Digital Commons Network^™

Advancing Aerial Survey Techniques For Non-Breeding Waterfowl Populations: A Comprehensive Review And Application In Northeastern Louisiana, Victoria L. Drake

LSU Master's Theses

Aerial surveys play a crucial role in monitoring North America's waterfowl populations and habitat conditions, and consistency across geographies and years allows biologists to track trends through time. The goal of this project was to redesign the northeastern portion of the Louisiana wintering waterfowl survey to align with statistically robust transect surveys conducted in neighboring states within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. To identify the optimal sampling method, we evaluated three transect weighting schemes: stratified random (unweighted), stratified by watershed, and stratified by expert opinion. Approximately 10% of the total sampling area was randomly selected for each survey period, adhering to …

From Food To Fashion: Bio-Based Textiles Advancing Sustainability And Socioeconomic Growth In Emerging Markets, Andrew Burnstine

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

The global fashion industry is undergoing a profound shift towards sustainability, driven by innovations in bio-based textiles derived from agricultural byproducts such as cactus, pineapple, banana, coconut, fungi, and bacterial cultures. This article comprehensively explores the technological advancements, industry adoption trends, socioeconomic impact on emerging markets, and barriers to widespread adoption of bio-based textiles. The alignment of these innovations with global sustainability initiatives, key industry collaborations, and policy interventions are also examined.

Evaluating Water Quality Upstream And Downstream From A Proposed Restoration Project On The Pomme De Terre River In Morris, Mn, Payton Prieve

Undergraduate Research Symposium 2025

The recent push to restore natural river conditions provides opportunities to investigate the effects of dam removal and channel modification, particularly if data are collected before such projects are initiated. The MN DNR plans to modify the Pomme de Terre River channel at the Crissy Lake dam (Morris, MN) by constructing and directing water flow over stone arch rapids to remove the barrier to fish, restore flow, and enhance river conditions. We aim to characterize the Pomme de Terre River upstream and downstream from the project site before construction to provide data to compare with river conditions after the project …

Development Scenarios And Wildfire Risk In Central Oregon, Samantha Hall

Dissertations and Theses

Risk from natural hazards occurs where areas vulnerable to natural hazards and development intersect. Development in vulnerable areas is a societal choice that has a lasting impact as our built environment is relatively permanent. Development patterns that contribute to increased wildfire risk mostly occur within the wildland urban interface, a land use type where development is at the fringes or intercept of wildland areas and is more flammable due to surrounding vegetation, slope, local climate, and other factors. To understand how past and future development potentials may impact fire risk in wildfire prone areas, a case study of Deschutes County, …

Health Risk Assessment Of Heavy Metal(Loid)S Intake From Beverages In The United States, Hannah T.V. Stoner, Tewodros Rango Godebo, Pornpimol Kodsup Taylor

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Heavy metals in beverages can pose health risks in an exposure-dependent manner, however, few studies in the United States have evaluated their metal content and health risks. This study determined the concentrations of eight metal(loid)s, As, Al, Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn, in 60 beverages via inductively coupled plasma[sbnd]mass spectrometry (ICPMS). The highest median concentrations (µg/kg) were found in mixed fruit juices for Ni (45.7), Cr (14.8), and As (4.5); tea for Mn (5,300), Al (730), and Pb (1.4); and plant-based milk for Zn (835) and Cd (1.1). Chronic daily intake (CDI) across age groups was calculated using …

Discovery Of Suitable Habitat For Freshwater Mussel Species In The Appomattox River Through The Use Of Environmental Dna., Nicholas Duellman

Longwood Senior Thesis Proposal

Freshwater mussels are a keystone species providing crucial ecosystem services and river composition resiliency. Anecdotal evidence suggests the presence of freshwater mussels within the Appomattox river, the specifics of population sizes and suitable habitat remains an open question. Environmental DNA (eDNA) usage in conservation ecology has exploded in use within the past two decades, being far less invasive and cost-demanding than traditional methods. An eDNA metabarcoding pipeline of the 16s mitochondrial ribosomal subunit was built in R v. 4.4.2, using dada2 v. 3.2.1 package to trim MinION single read ASV outputs for freshwater mussel species identification in the interest of …

Tiny Creatures, Big Lessons: Using Music Education And Ecoliteracy To Impact Young Learners' Perspectives On Bugs And Nature, Paige Burgess '25

Honor Scholar Theses

This thesis aims to demonstrate that relationships between students and nature can be improved through teaching young learners about music and bugs together, potentially leading to a greater overall love for and willingness to protect nature. The thesis features original teacher action research conducted over multiple weeks in a first grade classroom, with observations and data to support the efficacy of the methods discussed. This thesis analyzes literature that supports how increasing empathy toward bugs at a young age can have tangible benefits for the environment, how ecoliteracy as a framework is an effective means of teaching about nature, and …

Perceptions About Potential Microplastic Interventions: A Study On Knowledge, Concerns, And Willingness To Pay, Amanda Gannon, Elise F. Granek, Max Nielsen-Pincus, Luke Harkins

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Among emerging contaminants, microplastics (MPs) are of particular concern due to their ubiquity across environments and the unique challenges posed by attempted removal. In-line washing machine filters are one potential tool for preemptively preventing a category of MPs from entering waterways. A sample of registered voters and environmental interest groups in Oregon were asked about their general knowledge and concerns surrounding microplastics, as well as their willingness to pay for high-efficiency washing machine filters. Findings show that less than a quarter of all respondents would be willing to pay full price for a high-efficiency filter, indicating a limited-scale early adopter …

Water Holding Capacity Of Soil And Resilience To Drought, Taro Mieno

Cornhusker Economics

For the past two years, I have been involved in an NSF-funded research project titled “RII Track-2 FEC: Supporting Rural Livelihoods in the Water-Stressed Central High Plains.” The overarching goal of this project is to evaluate the potential of microbials and biochar to enhance soil water holding capacity (hereafter, WHC), thereby improving drought resilience in crop production and reducing irrigation demand to slow aquifer depletion. Visit the project website for more details. A key component of this research is assessing the economic viability of these interventions, a task for which I am responsible.

To understand the economic benefits of increasing …

Integrating Standards For Infrastructure Improvement And Resilience In University Curricula, Lisa Greenwood, Jennifer Schneider, Sumita Mishra, Yewande S. Abraham, Shriram Karpoora Sundara Pandian

Articles

In today’s ever-changing world, we are increasingly vulnerable to shocks and stresses that disrupt industry and society. Persistent threats from natural and manmade hazards require our communities and infrastructure to be resilient despite possible disruption. Creating robust infrastructures is founded on operational and physical standards to withstand and respond to threats such as environmental exposures, climate change, and informational security breaches. The significant U.S. investment in infrastructure projects through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has amplified the need for professionals in engineering and related fields who – in addition to technical knowledge - possess the necessary knowledge and skill …

“Lyfting” The Possibilities And Opportunities For Sustainable And Safe Transportation To Access Medical Care, Saneywongse Le Mar

Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being

No abstract provided.

Turning Farm Waste Into Energy: Pragmatic Approaches For Cleaner Midwestern American Communities, Rebecca Gaisie

Selected or Submitted Student Research Papers/Projects

Mismanagement of farm waste in the Midwest of the United States has resulted in significant methane emissions, water contamination, and public health concerns. The present manure management rules are still inconsistent, underfunded, and insufficient to motivate individuals to behave in a way that benefits the environment, despite increasing concerns about the environment. This policy study investigates anaerobic digestion as a potential means to convert waste into energy that could support rural and environmental development. Some of the problems with the federal and state legislation examined in this study under an EPI framework are a lack of incentives, inadequate technical support, …

Summer Air Temperature Comparisons Between The Field And Woods In An Angus Beef Cattle Silvopasture In The Virginia Coastal Plain, Amy E. Edwards

Virginia Journal of Science

The objective of this study was to compare corresponding temperature readings from loggers in the field and woods in a silvopasture for Angus beef cattle. Results show that temperatures during the hottest part of the day are greater in the field than in the woods. Summary statistics show higher maximum, upper quartile, and median temperatures at the field logger with all data analyzed, indicating the temperatures in the field are overall higher than the woods, except during temperature inversions at nighttime. This highlights the importance of providing cattle with shade to prevent heat exhaustion and thermal stress, especially when the …

Food Insecurity In Latin America: Climate Change, Industrial Agriculture, And The Case For Regenerative Solutions, Leila Hernandez-Webster

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

This study critically analyzes the nexus between climate change and food insecurity in Latin America, with a particular focus on Costa Rica’s agricultural sector. It interrogates how industrial agricultural practices, deforestation, and trade liberalization have contributed to environmental degradation and heightened socio-economic vulnerabilities, especially among smallholder farmers. Through the lens of political ecology, this research situates these dynamics within the broader context of neoliberal and neo-extractivist development paradigms, which have systematically eroded food sovereignty. This study also evaluates agro-ecological responses, particularly agroforestry, as viable strategies for promoting ecological resilience and socio-economic equity. In doing so, it underscores the imperative of …

Examining The Effect Of Climate Change Denialism In American Christianity On International Climate Policy, Hope Mcbride

Selected Honors Theses

While 53% of Americans say anthropogenic climate change is happening, only 32% of American evangelical Protestants share that belief (Alper). Key reasons for this gap include the values and political affiliations held by religious Americans. Historically, there have been dissenting opinions on the role of Christianity in global warming, but ultimately data have demonstrated that the opinions of American Christians can influence major global political decisions, such as President Trump’s executive order pulling the United States out of the keystone Paris Agreement.

Experimental Evaluation Of Friedel’S Salt For Chloride Removal In Road Salt-Impacted Stormwater And Lakes, Marwan Alhinaai

Masters Theses

Road salt (e.g., NaCl) application in cold-temperature regions has increased Cl- concentrations in freshwater. Removing Cl- from water is challenging because it’s highly soluble. This paper is the first to demonstrate and characterize the removal of Cl- from stormwater by Friedel’s salt (Ca4Al2(OH)12Cl2(H2O)4) precipitation (FSP), achieved by adding calcium oxide (CaO) and sodium aluminate (NaAlO2). Laboratory tests were done on Cl- removal with FSP using a range of Ca/Al/Cl ratios in deionized (DI) water and in stormwater samples impacted by road salt. Even the lowest doses resulted in significant removal of Cl- with maximum removal rates for comparable Ca/Al/Cl ratios …

Streamlining Wildlife Regulation, Robert L. Fischman

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

A recent burst of revisions in the bedrock regulations governing projects that may adversely affect wildlife represents a generational shift in policy. Streamlining federal decision -making drove much of this reform. Streamlining offers a path to address climate change without abandoning a longstanding commitment to wildlife conservation. The conservation community recognizes the need to build new infrastructure to reduce the rate of climate change through air emissions. The most urgent priority is decarbonizing the electrical ~rid through renewable energy generation and a better transmission network. Adaptation to the "new abnormal" of climate-driven environmental disruption demands federal approvals for a host …

Lead Telecommunications Cables: A Call For Concern?, Zachary Young

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

From the late 1800s until the 1950s, telecommunication companies across the United States utilized lead casing to protect their telecommunication lines. As technology developed and different types of plastic coatings were created, telecommunication companies phased out the use of lead cables. However, the lead cables remain in the air and buried in the ground, even continuing to provide telephone service for some. The failure to remove these cables, most of which are not in use anymore, has generated a slew of issues for the modem-day telecommunication companies that have inherited these cables from their predecessors. As the protective casing decays, …

Estimating Climate Risk In Financial Markets, Olanrewaju Oluwadamilare Olaniyan

Masters Theses

The growing impact of climate change on financial markets necessitates a rigorous approach to climate risk assessment. This thesis examines methods for quantifying climate-related financial risks, with a focus on distinguishing climate risk from broader market movements (represented by S&P 500). Using a factor model, we isolate climate risk factors to better understand sector-specific volatility. The insurance sector is used as a proxy for climate risk exposure, given its sensitivity to climate-related losses and regulatory changes. We apply Extreme Value Theory (EVT); the Block Maxima Method and the Peaks Over Threshold Method, to identify excess risk patterns in financial portfolios. …

The Climate Whisperers, Cale Jaffe

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

Environmental groups and their allies have seen two of the bedrock statutes of modern environmental law (the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act) eroded through recent decisions from the Supreme Court. At the same time, political polarization around climate policy- the gap between Republicans and Democrats on whether worsening global warming merits a response- is wider than it has ever been.

Despite these dispiriting headwinds, there are some encouraging counterpoints of recent climate progress in politically conservative communities. The heart of this essay is simply sharing these stories so we can learn from them. I label the advocates who succeeded …

Drawing Lines In The Sand: Armed Conflict, Climate Damage And Setbacks To Climate Action, Beatrice L. Hamilton

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

Armed conflicts have a significant and detrimental effect on the climate system, with considerable implications for efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change and the civilian population. Yet the environmental provisions under the law of armed conflict (LOAC), drafted some half a century ago, struggle to adequately address these concerns. This article assesses the capacity of LOAC to address conflict-driven climate damage and its cascading impacts by characterizing these harms as environmental damage and as injury to civilians. The analysis highlights opportunities for broadening LOA C's scope and offers recommendations to enhance its capacity to address climate damage and …

The Modern-Day Discovery Doctrine: Reforming Property Law's "Productive Use" Doctrine For The Age Of Climate Change, Shanthi M. Chackalackal

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

When European settlers first colonized the Americas, claiming Native land as their own, they largely believed their actions to be justified. To Europeans, property rights over land emanated from putting one's labor into that land, "improving" it by removing it from a state of nature. Absent such ''productive use," land had not been claimed and was therefore ripe for the taking. Yet while Native Americans had labored significantly and fundamentally shaped the land around them, European settlers deemed the Americas to be in a state of nature. Such attitudes towards Native American labor and property rights reveal a strikingly limited …

Utilizing Drainage Induced Pfas Enrichment In Cascade Generated Foam For Efficient Removal At Wastewater Treatment Plants, Ethan Samuel Coffin

Dissertations

Observed trends in municipal solid waste landfills reveal a distinct disparity between per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) composition entering in waste, mostly as diPAP and FTOH, and leaching out as FTCA and PFCA. These patterns are elucidated by compiling PFAS compositions in paper, textiles, and carpet, with known precursor transformations that generate FTCA and PFCA in leachate. Landfill leachate is commonly discharged to wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), which are ineffective at degrading PFAS and only serve as key conduits and discharge points for PFAS to the environment. Foam fractionation has been identified as a promising technology for concentrating and …

Detection Of Microplastics In The Hindgut Content Of Zophobasmoriolarvae, Zoey Drexler

Posters - 2025

Microplastic and nanoplastic pollution is a growing environmental concern, with potential impacts on soil ecosystems and the organisms within them. Insects play a crucial role in soil health, and their digestive processes may influence the fate of microplastics in terrestrial environments.

Detection of micro- and nano-plastic particles in complex mixtures such as soil, sediments, and feces is difficult because these small particles often resemble particles of mineral or organic materials. One way to visualize them more specifically is by using Nile Red, a stain which is a dull blue when in aqueous on hydrophilic conditions, but which fluoresces bright red …

Spatial And Temporal Trends Of Reburns In Western Us Forests, Jackson M. Boyle

Student Publications

In the Western United States, understanding the role of reburns, or repeat wildfires, has become a topic of increased interest as the damages caused by wildfires have risen. While some forests are adapted to frequent burns, others have fire regimes characterized by few or infrequent burns. While all fires alter ecosystems, reburns have been found to specifically lower seeding probability and accelerate or start the shift from forests to shrublands. Despite these ecological impacts, the temporal and spatial trends of reburns remain understudied. Using Google Earth Engine, I analyzed the Composite Burn Index (CBI) dataset to see if reburns are …

Common Terns (Sterna Hirundo) As Bioindicators For Atlantic Herring (Clupea Harengus) Distribution In The Gulf Of Maine, Logan R. Becker

Student Publications

Effective fisheries management is increasingly challenged by climate-driven shifts in species distribution and by a lack of data on early life stages of key forage fish species. In the Gulf of Maine, Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), a once economically dominant fishery species and a key prey species for many dependent predators, has declined due to poor early-stage recruitment and warming waters. Despite this decline, current trawl surveys do not inform early-stage Atlantic herring distribution due to mesh size limitations, leaving critical gaps in our knowledge. To address this knowledge gap, I used common terns (Sterna hirundo) …

Innovative Soil Classification Approach For Achieving Global Biodiversity Framework Utilizing Integrated Data Fusion Of Emit And Multispectral Satellite Observations: Case Study Of Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, Hesham Morgan, Ali Elgendy, Surendra Maharjan, Wenzhao Li, Tamer Ismail, Yehya Kh. Shehadeh, Ahmed Elgharib, Ahmed Abdullah Al-Dughairi, Ali El Muburak, Khaled Allam Harhash, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Soil classification is essential for sustainable land management, ecological conservation, and combating desertification, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study integrates hyperspectral data from the Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) and multispectral imagery from Sentinel-2 to achieve accurate soil classification for the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve (ITBA) in Saudi Arabia. Using advanced Machine Learning (ML) techniques, including Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), the study highlights the power of data fusion in addressing the limitations of standalone remote sensing methods. The integration of hyperspectral and multispectral data combines the spectral richness of hyperspectral imaging with the spatial …

Zoophytophagous Predator Sex Pheromone And Visual Cues Of Opposing Reflectance Spectra Lure Predator And Invasive Prey, Bashiru Adams, Fathiya Mbarak Khamis, Abdullahi Ahmed Yusuf, Baldwyn Torto

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Introduction: In sub-Saharan Africa, the invasive South American leafminer Phthorimaea absoluta is the most damaging tomato pest. Females of the pest can reproduce both sexually and through parthenogenesis and lay their eggs on all tomato plant parts. The mirid predator Nesidiocoris tenuis, a biological control agent for the pest, is also a tomato pest when prey population is low. To date, however, no study has developed an eco-friendly solution that targets both the predator and its host in a tomato farming system. Objective: To develop a bio-based management system for both pest and predator based on the combined use of …

Walking On Sunshine: Walkable Cities Affect On The Health And Well-Being Of A Population, Carter J. Barnett

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A simple definition of a city is an organizational unit that consists of a dense population within a specific area. This unit can carry a variety of goods and services, complete with housing, businesses, places of leisure and community. A city provides residents with all three of the aspects to live, work, and play within a set distance. How people get around this area is a vital question considering the large number of people in a relatively small zone. For many metropolitan areas a personal car is how movement between city spaces is carried out, however this can cause air …

Decarbonising Digital Infrastructure And Urban Sustainability In The Case Of Data Centres, Felicia H. M. Liu, Karen P. Y. Lai, Bertrand Seah, Winston T. L. Chow

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This paper critically assesses the complex interplay between urban transitions of digitisation and sustainability. Building on a mixed-method research design, we unpack the challenges of decarbonising digital infrastructure while attending to urban sustainability goals in a land- and water-scarce country facing significant physical climate risks. We identify transferrable lessons on the economic, technological, and environmental synergies and trade-offs behind data centre development and argue that stewarding the global data centre sector towards sustainability requires an ecosystem-wide approach. We identify implementation gaps across five key dimensions: technological innovation, policy and regulation, finance, infrastructure, and people. We find that the progress and …