Digital Commons Network^™

Ecological Species Groups Of South Carolina's Jocassee Gorges, Southern Appalachian Mountains, Scott R. Abella, Victor B. Shelburne

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Ecological species groups, consisting of assemblages of co-occurring plant species exhibiting similar environmental affinities, were developed for ground-flora and tree strata in late- successional forests on a 13,000 ha southern Appalachian landscape. We distinguished 11 ground-flora groups that included 50 species and six tree groups comprised of 19 species. Ground-flora groups ranged from a xeric Vaccinium group (including Vaccinium pallidum, Euphorbia corollata, and Piptochaetium avenaceum) to a mesic Rhododendron group (typified by Rhododendron maximum, Mitchella repens, and Hexastylis heterophylla). Tree groups ranged from a Quercus coccinea group to a Tsuga canadensis group. Consistent with previous research, species groups exhibited a …

Ecology Of Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Humifusa) In Oak Openings Preserve, Northwestern Ohio, Scott R. Abella, John F. Jaeger

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Opuntia humifusa (eastern prickly pear cactus) is listed as potentially threatened in Ohio, and we examined the characteristics of O. humifusa sites in Oak Openings Preserve in northwestern Ohio’s Oak Openings region in an attempt to provide data that may help protect this species. Opuntia humifusa occurrences were associated with loose sands of the xeric Udipsamment Ottokee and Oakville soil series on sites that had been cleared before the 1940s during failed agricultural attempts. Shading by encroaching canopy trees is a threat to several O. humifusa populations in Oak Openings Preserve, and treatments that reduce canopy cover at these sites …

Tree Thinning And Prescribed Burning Effects On Ground Flora In Arizona Ponderosa Pine Forests: A Review, Scott R. Abella

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Ground flora is an important response variable to monitor after tree thinning and prescribed burning treatments designed to restore Arizona ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa P.& C. Lawson) forests. This paper reviews published literature on the effects of thinning and burning on ground flora in Arizona ponderosa pine forests in five main categories of research: ground flora biomass, species diversity, plant community composition, population processes, and individual species ecology. Research published to date suggests that thinning and burning generally increase ground flora biomass, whereas other categories of research such as community composition and population processes have been little studied in Arizona …

Quality Assurance Testing Of The Eclox-M In Detecting Terrorism Threats In Louisiana's Public Drinking Water Systems, Jessica Coleman

LSU Master's Theses

A quality assurance testing of the ECLOX-M™, a rapid water quality indicator used in potential terrorist attacks, was evaluated for its adequacy in nine regional Louisiana water systems. The ECLOX-M™ system uses enhanced chemiluminescence to measure toxicity in water by integration of a mixture of luminol (C₈H₇O₃N₃), and an oxidant in the presence of a catalyst enzyme - horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Water samples were tested for chemiluminescence, chlorine content, pH, and arsenic and/or nerve agent/pesticide contamination. In addition, three toxic industrial chemical standards were evaluated (mercury, a volatile liquid mixture, and a …

Evaluation Of Growth, Production And Cold Tolerance Of Four Varieties Of Tilapia, Patricio Enrique Paz

LSU Master's Theses

As global tilapia production grows, it is important to characterize varieties available for production and generate data on environmental tolerances. This study generated data on tolerances, adaptabilities and production characteristics of four tilapia varieties. Goals of this study were to: (1) compare growth of four tilapia varieties in two types of recirculating systems, (2) evaluate juvenile growth of seven tilapia varieties in fresh and brackishwater mesocosms, and (3) estimate cold tolerance of juveniles of four tilapia varieties in fresh and brackishwater. Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus), Mississippi commercial strain tilapia (MCS), and Florida red tilapia (FRT) were …

Influences On The Uptake Of Covenant Mechanisms For Nature Conservation On Private Lands In Australia, Thomas I. Kabii

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Globally management agreements have emerged as more effective in assuring long-term nature conservation on private land, than regulatory mechanisms alone. Restrictive permanent covenants in particular, which are legally binding management agreements in perpetuity, have been adopted in most States and Territories in Australia. However, there is reluctance among landholders to take them up. Sound understanding of the factors that influence the decisions of landholders regarding the uptake of permanent covenants is important in planning and strategizing for increased covenant uptake. The aim of this thesis is to further this understanding and to support the design of a coordinated covenant mechanism …

Mortality Of Pen-Raised White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Released On Three Areas In Louisiana, Barret Keith Fortier

LSU Master's Theses

I monitored 60 radio-collared and tagged pen-raised white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to ascertain mortality rates on three areas in Louisiana from April 2001 - April 2002. Two of 60 were not used in the analysis because mortality occurred from complications with darting and an affixed radio-collar. Study deer were exposed to legal hunting mortality only if they emigrated from the three study areas. Twenty deer were released to the wild on the Louisiana State University Deer Study Area (LSUDSA) (4,810 ha), where 9 of 20 (45%) suffered mortality. Harvest accounted for 56%, vehicles 22%, and other 22% of the mortality …

Outcomes Of A Participatory Approach To Interpretive Planning In The Shark Bay World Heritage Area, Western Australia, Kelly J. Chapman

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis examines a participatory approach to interpretive planning, employed in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, Western Australia. At the project outset relations between the conservation agency responsible for administering World Heritage and the local community were strained, and complicated by a history of conflict over the World Heritage listing and subsequent management of the area. A participatory approach to interpretive planning was adopted in the hope that doing so would achieve the following: improved relations between polarised stakeholder groups, increased community support for the plan and its implementation, and improved access to the variety of knowledge pools within …

Light Dependence Of Selenium Uptake By Phytoplankton And Implications For Predicting Selenium Incorporation Into Food Webs, Stephen B. Baines, Nicholas S. Fisher, Martina A. Doblin, Gregory A. Cutter, Lynda S. Cutter, Brian Cole

OES Faculty Publications

The potentially toxic element selenium is first concentrated from solution to a large but highly variable degree by algae and bacteria before being passed on to consumers. The large loads of abiotic and detrital suspended particles often present in rivers and estuaries may obscure spatial and temporal patterns in Se concentrations at the base of the food web. We used radiotracers to estimate uptake of both selenite (Se(IV)) and C by intact plankton communities at two sites in the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta. Our goals were to determine (1) whether C and Se(IV) uptake were coupled, (2) the role of …

Age And Growth Of Scotia Sea Icefish, Chaenocephalus Aceratus, From The South Shetland Islands, M. La Mesa, J. Ashford, E. Larson, M. Vacchi

OES Faculty Publications

Samples of Chaenocephalus aceratus (Lönnberg) were collected during a trawl survey carried out around the South Shetland Islands in January–February 2002. Fish were caught by commercial bottom trawl fishing down to 500 m depth, using a stratified randomized sampling design. As observed in other recent surveys within the same area, C. aceratus represented one of the predominant species. Overall, 357 specimens ranging from 13 and 67 cm (TL) were selected for the present study. Ages were estimated by counting annuli present in the sagittal otoliths, exposed by grinding and polishing along their sagittal plane. To estimate the precision of age …

Black Carbon In Estuarine And Coastal Ocean Dissolved Organic Matter, Antonio Mannino, H. Rodger Harvey

OES Faculty Publications

We measured black carbon (BC) in ultrafiltered, high-molecular weight dissolved organic matter (UDOM) in surface waters of Delaware Bay, Chesapeake Bay, and the adjacent Atlantic Ocean (U.S.A.) to investigate the importance of riverine and estuarine dissolved organic matter (DOM) as a source of BC to the ocean. BC was 5-72% of UDOM-C (27 ± 17%), which corresponds to 8.9 ± 6.5% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), with higher values in the heavily urbanized midbay region of the Delaware Estuary and lower yields in the river and coastal ocean. The spatial and seasonal distributions of BC along the salinity gradient of …

Estimation Of Primary Production And Carbon Flux In Antarctic Coastal Waters: A Modeling Study, Hae-Cheol Kim

OES Theses and Dissertations

This study presents results from models that are designed to simulate the underwater light field, to simulate phytoplankton primary production, and to estimate the fate of phytoplankton carbon in continental shelf waters of the west Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) and Ross Sea. Simulation of the underwater light field required derivation of new coefficient sets for power function-type cloud cover correction algorithms, which were found to be influenced by multiple reflections between the bottom of clouds and the surface. The coefficient sets indicate that the spectral effect of clouds on the properties of the surface irradiance was spectrally-neutral for wavelengths greater than …

Effects Of Irrigation Water Salinity On Forage Growth And Qualities Of Some Salt Tolerant Species Under Uae Conditions, Mahmood Abdul Razaq Belselah

Theses

Experiments were conducted at the International Center for Bio saline Agriculture (ICBA) in Dubai to evaluate the growth and productivity of some locally grown grass species; Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana L.) var. Katambora, Pioneer, and Callide; and Panicum grass (Panicum maximum) var. Green, and Gatton over a range of irrigation levels (1 gal/hr and 1.3 gal/hr), and water salinity (5 dS/m, 10 dS/m and 15 dS/m). The effect of different quality of water in respect to the salinity levels would provide information about water use efficiencies and soil salinity over a period. Growth and biomass productivity of …

Insect Control Using Chitinolytic Soil Actinomycetes As Biocontrol Agents, Fatma Khamis Al-Kaabi

Theses

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Organic And Inorganic Pollutants In The Offshore Sediments, Dubai, Uae., Haifa Darwish Ahmad Al Darwish

Theses

The investigated area covers the maximum fragments of Dubai offshore in the Arabian Gulf. The sediment samples were collected from fifteen stations starting by Al-Mamzar mouth and ending by Ras Ghantoot in order to assess the organic and inorganic pollutants affecting the coastal region in Dubai.

The textural class was determined through grain-size analysis and the mineral composition was identified by X-Ray diffraction. The organic pollutants were characterized through the determination of Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN), Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and individual polychlorinated biphenyls. On the other hand the …

Laboratory Investigation Of Transport And Treatment Of Chromium In Groundwater At Liwa District, Abu Dhabi, Wali-Ur-Rahman Din Badshah

Theses

Groundwater quality is a critical aspect affecting utilization of this source for certain purposes. In the UAE, utilization of groundwater for domestic purposes is well practiced. While the quality of groundwater at some locations does not permit direct utilization of this source, groundwater, in many cases, is mixed with desalinated water at certain proportion before being disinfected and then distributed to customers.

Groundwater of Liwa aquifer contains high level of Cr(VI) which is believed to originate from natural sources. However, little has been done to investigate the fate of this contaminant. Spreading of chromium to nearby aquifers may render the …

The Role Of Environmental Impact Assessment In The Urban Development Process Case Study: Dubai, Uae, Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Sharid

Theses

With no doubt the Urban & Economic Development should persist in Dubai with same current rates to sustain prosperous living conditions for the inhabitants of the Emirate. These rates have exceeded the International rates in some aspects specially those related to Urban Sprawl and Power Consumption, Telecommunication Services, etc.

To insure the continuity of this economic growth, a balance should be established between consumption rates and natural component depletion. To achieve this balance, certain criteria and regulations should occur focusing on Environmental Balance and Environmental Impact Assessment which consider all permutable aspects. So as to avoid multiple negative effects in …

Structural Studies Of The Role Of Iron Oxide In Environmental Catalysis, Aisha Ali Saif Rashid Al-Nayeli

Theses

This thesis presents several fundamental studies of structure-reactivity relationships between pure iron oxides, supported and composite oxides specifically in relation to the decomposition of carbon tetrachloride, CCI₄. A series of iron oxides were synthesized and characterized using infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to establish their composition spectroscopically, using BET surface area measurements to determine their surface areas and X-ray diffraction powder (XRD) experiments to measure their structural parameters.

A new method was then developed to decompose CCl₄ at a lower temperature than previously found, choosing the optimum catalyst. The effects of varying the temperature on the CCl₄ decomposition …

Assessment Of Brine Shrimp (Artemia Sp.) Productivity At Al Wathba Wetland Reserve, Abu Dhabi (Uae), Shaikha Salem Obaid Al Dhaheri

Theses

Al Wathba Lake was created in 1982 by accidental discharge of over-capacity treated sewage water from Al Mafraq Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWT). The lake lies on the north side of the Abu Dhabi - Al Ain truck road, approximately 40 km Southeast of Abu Dhabi Island. In 1998, the lake and its surroundings were designated as protected area, the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve, and placed under the management of the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA). The reserve covers an area of approximately 5 km², and the lake system covers an area of 1.5 km^{2 …}

On Analytical Methods And Inferences For 2 X 2 Contingency Table Data Using Wildlife Examples, Richard M. Engeman, George D. Swanson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The 2 X 2 contingency table is common analytical method for wildlife studies, but inappropriate analyses and inferences are not uncommon. Issues of concern are presented for selecting the appropriate test for analyzing these data sets. These include the choice of test relative to experimental or sampling design and breadth of intended inferences, the careful statement of hypotheses, and analyses with small sample sizes. Examples from the wildlife literature are used to reinforce the statistical concepts.

Coyote (Canis Latrans), Marc Bekoff, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Coyotes

A Review Of Color Vision In White-Tailed Deer, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Pipas

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A better understanding of the color vision abilities of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) helps to determine how these animals interpret their environment. We review and summarize the literature related to the color vision abilities of white-tailed deer. Physiological measurements using advanced techniques such as molecular genetics, electroretinography, and electron microscopy have demonstrated conclusively that whitetailed deer possess the anatomical requisites for color vision. Operant conditioning techniques employed in pen studies using trained cervids confirm that deer see color. The eyes of white-tailed deer are characterized by 3 classes of photopigments: a short-wavelengthsensitive cone mechanism, a middle-wavelength-sensitive cone mechanism, …

Lewis And Clark And The Geology Of Nebraska And Parts Of Adjacent States, Robert F. Diffendal Jr., Anne P. Diffendal

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark undertook their journey with the Corps of Discovery in 1804–1806 in order to explore the area that the United States had purchased from France in 1803. Then known as Louisiana, this region included almost everything west of the Mississippi to the continental divide (illustrated below). In order to find the best route across the continent, President Thomas Jefferson charged Lewis to follow the Missouri River to its headwaters and then locate rivers flowing down the west side of the Rocky Mountains to the Columbia River and into the Pacific Ocean. Jefferson's written instructions further specified …

Swine Waste Demonstration And Training Project, C. V. Maxwell, K. Vandevender, K. P. Coffey, P. A. Moore, I. Chaubey, D. R. Smith

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Selected Water Quality Parameters To Identify Fecal Coliform Sources In Support Of The Sinking Creek Total Maximum Daily Load., Susana Maria Floresguerra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sinking Creek, located in upper east Tennessee, is on the 303(d) list for not meeting minimum water quality standards for recreation. A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for fecal coliforms was developed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of water quality parameters to identify areas that contribute to the fecal coliform loading. Concentrations of nitrate-N, orthophosphates, BOD, alkalinity, hardness, and optical brighteners (OB) were monitored at fourteen stations monthly for one year. Site 3 (agricultural region) exhibited the highest average nitrate-N loadings (627.34 mg/sec) and orthophosphate (as PO₄^3-) loadings (84.83 mg/sec). Alkalinity loadings …

Natural History Of The Mole Salamander Ambystoma Talpoideum In Virginia, Michael Scott Hayslett

Theses & Honors Papers

The Mole Salamander (Ambystoma talpoideum) has been known from Virginia for over two decades, but no intensive research on this state-rare species had been pursued prior to this project. Various aspects of mole salamander natural history were studied over a seven-year period throughout a seven-county area of central Virginia. New state distribution records for the species were recorded from Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, Nelson, and Pittsylvania Counties. These records include a range of extension with the most northern occurrence known for this species in the United States.

Drift fence/pitfall trap studies were conducted on three ponds in two …

The Translocation Of Golden Perch, Murray Cod And Australian Bass, Into And Within Western Australia, For The Purposes Of Recreational Stocking, Domestic Stocking And Commercial And Non-Commercial Aquaculture. A Discussion Paper., Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

This discussion paper has been prepared to provide information to assist in assessment of the possible impact of the translocation of golden perch (Macquaria ambigua), Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii peelii) and Australian bass (Macquaria novemaculeata) into and within Western Australia, for the purposes of recreational stocking, domestic stocking, commercial and non-commercial aquaculture. In assessing the translocation of any aquatic species, economic and social benefits must be balanced with biological and environmental risks.

Nectar Rewards Of Insect-Adapted Flowers In A Forest/Farm Landscape: Measurement Challenges And Ecological Questions, Theresa Bordenkecher Dailey

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Native forest wildflowers of the Midwestern United States forests now compete with agricultural weeds for the attention of insect pollinators. The tiny quantities of nectar secreted by these insect-pollinated flowers are measured using laboratory techniques such as colorimetry. However, these techniques are used with the tacit assumption that nectar sugar identity does not affect estimates of carbohydrate content. I tested this hypothesis using fructose, glucose, and sucrose and found that after reaction with anthrone, fructose products differed from those of other sugars in light absorbance measured by a spectrophotometer. Potential error from using an inappropriate sugar standard is greater than …

Identification Of Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Secondary Succession Changes In Altamira, Brazil: Integrating Remote Sensing And Gis Technology, Hui Li

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been extensive use of remote sensing to study secondary succession of moist tropical forests in the Amazon Basin. However, scientists have not totally understood the dynamic processes of secondary succession of Amazon forests. A lack of consensus remains about what is the best approach for biomass estimation in the Amazon Basin using remotely sensed data. It is not clear which spectral wavelength bands have the best relationship with biomass values and what are the specific relationships between biomass and TM satellite radiance. The strategies in this research, based on analysis of detailed ground-based data and satellite TM image …

Identification Of Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Secondary Succession Changes In Altamira, Brazil: Integrating Remote Sensing And Gis Technology, Hui Li

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been extensive use of remote sensing to study secondary succession of moist tropical forests in the Amazon Basin. However, scientists have not totally understood the dynamic processes of secondary succession of Amazon forests. A lack of consensus remains about what is the best approach for biomass estimation in the Amazon Basin using remotely sensed data. It is not clear which spectral wavelength bands have the best relationship with biomass values and what are the specific relationships between biomass and TM satellite radiance. The strategies in this research, based on analysis of detailed ground-based data and satellite TM image …