Digital Commons Network^™

Combining Submicron Spectroscopy Techniques (Afm-Ir And O-Ptir) To Detect And Quantify Nanoplastics In Snow From A Utah Ski Resort, Sara L. Belontz, Janice Brahney, Caroline E. Caplan, Eoghan Dillon, Ting Yan, Gerardo Dominguez

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR) and optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy are cutting-edge techniques used for precise nanoscale chemical analysis, capable of detecting and characterizing particles smaller than 1 μm. In this study, we applied both techniques to analyze snow subsamples collected from Beaver Mountain, Utah. Quantification by AFM-IR identified a concentration of 1.50 × 10^–1 μg/mL of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate), a copolyester known for its biodegradability and biocompatibility and that was the only polymer detected. Notably, 96% of particles had thicknesses below 1 μm, with the smallest particle recorded at 14 nm in height, demonstrating the advantage …

Selecting An Internal Carbon Price For Academic Institutions, Alexander R. Barron, Dimitra Prassa

Environmental Science and Policy: Faculty Publications

Many businesses have adopted internal carbon prices (ICPs) to help drive smarter business decisions, innovation, and emissions reductions. The objective of this white paper is to provide a framework that institutions, particularly those in higher education, can use as they think about selecting a price in the context of their own goals for an ICP.

Second Nature’s recent 2025 Carbon Markets and Offsets guidance recommends that: “colleges and universities develop a climate action strategy that includes some type of internal carbon pricing, either as a mechanism to inform climate-positive decision-making or as a mechanism for generating revenue estimates for decarbonization …

Physical And Chemical Characterization Of Recycled Glass Sand For Environmental Restoration, Shehbaz Ahmad, Julie P. Vanegas, Nicholas Borne, Natalia Butler, Toby Mendels, Leah A. Michaeloff, Diego Molina, Mary Salvaggio, Samantha Tamayo, Franziska Trautmann

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Introduction

We rely on coastal resources for food, water, and energy. However, over 75% of U.S. coastlines are eroding. Concurrently, the U.S. recycles less glass than other developed countries, landfilling hundreds of millions of tons every year. Recycled glass sand has many potential benefits over natural sand for combatting land loss; for example, it can be produced with controlled particle size to better resist erosion, making it an excellent—and underutilized—material for environmental restoration.

Objectives

This research compares the physical and chemical properties of recycled glass sand to natural sands (beach and dredge) from the U.S. Gulf Coast to assess environmental …

Ecological Acclimation: A Framework To Integrate Fast And Slow Responses To Climate Change, Michael Stemkovski, Joey R. Bernhardt, Benjamin Wong Blonder, John B. Bradford, Kyra Clark-Wolf, Laura E. Dee, Margaret E. K. Evans, Virginia Iglesias, Loretta C. Johnson, Abigail J. Lynch, Sparkle L. Malone, Booke B. Osborne, Melissa A. Pastore, Michael Paterson, Malin L. Pinsky, Christine R. Rollinson, Oliver Selmoni, Jason J. Venkiteswaran, Anthony P. Walker, Nicole K. Ward, John W. Williams, Claire M. Zarakas, Peter B. Adler

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

1. Ecological responses to climate change occur across vastly different time-scales, from minutes for physiological plasticity to decades or centuries for community turnover and evolutionary adaptation. Accurately predicting the range of ecosystem trajectories will require models that incorporate both fast processes that may keep pace with climate change and slower ones likely to lag behind and generate disequilibrium dynamics. However, the knowledge necessary for this integration is currently fragmented across disciplines.

2. We develop ‘ecological acclimation’ as a unifying framework to emphasize the similarity of dynamics driven by processes operating on dramatically different time-scales and levels of biological organization. The …

Updated Take Estimates Of Marine Turtles In The Guajira Peninsula, Venezuela, Royner Carrasquero-Labarca, Matthew Ware, Jordano Palmar, Daniela Rojas-Cañizales, Héctor Barrios-Garrido

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Guajira Peninsula is one of the most important foraging grounds areas for marine turtles in Venezuela. There, five species converging: the green turtle, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, and olive ridley. The Wayuú indigenous people are inhabits of the Guajira Peninsula. They have a close relationship with these animals, and for generations, they have used these species as subsistence resources. Marine turtle take has always occurred in this area and has historically been high; it is still happening now, but the current extent is unknown. For that reason, we aimed to assess and update the estimate for marine turtles take in …

The Link Between Environmental Change And Invasive Species, Marion Murray, Meg Kast

All Current Publications

Climate change and invasive species represent two pressing environmental challenges facing our planet. Each poses a threat to global biodiversity and ecosystem stability, and together, they amplify the impacts of the other. As global temperatures rise and ecosystems are disrupted, new conditions are created that allow invasive species to spread more easily, establish themselves in new areas, and outcompete native species.

Cutthroat Trout In Utah, Hope Northagen, Ethan Gilliam

All Current Publications

This fact sheet is intended to inform anglers, aquatic recreationalists, and backyard conservationists interested in learning about a Utah native species, current restoration steps, and how their actions can help professionals restore native cutthroat trout populations.

The Enigmatic Samuel Aughey: Nebraska’S Pastor Naturalist, Hugh H. Genoways, Margaret R. Bolick, Mary Anne Andrei

Zea E-Books Collection

Samuel Aughey at age 39 became the first Professor of Natural Science at the new University of Nebraska in Lincoln, serving from 1871 to 1883. He was an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, with an addendum degree from Pennsylvania College (now Gettysburg College) in 1856 and an A.M. degree two years later. His early pastoral work was in Pennsylvania, but in 1864 he became a home missionary to a church in Dakota City, Nebraska. Aughey’s career at the university was marked with successes and honors, but also criticism and questions about his basic knowledge of the sciences. While …

Harboring Change: Legacy Contamination, Plant-Metal Dynamics, And The Fate Of A Boston Marsh, Emma Brooks

Graduate Masters Theses

Coastal wetlands within the Boston Harbor watershed provide numerous ecosystem services and community benefits but are challenged by anthropogenic influence including a legacy of pollution and increasing mean sea level. In this thesis, I will consider the historic and present sources of contamination in Boston Harbor, the role an individual salt marsh species (Salicornia depressa) plays in the movement of heavy metals, and how projected sea level rise and urbanization may affect future marsh viability. These complex issues are explored through a case study of Pattens Cove, a 9.6-acre parcel of state-managed land in Dorchester, MA home to …

Evaluation Of Ecostress Collection 2 Evapotranspiration Products: Strengths And Uncertainties For Evapotranspiration Modeling, Zoe Amie Pierrat, Adam J. Purdy, Gregory Halverson, Joshua B. Fisher, Kanishka Mallick, Madeleine Pascolini-Campbell, Youngryel Rye, Martha C. Anderson, Claire Villanueva-Weeks, Margaret C. Johnson, Brenna Hatch, Evan Davis, Yun Yang, Kerry Cawse-Nicholson

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) collects thermal observations from the International Space Station to support evapotranspiration (ET) research at fine spatial resolutions (70 m × 70 m). Initial ET from ECOSTRESS Collection 1 was used in scientific research and applications, though subsequent analyses identified areas for improvement. This study outlines updates to ECOSTRESS Collection 2 ET and presents an accuracy assessment of ET and auxiliary variables validated against in situ data from AmeriFlux. Key updates in Collection 2 include use of four independent model estimates of instantaneous latent energy (LE) and improved auxiliary forcing data. …

Analyzing Human - Nonhuman Primate Conflict Mitigation Techniques In Mto Wa Mbu, Northern Tanzania, Lil Adams

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

Human-wildlife conflict is a widespread challenge faced by those living in regular contact with wildlife that can have profound impacts on livelihood outcomes for humans, wildlife, and their shared environment (Barua et al., 2013; Blackie, 2023). Human – non-human primate conflict is particularly crucial due to primates’ high capacity to live among human populations (Chapman & Chapman, 1990; Alberts & Altmann, 2006; Reader et al., 2011; Sinha & Vijayakrishnan, 2017), and is currently on the rise due to increasing contact between human and non-human primates (Hockings, 2016; Uddin et al., 2020). To characterize and analyze techniques currently being used to …

Object-Based Image Analysis And Artificial Intelligence Identification Of Anthropogenic Disturbance On Lesser Prairie Chicken Habitat In Cheyenne County, Colorado, Tara Hoelzer

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Renewable energy projects often require extensive landcover for their operations. When one of these projects encroaches into territory of threatened species, such as Lesser Prairie Chickens, an analysis of habitat suitability and human disturbance is required to proceed. Traditionally, this involved manually reviewing aerial imagery within a 6-mile radius, digitizing features, and interpreting them using a human technician—an approach that was time-consuming and prone to human error. By using pretrained AI models within Model Builder™, the identification of roads and structures was automated, making the process faster and more consistent than manual visual analysis. As AI and technology continue to …

Cultivating Resilience In The Anthropocene: Evaluating A Gssw Ecological Justice Curriculum, Windy Selig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Dissertation in Practice evaluated the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) Ecological Justice Pathway to examine how resilience is conceptualized and cultivated within the curriculum. Grounded in a constructivist paradigm and guided by an ecological justice framework, this evaluation explored the pedagogical and curricular strategies designed to prepare social work students for the emotional, ethical, and professional demands of practicing in the Anthropocene—a time marked by ecological degradation, climate crisis, and compounding social inequities.

Through qualitative methods, including faculty interviews and curriculum document analysis, the evaluation identified both explicit and implicit components that foster student resilience. …

Roles Of Organic Agriculture For Water Optimization In Arid And Semi-Arid Regions, Shikha Sharma, Matt A. Yost, Jennifer R. Reeve

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Water scarcity is a critical challenge in arid and semi-arid regions, where agricultural water consumption accounts for a significant portion of freshwater use. Conventional agriculture (CA) methods with high reliance on chemical and mechanical inputs often exacerbate this issue through soil degradation and water loss. This review aims to examine how different organic practices, such as mulching, cover cropping, composting, crop rotation, and no-till (NT) in combination with precision technologies, can contribute to water optimization, and it discusses the opportunities and challenges for the adoption and implementation of those practices. Previous findings show that organic agriculture (OA) may outperform CA …

Session 1: Guidance From International Regulation Sources, Charlotte Tschider, Marie-Charlotte Roques-Bonnet

SITIE Symposiums

In Session One of the SITIE 2025 Symposium titled “Regulating Artificial Intelligence: From Where and When?”, Professor Mark Chinen moderated a panel featuring Professor Charlotte Tschider and Dr. Marie-Charlotte Roques-Bonnet. The discussion focused on international AI regulation, privacy, data governance, and the EU’s regulatory approach to AI oversight.

Tellings Of The Pacific Ocean: A Landscape-Based Approach For Multispecies Design And Hci, Maliheh Ghajargar

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Environmental disturbances induced by climate change have caused significant changes in our ecosystems and are threatening the health of our environments. As a response to this issue, a growing body of work has emerged in HCI and design, which seeks to foreground more-than-human stories in support of making more sustainable and just futures. This research contributes to this broad agenda by probing graphic novels as a multispecies storytelling method for design and HCI. Combining ideas from Anna Tsing’s adventures of landscape and from HCI and design’s use of sequential art (e.g., storyboards), we use landscape as the main protagonist of …

Colonization-Persistence Trade-Offs In The Human Microbiome, Liam F. Nokes

Environmental Studies Senior Theses

Understanding how diverse microbial taxa coexist in the human body without competitively excluding one another remains a key challenge in microbiome ecology. One proposed explanation is the colonization-persistence trade-off, where species with high colonization ability are poor persisters, and vice versa. We test for this trade-off across human associated microbial communities among many individuals and in multiple body sites using a large-scale participant-level meta-analysis of longitudinal microbiome datasets curated from the MGnify database. We applied island biogeography-based models to calculate effective colonization and persistence rates for microbial families and genera across 606 individuals over twenty-six studies. Regression of the log-transformed …

Spatial Analysis Of La Nana Bayou Watershed To Assess Stream Health, Rylee G. Gabbert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using land cover mapping to identify water quality indicators within a river basin, assessing whether this method provides greater efficiency compared to traditional field-based water quality testing. Land cover mapping has efficiently monitored environmental changes by detecting alterations within specific areas. With the La Nana Bayou Watershed positioned in the heart of Nacogdoches City, an urbanized environment; it is subject to human induced alterations that can negatively affect the natural functionality of its system. When water quality indicators are successfully related to land cover maps, changes within the landscape …

Convergence Research For Microplastic Pollution At The Watershed Scale, Heejun Chang, Elise Granek, Amanda Gannon, Jordyn M. Wolfand, Janice Brahney

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Microplastics are found in Earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, pedosphere, and ecosphere. While there is a growing interest and need to solve this grand challenge in both the academic and policy realms, few have engaged with academics, policymakers, and community partners to co-identify the problem, co-design research, and co-produce knowledge in tackling this issue. Using a convergence research framework, we investigated the perception of microplastic pollution among different end users, delivered educational materials to K-12 teachers and practitioners, and identified key sampling points for assessing environmental microplastic concentrations in the Columbia River Basin, United States. Three community partner workshops identified regional …

Arts-Based Sustainability: From New York To Malawi, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Recognizing that libraries serve multiple constituencies and subject areas, this chapter documents and advocates for development of transdisciplinary arts-based research (ABR) and culture-related projects linked to environmental challenges. Libraries contribute collections and spaces, as well as the research of library and information scientists. Libraries are currently among invisible contributors to sustainability planning and services. The chapter will link this invisibility to the value of what visual arts refer to as negative space elements in subjects ranging from traditional ecological knowledge to environmental science. Library collections, projects, and research contribute to education for sustainable development (ESD) as required to achieve the …

Having A Cow: Exploring The Economic And Mental Health Challenges Of Dairying In The Upper Valley, Ava J. Ori

Environmental Studies Senior Theses

Until late in the 20th century, the dairyman was an influential actor in the fabric of the Upper Valley consisting of Grafton, Orange, Sullivan and Windsor counties (Rozwenc, 1981 & Weld, 1905). Dairy farmers were critical to both the economic growth of the region and the construction of a local identity centered around distinctive high quality dairy products. However, the dairy farmers responsible for the bucolic feel and scrappy independence unique to the Upper Valley are being traded in for massive operations lacking both quality of milk and the cultural intricacy specific to local dairies. In 1905 there were 4,173 …

The Ecophysiology Of The Enigmatic Namib Succulent, Lithops Ruschiorum, Garrett Macleod Althausen

Environmental Studies Senior Theses

Water availability is the primary constraint for plant survival and reproduction in hyper-arid ecosystems. In such environments, plant fitness depends on an alignment between physiological traits and limited water resources. The Namib Desert of Namibia exemplifies this extreme selection pressure. Within the Namib Desert, Lithops ruschiorum, a succulent endemic to the gravel plains, exhibits habitat specificity and numerous physiological adaptations to cope with the hyper-aridity.

This research explores the intersection of two fitness strategies for L. ruschiorum: habitat selection and exploitation of alternative moisture sources. The first chapter explores the population dynamics and micro-site habitat conditions preferred by …

Harmful Algae In Nashville’S Urban Watersheds: Challenging Traditional Monitoring Programs, Devin Matthew Moore

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

As climate change intensifies, harmful algal blooms (HABs), specifically the species that produce microcystin-producing cyanobacteria, are becoming more frequent in urban environments. In the current state of HAB research, most monitoring and research is focused on agricultural areas. This study challenges traditional monitoring practices by evaluating the presence and abundance of microcystin in urban water bodies within Nashville, TN. Using field sampling, passive toxin tracking, ELISA testing, and GIS- based environmental and demographic analysis, data were collected at sites in densely populated areas. These sites were located at Tennessee State University, Ted Rhodes golf course and Shelby bottoms Park, and …

Ecological Footprint Analysis Of Chatgpt (Gpt-3), Isabella Boulais

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Climate change is an escalating crisis that demands immediate action from all sectors, including the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence (AI). While AI offers climate solutions, its own environmental impact raises concerns. Unfortunately limited research due to rapid development, system complexity, and lack of standardized methodologies hinders our understanding of AI’s environmental consequences. This project aims to conduct a comprehensive ecological footprint analysis of OpenAI’s GPT-3 model that is used to power ChatGPT, establishing guidelines for assessing AI systems’ environmental impact and proposing a framework for improvement. Going beyond tracking carbon emissions, this project will outline the broader lifecycle …

Poa Annua Ecology, Biology, And Integrated Weed Management Practices In Turfgrass, David Ervin

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Poa annua L. is one of the most widespread and troublesome weeds of turfgrass. It persists as both an annual and perennial and is adaptable to almost any static maintenance regime, including adaptation to mowing heights and evolution of herbicide resistance. This management guide is intended to provide stakeholders with a summary of new and existing knowledge on integrated Poa annua management. Here we review the basic biology and ecology, as well as practical integrated weed management (IWM) strategies developed for its control.

State And Transition Models For Mulga Rangelands Of Western Australia, Alison O'Donnell, Anna E. Richards, Suzanne Prober, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, Sarah Luxton, Ian Watson, Brett Abbott, Philip Thomas, Joshua E. Foster

Natural resources published reports

This report details a collaborative project between the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and CSIRO that focused on developing State and Transition Models (STMs) for mulga rangelands in Western Australia. The overarching aim of the project was to improve the common understanding of the characteristics and dynamics of mulga rangeland ecosystems and the expected impacts of management. Specifically, the project aimed to collate expert knowledge and monitoring information using a nationally consistent framework to develop quantitative and dynamic STMs. The geographic scope of the project covers the extensive mulga rangelands of Western Australia, particularly the Gascoyne …

Unveiling The Vital Role Of Blue Carbon In Mangroves: Understanding Environmental Influences, Jahnelle Howe

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Mangrove ecosystems provide essential ecological services, including carbon sequestration, coastal protection, and heavy metal retention. However, their resilience and functionality are increasingly influenced by hurricanes, climate variability, and anthropogenic contamination. This dissertation integrates three research efforts examining mangrove canopy dynamics, carbon storage, and heavy metal contamination in two Puerto Rican mangrove systems: La Parguera and Laguna Grande.

Using remote sensing techniques (LiDAR and NDVI analysis), we assessed the impact of Hurricane Maria (Category 4, 2017) on mangrove canopy structure and vegetation health. Results revealed significant canopy height loss, with greater damage at Laguna Grande, where pre-storm canopy height and human …

Impact Of Seed Moisture And Temperature On Hemp Seed Germination, Paul Cockson, Andrea Webb, Natalia Martinez-Ochoa, Lindsey Moffitt, Robert Pearce, Manohar Chakrabarti

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Germination rates of commercial lots of hemp have been highly variable, resulting in poor stand establishment. Germination rates in some seed lots have decreased by 50% after only 1 year of storage. The objective of this trial was to investigate the impact of seed storage conditions on seed germination over time. Industrial hemp (IH) seeds (cv. NWG2730) were harvested from the field. The seeds were cleaned, sorted, and dried to specific moisture contents (MC) 6%, 8%, 10%, and 14%. Seeds were subdivided, placed in hermetically sealed packets, and stored at temperatures of −20°C, 4°C, 10°C, or 21°C for 3, 6, …

Raising The Roof For All: Integrating Companion Planting Ecology, Policy And Community In Portland's Green Roof Future, Zoe Edelman

University Honors Theses

Green roofs, or ecoroofs, provide environmental and social benefits in urban areas. Ecoroofs manage stormwater by absorbing rainfall, reducing rooftop temperatures, supporting pollinators, and offering green space in densely developed cities. Portland, Oregon has adopted progressive policies that encourage green roof installation through incentives and building requirements. However, many ecoroofs in the city are underperforming due to poor maintenance, low public awareness, and limited access to rooftop spaces. This thesis explores whether companion planting can improve the ecological performance and long- term viability of extensive green roofs. A rooftop experiment at Portland State University tested the growth of radishes, with …

Status And Distribution Of Diseases Caused By Phytoplasmas In Africa, Shakiru Adewale Kazeem, Agnieszka Zwolińska, Joseph Mulema, Akindele Oluwole Ogunfunmilayo, Shina Salihu, Joy Oluchi Nwogwugwu, Inusa Jacob Ajene, Justina Folasayo Ogunsola, Adedapo Olutola Adediji, Olubusola Fehintola Oduwaye, Kouamé Daniel Kra, Mustafa Ojonuba Jibrin, Wei Wei

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Phytoplasma (“Candidatus Phytoplasma” species) diseases have been reported globally to severely limit the productivity of a wide range of economically important crops and wild plants causing different yellows-type diseases. With new molecular detection techniques, several unknown and known diseases with uncertain etiologies or attributed to other pathogens have been identified as being caused by Phytoplasmas. In Africa, Phytoplasmas have been reported in association with diseases in a broad range of host plant species. However, the few reports of Phytoplasma occurrence in Africa have not been collated together to determine the status in different countries of the continent. Thus, this paper …