that vehicle/wildlife collisions are important to biologists and transportation officials alike. Roads can affect the quality and quantity of available wildlife habitat, most notably through fragmentation. Likewise, vehicular traffic on roads can be direct sources of wildlife mortality and in some instances, can be catastrophic to populations. Thus, connectivity of habitat and permeability of road systems are important factors to consider when developing road mortality mitigation systems. There are a variety of approaches that can be used to reduce the effects of roads and road mortality on wildlife populations. Here, …

A Tool Box Half Full: How Social Science Can Help Solve Human–Wildlife Conflict, Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Kenneth R. Wilson, John Broderick, Stewart W. Breck

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

There is a growing recognition among wildlife managers that focusing management on wildlife often provides a temporary fix to human–wildlife conflicts, whereas changing human behavior can provide long-term solutions. Human dimensions research of wildlife conflicts frequently focuses on stakeholders’ characteristics, problem identification, and acceptability of management, and less frequently on human behavior and evaluation of management actions to change that behavior. Consequently, little information exists to assess overall success of management. We draw on our experience studying human–bear conflicts, and argue for more human dimensions studies that focus on change in human behavior to measure management success. We call for …

Gopherus Polyphemus (Gopher Tortoise), Ctenosaura Similis (Gray's Spiny-Tailed Iguana) Predation, Michael L. Avery, Eric A. Tillman, Kenneth Krysko

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Gopherus polyphemus is currently listed as a threatened and protected species in the state of Florida (Mushinsky et al. 2006. In Meylan led.], Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles, pp. 350-375. Chelonian Research Monographs 3). Documented natural predators of Gopherus polyphemus include the Raccoon (Procyon lotor), Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteris), Striped Skunk (Mephitus mephitis), Opposum (Didelphis virginianus), Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus),and crows (Corvus sp.) (Mushinsky et al., op. cit. ), and the introduced Savaunah Monitor (Varanus exanthematicus) (Owens et al. 2005. Herpetol. Rev. 3657-58). Herein, we augment this …

Development Of 10 Polymorphic Microsatellite Loci Isolated From The Mountain Beaver, Aplodontia Rufa Rufa (Rafinesque), Antoinette J. Piaggio, Melissa A. Neubaum, Hesther Yueh, Carol E. Ritland, John J. Johnston, Susan L. Perkins

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We developed 10 microsatellite markers for the mountain beaver, Aplodontia rufa rufa. In three populations of A. r. rufa, the number of alleles for these loci ranged from monomorphic to nine. Average observed heterozygosities in these populations ranged from 0.29 to 0.60. We also tested previously published markers from the endangered subspecies A. r. nigra in A. r. rufa populations.

Development And Characterization Of 15 Polymorphic Microsatellite Loci Isolated From Rafinesque’S Big-Eared Bat, Corynorhinus Rafinesquii, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Julia A. Figueroa, Susan L. Perkins

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We developed and characterized 15 microsatellite markers for Rafinesque’s big-eared bat, Corynorhinus rafinesquii. In a population from Tennessee, the number of alleles per locus ranged from three to 13 and observed heterozygosities were 0.35 to 0.97 per locus. These loci will provide appropriate variability for estimation of population connectivity, demographic parameters, and genetic diversity for this species of concern.

The Economics Of Threatened Species Conservation: A Review And Analysis, Ray T. Sterner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Stabilizing human population size and reducing human-caused impacts on the environment are keys to conserving threatened species (TS). Earth's human population is ~ 7 billion and increasing by ~ 76 million per year. This equates to a human birth-death ratio of 2.35 annually. The 2007 Red List prepared by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) categorized 16,306 species of vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, and other organisms (e.g., lichens, algae) as TS. This is ~ 1 percent of the 1,589,161 species described by IUCN or ~ 0.0033 percent of the believed 5,000,000 total species. Of the IUCN’s …

Western Australian Natural Resource Management Plan 09, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Natural resources published reports

The purpose of the State Natural Resource Management [NRM] Plan is to communicate the direction for sustainably managing Western Australia's natural resources.

This direction has been informed by previous initiatives such as the 'Decade of Landcare', several programs focused on salinity, the Western Australian State Sustainability Strategy (2009), and more recently a report commissioned by the State entitled The delivery of Natural Resources Management in Western Australia - a review (2006), which recommended preparation of an NRM Plan. The review noted that the most important issue for the State to clarify first was the outcome it seeks rather than how …

Landscapes And Soils Of The Merredin District, D N. Sawkins, Department Of Agriculture And Food

Bulletins 4000 -

The publication aims to provide readers with the principles underlying the formation of local landscapes and soils, and the ability to identify landscapes and their associated soils.

Historical Geography Of Yellagonga Regional Park, Western Australia, Susan Ujma

Theses : Honours

The principle aim of this study was to reconstruct the land use history of the Yellagonga Regional Park wetland landscape. Located approximately twenty kilometres north of Perth, covering about 1400 hectares, the Park lies within the North-West Corridor of the metropolitan area. This research, assisted by archival sources, demonstrates that prior to early European settlement the Yellagonga wetlands were quintessential summer hunting and gathering sites for the Nyoongar Aboriginal people. The wetlands were utilised for water, food gathering, hunting, corroborees and rituals that governed their tribal lives. Early European settlers, market gardeners, and later subdivision for urban development, have adversely …

Biology And Impacts Of Pacific Island Invasive Species. 5. Eleutherodactylus Coqui, The Coqui Frog (Anura: Leptodactylidae), Karen H. Beard, William C. Pitt, Emily A. Price

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The nocturnal, terrestrial frog Eleutherodactylus coqui, known as the Coqui, is endemic to Puerto Rico and was accidentally introduced to Hawai‘i via nursery plants in the late 1980s. Over the past two decades E. coqui has spread to the four main Hawaiian Islands, and a major campaign was launched to eliminate and control it. One of the primary reasons this frog has received attention is its loud mating call (85–90 dB at 0.5 m). Many homeowners do not want the frogs on their property, and their presence has influenced housing prices. In addition, E. coqui has indirectly impacted the …

An Overview Of Historical Beaver Management In Arizona, Christopher Carrillo, David Bergman, Jimmy D. Taylor Ii, Dale L. Nolte, Patrick Viehoever, Mike Disney

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the mid-1820s, Anglo-American fur trappers, known as "mountain men," entered Arizona and began trapping beaver (Castor canadensis). In Arizona there have been a number of famous mountain men such as Sylvester and James Pattie, Ewing Young, Jededia Smith, and Bill Williams who trapped along the waterways in northern and southern Arizona. Although the heyday of mountain men lasted only a few decades due to a population decline of beaver, management of these animals continues to this day. The purpose of managing beavers shifted from monetary gain to controlling wildlife damage. During the late 1900s, beaver were still …

Ctenosaura Similis (Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana), ,I>Gopherus Polyphemus (Gopher Tortoise) Concurrent Burrow Use, Richard M. Engeman, Bernice Constantin, Missy Christie, Parker Hall

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Ctenosaura similis is exotic to Florida (Meshaka et al. 2004. The Exotic Amphibians and Reptiles of Florida, Krieger Publ. Co., Malabar, Florida. 155 pp.), whereas Gopherus polyphemus is listed as a species of special concern by the state of Florida (Florida Wildlife Code Chap. 39 F.A.C.), and as a threatened species by the Florida Committee on Rare and Endangered Plants and Animals (FCREPA) (Moler 1992. Rare and Endangered Biota of Florida: Volume III, Reptiles and Amphibians. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. 291 pp.).

Relating Ten Years Of Northern Raccoon Road-Kill Data To Their Attraction To Sea Turtle Nests, Richard M. Engeman, Alice Bard, Henry T. Smith, N. Paige Groninger

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

One of the primary threats to sea turtle reproduction in Florida is nest predation by Northern Raccoons (Procyon lotor). We examined 10 years of nest deposition data from a high-density sea turtle nesting beach at Sebastian Inlet State Park, Florida, USA, along with data on raccoon road-kills from the adjacent road, and data on park attendance (as an index of local traffic) to make inferences about raccoon activity patterns relative to turtle nesting. Northern Raccoon road-kills diminished during turtle nesting, even though local traffic was higher. Virginia Opossums (Didelphis virginiana), the only other mammal consistently found …

Surveillance For Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza In Wild Birds In The Usa, Thomas J. Deliberto, Seth R. Swafford, Dale L. Nolte, Kerri Pedersen, Mark W. Lutman, Brandon S.. Schmit, John A. Baroch, Dennis J. Kohler, Alan B. Franklin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

As part of the USA’s National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza, an Interagency Strategic Plan for the Early Detection of Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza in Wild Migratory Birds was developed and implemented. From 1 April 2006 through 31 March 2009, 261 946 samples from wild birds and 101 457 wild bird fecal samples were collected in the USA; no highly pathogenic avian influenza was detected. The United States Department of Agriculture, and state and tribal cooperators accounted for 213 115 (81%) of the wild bird samples collected; 31, 27, 21 and 21% of the samples were collected from the Atlantic, …

Captive Coyotes Compared To Their Counterparts In The Wild: Does Environmental Enrichment Help?, John A. Shivik, Gernrna L. Palmer, Eric M. Gese, Britta Osthaus

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

This article attempts to determine the effects of environment (captive or wild) and a simple form of environmental enrichment on the behavior and physiology of a nonhuman animal. Specifically, analyses first compared behavioral budgets and stereotypic behavior of captive coyotes (Canis latrans) in kennels and pens to their counterparts in the wild. Second, experiments examined the effect of a simple form of environmental enrichment for captive coyotes (food-filled bones) on behavioral budgets, stereotypes, and corticosteroid levels. Overall, behavioral budgets of captive coyotes in both kennels and pens were similar to those observed in the wild, but coyotes in …

West Nile Virus Detection In Nonvascular Feathers From Avian Carcasses, Nicole M. Nemeth, Ginger R. Young, Kristen L. Burkhalter, Aaron C. Brault, William K. Reisen, Nicholas Komar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

West Nile virus (WNV) is a public health threat and has caused the death of thousands of North American birds. As such, surveillance for WNV has been ongoing, utilizing numerous biological specimens and testing methods. Nonvascular (i.e., fully grown) feathers would provide a simple method of collection from either dead or live birds of all ages and molt cycles, with presumably less biosafety risk compared with other specimen types, including feather pulp. The current study evaluates WNV detection in nonvascular feathers removed from naturally infected avian carcasses of several species groups. Feathers of corvid passeriforms had the highest sensitivity of …

Parasite Species Associated With Wild Plateau Pika (Ochotona Curzoniae) In Southeastern Qinghai Province, China, Chengmin Wang, Hongxuan He, Ming Li, Fumin Lei, J. Jeffrey Root, Yanyun Wu, Jianhua Qin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A survey was conducted to determine the prevalence and seasonal abundance of egg, larval, and adult stages of helminths; oocyts of protozoans; and ectoparasites of plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) in seven areas of southeastern Qinghai Province, China, during August 2006 and May 2007. Fecal samples collected from 430 plateau pikas were examined by the modified McMaster technique, which revealed that 83% of the samples contained eggs from two or more helminth species. Mean fecal egg counts were generally moderate and showed the same trend irrespective of the age or sex of the pikas. The prevalence and counts of …