Digital Commons Network^™

Review Of Methods For Ecological Research On Terrestrial Small Mammals, By Robert Mccleery, Lynda R. Lafond

The Prairie Naturalist

Small mammals are used in ecological studies throughout the world, yet the subject has lacked a clear reference that included upto- date methods pertaining to passive detection, molecular, and statistical approaches. In Methods for Ecological Research on Terrestrial Small Mammals, McCleery and his coauthors build on previous research references (Braun 2005, Sutherland 2006, Krebs 2014, Silvy 2020) and present methodologies specific to the study of small mammals that are applicable globally. Written as an asset for novice and experienced small mammal researchers alike, Methods for Ecological Research on Terrestrial Small Mammals is organized in a logical format, providing readers …

Second Twenty-Five Year Index: Volumes 26–50, 1994–2018, Jane E. Austin

The Prairie Naturalist

The first 50 years of the Prairie Naturalist reside on the shelves of libraries and personal collections. The articles and notes published over those years provide invaluable knowledge about Great Plains biota, communities, conservation, and landscape ecologies. Awareness of the wealth of information in those 50 print volumes has been limited, relying on references from other published papers or the limited number of articles that have been made available online by authors. This index serves as resource for individuals to digitally tap into the information published since 1994. This index, together with the first 25-year index, serves to complement the …

How Is Pelagic Sargassum-Associated Biodiversity Assessed? Insights From The Literature, Kristie S.T. Alleyne

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Over the past decade unprecedented blooming of pelagic Sargassum has occurred across the Equatorial Atlantic from West Africa to the Caribbean. Although pelagic Sargassum mats are considered beneficial in the open ocean, providing valuable habitat for a diverse array of endemic and associated species, they also inundate coastal areas and cause a plethora of management challenges for fisheries, tourism, nearshore coastal ecosystems, public health and the socioeconomic welfare of coastal communities. In—water harvesting has been suggested as a desirable management solution to prevent shoreline inundation, but destruction of the associated biodiversity is a concern with this approach and has not …

2021 Kentucky River Watershed Watch: Annual Report, Malissa Mcalister, Steven Evans

Kentucky River Watershed Watch

No abstract provided.

Regenerating Agroecosystems By Overcoming Human Exceptionalism In Designing For Increased Equity Of Benefits From Ecoservices, Ali Loker, Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Our commentary explores three critical issues related to ecosystem services. First is how ecoservices are currently designed and implemented primarily for human benefit without concern for how these impact other species. We conclude that awareness of this imbalance is the first step toward meaningful change. Second we observe that human exceptionalism guides most decisions, and ask whether we can overcome this mind-set to embrace ecoregeneration and design of resilient and mutually beneficial agroecosystems. Our attitude toward the challenge and moving toward greater humility about human roles that guide management decisions in the ecosystem is a requisite for change. Third we …

River Report. State Of The Lower St. Johns River Basin, Florida: Water Quality, Fisheries, Aquatic Life, Contaminants, 2022., Environmental Protection Board, City Of Jacksonville, University Of North Florida, Jacksonville University, Gerry Pinto, Gretchen Bielmyer-Fraser, John Burr, Dale Casamatta, Charles Closmann, Brian P. Zoellner, Ashley Johnson, An-Phong Le, William Penwell, Radha Pyati

State of the River Report

No abstract provided.

Dataset For: Mapping Fire History And Quantifying Burned Area Through 35 Years Of Prescribed Fire History At An Illinois Tallgrass Prairie Restoration Site Using Gis, Erin G. Rowland-Schaefer, Elizabeth M. Bach, Bill P. Kleiman, Holly P. Jones

Research Datasets

Fire was important to pre-colonization prairies. In today’s remnant and reconstructed prairies, managers frequently employ prescribed fire, a historical management practice that limits woody encroachment, suppresses non-native species, and promotes nutrient cycling. However, few long-term prescribed fire spatial datasets are available for study. We used archived images of prescribed fire maps and hand-drawn fire records to generate a geospatial record of the prescribed fire history at Nachusa Grasslands, a combination remnant and restored preserve in northern Illinois. This record contains maps of the prescribed fire history of the preserve across the entirety of its 35-year history. We used the maps …

Plague Risk In The Western United States Over Seven Decades Of Environmental Change, Colin J. Carlson, Sarah N. Bevins, Boris V. Schmid

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

After several pandemics over the last two millennia, the wildlife reservoirs of plague (Yersinia pestis) now persist around the world, including in the western United States. Routine surveillance in this region has generated comprehensive records of human cases and animal seroprevalence, creating a unique opportunity to test how plague reservoirs are responding to environmental change. Here, we test whether animal and human data suggest that plague reservoirs and spillover risk have shifted since 1950. To do so, we develop a new method for detecting the impact of climate change on infectious disease distributions, capable of disentangling long-term trends (signal) and …

Advances In Chemotactic And Non-Chemotactic Bioremediation Of Water: A Comprehensive Review, Sheetal Pardeshi, Prafulla Shede

Applied Environmental Research

Pollution has reached to a critical threshold affecting the climate and diversity of the planet Earth. All global authorities have included pollution control in their agenda for near future. Most of the environmental research nowadays is focused on removing waste generated by anthropogenic activities, may it be solid, liquid or gaseous waste. Bioremediation is believed to be the most eco-friendly approach for reducing or removing pollutants contaminating different matrices of the environment. There are various methods covered under the umbrella term of bioremediation. Chemotaxis-mediated bioremediation attracted attention of several research groups since early decade of twenty first century due to …

Soil Contamination And Risk Assessments On Selected Dumpsites Within The Basement Complex And Sedimentary Formations Of Ogun State, South-Western Nigeria, Akintayo O. Ojo, Oluwaseun T. Olurin, Oluseyi O. Adeleke

Applied Environmental Research

The concentrations of inorganic elements in soils of Saje, Ita-Oshin, Premier, and Oke-Diya dumpsites were determined using an X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometer to assess the soil quality through chronological changes with depths. A soil core sampler collects 56 samples at 20, 40, 60, and 80 cm depths. Saje showed high mean concentrations of Ca, K, Fe, Rb, and Ti at all depths, while Oke-Diya revealed high mean concentrations of Ca, K, Fe, Rb, Ti, Mn, Zn, V, Cr, and Ni at all depths. These concentrations were in a closed range suggesting a build-up of elements in the soil profiles. Oke-Diya had …

Occurrence Of Microplastics In The Asian Freshwater Environments: A Review, Farah Akmal Idrus, Noradriena Mohd Fadhli, Mohd Nasarudin Harith

Applied Environmental Research

Microplastics pollution has become a worldwide common problem. Despite the growing numbers in researches regarding the microplastics, the understanding of microplastics in the freshwater environment are still less. This paper overviews the present knowledge and findings on the occurrence of microplastics in water and sediment of the freshwater environments in Asia. The review also covers the size distribution, polymers, morphological characteristics and sources of microplastics to the freshwater systems. Perspective of the adsorption of heavy metals on the microplastics to the freshwater systems are also discussed in this review.

Ecological And Human Health Risk Assessment Of Heavy Metals By Consuming The Aquatic Plant Species Near An Electronic Waste Open Dumpsite In Thailand, Thitima Parkpoom, Somsak Intamat, Uraiwan Phoonaploy, Lamyai Neeratanaphan

Applied Environmental Research

Heavy metals from electronic waste (e-waste) accumulate in the environment and can affect human health. The purpose of this study was to determine As, Cd, Cr and Pb concentrations in water, sediment and three species of edible aquatic plants (Ottelia alismoides, Ipomoea aquatic and Marsilea crenata) near an e-waste open dumpsite. Samples were collected from six sampling points surrounding an e-waste open dumpsite and heavy metal concentrations were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs), estimated daily intake (EDI), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI) and carcinogenic risk (CR) were evaluated in …

Assessing Vegetation Cover Change Using Remote Sensing: Case Study At Binh Duong Province, Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Huyen, Le Hoang Tu, Le Truong Ngoc Han, Vuong Thi Thuy, Dang Nguyen Dong Phuong, Nguyen Kim Loi

Applied Environmental Research

This study aims to present the application of remote sensing in monitoring vegetation change in Binh Duong Province, Vietnam. The study used Landsat 5 images in the year 2010 and Landsat 8 images in the years 2015 and 2020 to investigate the area of vegetation. The maximum likelihood classification method (MLC) was used to classify land cover and an accuracy matrix was computed to validate the classification results. The references data were collected to support classification and accuracy assessment processes including land use maps in 2010, 2015, and 2020. In addition, collected field points and UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) in …

Indoor Air Quality Through The Lens Of Outdoor Atmospheric Chemistry, Jonathan P.D. Abbatt, Douglas B. Collins

Faculty Contributions to Books

Outdoor atmospheric chemistry and air quality have been the topic of research that intensified in earnest around the mid-20^th century, while indoor air quality research has only been a key focus of chemical researchers over the last 30 years. Examining practices and approaches employed in the outdoor atmospheric chemistry research enterprise provides an additional viewpoint from which we can chart new paths to increase scientific understanding of indoor chemistry. This chapter explores our understanding of primary chemical sources, homogeneous and multiphase reactivity, gas-surface partitioning, and the coupling between the chemistry and dynamics of indoor air through the lens of …

Tallgrass Prairie Center 2021-2022 Highlights, University Of Northern Iowa. Tallgrass Prairie Center.

Annual Reports

Contents:

--- Staff
--- From Our Director
--- Iowa Roadside Management: Enhancing our public roadsides
--- Research and Restoration: Improving prairie plantings in agricultural landscapes
--- Plant Materials: Iowa-source genetic diversity for Iowa’s roadsides and beyond
--- Prairie on Farms: Making prairie practical
--- Irvine Prairie: Restoring a piece of the original Iowa landscape
--- Green Iowa AmericCorps: Land and Water Stewards expand TPC capacity
--- Prairie Roots Project: A deeper appreciation of the prairie ecosystem
--- TPC Publications and Outreach
--- Friends of the TPC: Supporting the TPC's mission
--- The Prairie in Art: Erin Anfinson
--- Iowa STEM …

Analysis Of Hematocrit Levels In Walleye Sander Vitreus From Similar Waterbodies, Alyssa Hauser

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Walleye Sander vitreus are a popular fish among anglers and hold a prominent place in Minnesotan’s identity as their state fish. Because of this, multiple management practices are used to ensure the continued health of their populations within Minnesota waters. In this study, the process of analyzing hematocrit levels was used to determine if the analysis of hematological parameters could be a useful tool in detecting differences in population health. To evaluate this, blood samples were acquired from age-0 and age-1 fish from two similar lakes and run through a hematocrit centrifuge to separate platelets from plasma to read the …

Emerging Technologies And Approaches For In Situ, Autonomous Observing In The Arctic, Craig M. Lee, Michael Degrandpre, John Guthrie, Victoria Hill, Ron Kwok, James Morison, Christopher J. Cox, Hanumant Singh, Timothy P. Stanton, Jeremy Wilkinson

OES Faculty Publications

Understanding and predicting Arctic change and its impacts on global climate requires broad, sustained observations of the atmosphere-ice-ocean system, yet technological and logistical challenges severely restrict the temporal and spatial scope of observing efforts. Satellite remote sensing provides unprecedented, pan-Arctic measurements of the surface, but complementary in situ observations are required to complete the picture. Over the past few decades, a diverse range of autonomous platforms have been developed to make broad, sustained observations of the ice-free ocean, often with near-real-time data delivery. Though these technologies are well suited to the difficult environmental conditions and remote logistics that complicate Arctic …

Editorial: Advances In Understanding Lateral Blue Carbon Export From Coastal Ecosystems, Kai Xiao, Nengwang Chen, Zhaohui Aleck Wang, Joseph James Tamborski, Damien Troy Maher, Xuan Yu

OES Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Frameless-Finding And Refining A Sampling Frame For Surveying Recreational Fisheries: Lessons From Estimating Swedish Harvest Of Western Baltic Cod, Hege Sande, Nuno Prista, Annica De Groote, Michele Casini, Cynthia Jones, Andreas Sundelöf

OES Faculty Publications

To achieve sustainable fisheries, advice to management should be based on reliable science and unbiased data. Attaining quality data (i.e. precise and unbiased) on recreational fishing can be challenging, particularly when prior knowledge of the sector is limited and a proper sample frame of recreational fishers or vessels does not exist. In this study, a registry of access points was constructed for the Swedish south–west coast and used as a spatial sample frame in determining both effort and catches of the private boat fishery. Sampling dates, times for sampling, and access points visited were selected using probabilistic methods, ensuring unbiased …

Tying Policy To System: Does The Ross Sea Region Marine Reserve Protect Transport Pathways Connecting The Life History Of Antarctic Toothfish?, Julian Ashford, Michael Dinniman, Cassandra Brooks, Lian Wei, Guoping Zhu

OES Faculty Publications

A central objective of the Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area (MPA) is to protect areas important to the life cycle of Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni), a top fish predator and by far the region’s most important commercial species. Juvenile toothfish predominate in deep basins along the inner continental shelf, whereas adults are found mostly along the continental slope and spawning areas on the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge. The inner basins connect to the continental slope via glacial troughs and predictable transport along each trough results in exchange with the Antarctic Slope Current as it flows westward. From the slope, …

Stakeholder Perceptions Of Microplastics Management In Oregon, Maya Hurst-Mayr

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

There is currently no federal policy in the United States that specifically addresses microplastics (MPs) pollution. However, states are beginning to act on this issue; California's SB 1422 initiates measurement of MPs in drinking water resources and Senate Bill 1263 requires the state to adopt a strategy to reduce the ecological impact of MPs in marine ecosystems. Other West Coast states like Oregon and Washington are expected to follow California's example. It is important to know what the actors who are a part of shaping MPs policy in Oregon would see as barriers and opportunities to doing so. We conducted …

Habitat Use And Diel Movements Of Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys Molitrix In Two Southeastern Reservoirs, Levi Umland

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Bigheaded carp have spread rampantly throughout the Mississippi watershed and continue to spread by navigating through rivers, locks, and dams. The long-term effects these species will have on our ecosystems and natural resources is unknown. Their movements, behavior, and general seasonal patterns are well studied within rivers. However, their movements and behavior within reservoirs is poorly understood due to their initial numbers within reservoirs being lower than in rivers. To address this gap, I investigated the distribution and movement rates of Silver Carp within two reservoirs, Kentucky Reservoir and Barkley Reservoir, and possible correlative variables, including wind, temperature, residency, sex, …

Regional Perspectives Report Chapter 3: Ontario, Christopher J. Lemieux, Allan G. Douglas, David Pearson

Geography and Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Regenerative Agriculture Effects On Invertebrate And Bird Communities And Insect-Provided Ecosystem Services, Alex Michels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Conventional agricultural practices can have unintended consequences on the environment and wildlife. Insects and birds are declining at rapid rates around the world, and the current conventional agricultural paradigm is a major driver through habitat loss and the intensification of production. Invertebrates in agroecosystems provide services to both farmers and the rest of society. Regenerative systems may promote the functioning of an agroecosystem by influencing invertebrate abundance, diversity, and ecosystem services and mitigate bird and insect declines through conservation practices that increase soil health, reduce disturbances, and increase biological diversity. Here I address knowledge gaps of the effects of regenerative …

Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus Virginiana L.) Encroachment On South-Central South Dakota Rangelands: Impact On Plant Communities, Austin K. Domeier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grasslands historically covered 46 million km2 of Earth’s surface representing nearly 42% of the living vegetation. Encroachment of woody species onto grasslands and savannas is a widely researched global phenomenon, with eastern redcedar (ERC) (Juniperus virginiana L.) trees being the most prominent woody encroacher in the Northern Great Plains (NGP) due to the lack of prescribed fire and planted ERC escaping from shelterbelts. This encroachment poses a threat to native plant communities in terms of their reproduction, regeneration, and diversity. ERC are fierce competitors and can establish in most soil types, are drought tolerant, and prolific seed reproducers. These qualities …

Improving Racial Diversity In The Americorps Saint Louis Emergency Response Team (Ert), Michael Mclemore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is currently a significant lack of racial diversity in the fields of environmental conservation and emergency management. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify sustainable recommendations to address the lack of racial diversity amongst members of the AmeriCorps Saint Louis Emergency Response Team (ERT). Trend analysis of the racial makeup of past ERT memberships identified a far less diverse ERT in its earlier cohorts, while illustrating improved racial diversity over the past 10 years. As a result of interviews with ERT administrators, alumni, team leaders, and current members recommendations were identified that aim to sustainably increase African …

Carli Creek Regional Water Quality Project: Assessing Water Quality Improvement At An Urban Stormwater Constructed Wetland, Christopher L. Desiderati

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Stormwater management is an ongoing challenge in the United States and the world at-large. As state and municipal agencies grapple with conflicting interests like encouraging land development, complying with permits to control stormwater discharges, “urban stream syndrome” effects, and charges to steward natural resources for the long-term, some agencies may turn to constructed wetlands (CWs) as aesthetically pleasing and functional natural analogs for attenuating pollution delivered by stormwater runoff to rivers and streams. Constructed wetlands retain pollutants via common physical, physicochemical, and biological principles such as settling, adsorption, or plant and algae uptake. The efficacy of constructed wetlands for pollutant …

Trace Elements In Nails And Anemia In Children Living Along The Interoceanic Highway, Madre De Dios, Peru / Narrative Competence And Cognitive Mapping As A Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy In The Education Of Emergent Bilinguals, Tia Marks

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Anthropogenic changes in the Peruvian Amazon, including deforestation, highway development, agriculture, and artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), have increased community concern about potential exposures toxic trace elements (TTE) including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb). Such exposures can lead to detrimental health effects in children, such as developmental delays and anemia. The overarching goal of my dissertation was to understand exposure to both toxic and essential (manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn)) trace elements, anemia prevalence, and the associations between hemoglobin (Hb) levels and trace elements. To do this, I leveraged existing data from a …

Municipal Solutions To Climate Change ; A Case Study Of Stream Daylighting In Suffolk County, New York, Madison Hrysko

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

During the 1950’s and 1960’s Suffolk County, New York experienced rapid urbanization and development. To pave way for infrastructure, hydrological modifications were made to the land including the burial of naturally flowing streams. Daylighting streams is the nature-based process of bringing buried streams back to the surface. In turn, restoring ecosystem services, increasing local resilience to climate change impacts, and expanding biodiversity. Minimal research has been done using GIS technology alongside a set of criteria to select best fit streams for daylighting. This thesis aims to fill that gap by identifying best and second-best fit streams for daylighting in Suffolk …

Spatial Geochemical Changes In Central And East Texas Soils Over Time Resulting From Human Decomposition, Isabela Marisol Overturf

CMC Senior Theses

Human decomposition is studied to aid forensic investigations and better understand the impact of cemeteries on urban resources like soil and groundwater. The purpose of this study was to identify changes in soil geochemistry at and around a human grave to search for lateral nutrient movement and possibly identify new patterns in elemental concentrations that could be used in estimating post-mortem intervals (PMIs). At the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF) at Texas State San Marcos, soil samples were collected from a shallow grave over the course of 54 days to conduct analysis for organic matter content, texture, pH, and bulk …