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The Integrated Monitoring Of Karst Systems (Miks) Model, Applied In Karst Studies In Bulgaria, Petar Stefanov, Dilyana Stefanova, Peter Nojarov

International Journal of Speleology

Karst is a widespread natural phenomenon that is highly sensitive and very vulnerable to both natural and various anthropogenic impacts. This is due to the complex structure of karst territories, which comprise both surface forms and complex systems of underground cavities. Therefore, the study of karst requires a geosystem approach and integrated monitoring, which gives a real idea of the state of karst geosystems and the impacts of global changes on karstogenesis. The article presents a model of this approach, which is applied in karst studies in Bulgaria. The methodological basis is the original ProKARSTerra paradigm, based on the geosystem …

Biobased Acrylate Composites With Enhanced Strength For Additive Manufacturing, Nicole Wagner, Joseph Mcwherter

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

With the expanding use of polymers in additive manufacturing, sustainable resins for use in vat photopolymerization are required to reduce their environmental impact. One promising approach to achieve this is to incorporate biobased fillers that replace the acrylates in photopolymer resins as ‘green’ alternatives. In this study, photopolymer composites consisting of a methacrylate resin with varying calcium carbonate powder content between 0 and 50 wt.% were investigated. A digital light processing technique was used to fabricate tensile test specimens for mechanical testing. Good printability, dimensional accuracy, and good interlayer adhesion were observed for composite resin formulations that incorporated calcium carbonate …

Exploring Single Cell Microbial Protein As A Sustainable Fishmeal Alternative In Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola Lalandi) Diets: Impacts On Health And Gut Microbiome, Luke Pilmer, Lindsey Woolley, Alan Lymbery, Chinh Dam, Abigail Elizur, Md Javed Foysal, Gavin Partridge

Fisheries Research Articles

Background

With the global expansion of aquaculture and the increasing demand for fish meal, identifying appropriate and sustainable alternative protein sources for aquafeeds has become essential. Single-cell protein (SCP), derived from methanotrophic bacteria, presents a promising alternative by converting methane into protein, potentially addressing both the need for alternative protein sources and reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different levels of SCP inclusion (0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% fish meal replacement) on the health, gene expression, and gut microbiome of yellowtail kingfish (YTK, Seriola lalandi) following a 35-day growth trial.

Results

The …

Impacts Of Changing Temperatures On The Water Budget In The Great Salt Lake Basin, Grace Affram, Jihad Othman, Reza Morovati, Saddy Pineda Castellanos, Sajad Khoshnoodmotlagh, Diana Dunn, Braedon Dority, Katherine Osorio Diaz, Cody Ratterman, Wei Zhang

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Quantifying the water budget in the Great Salt Lake (GSL) basin is a nontrivial task, especially under a changing climate that contributes to increasing temperatures and a shift towards more rainfall and less snowfall. This study examines the potential impacts of temperature thresholds on the water budget in the GSL, emphasizing the influence on snowmelt, evapotranspiration (ET), and runoff under varying climate warming scenarios. Current hydrological models such as the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model use a universal temperature threshold to partition snowfall and rainfall across different regions. Previous studies have argued that there is a wide range of thresholds …

Operationalizing And Measuring Climate Change Adaptation Success, Henry A. Bartelet, Michele L. Barnes, Lalu A.A. Bakti, Graeme S. Cumming

Quantitative Methods and Information Technology Faculty Publications

In a context of rapid global change, understanding whether and how adaptation to climate change can be considered successful has become an important research gap within the climate change adaptation literature. Although definitions of adaptation success have been formulated, it remains unclear how they can be operationalized and tested empirically. To address this gap, we operationalized one of the most prominent definitions of successful adaptation within the academic literature, which describes success as adaptations that support reductions in risk and vulnerability without compromising sustainability. Specifically, drawing on data collected from 209 coral reef tourism operators across 28 locations and eight …

Construction Of Electrically Heated Pavement Using Recycled Waste Rubber Tires, Islam M. Radwan, Mohamed Abdel-Raheem

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Accumulated snow on roads presents a dual risk of accidents and financial losses. Conventional de-icing methods, which rely on chemicals, salt, and heavy machinery, are unsustainable and detrimental to both the environment and infrastructure. Furthermore, they demand significant labor and pose hazards in densely populated areas. In response, heated pavement systems such as hydronic and electrically conductive concrete (ECON) have gained traction for mitigating snow accumulation on roads. However, the use of carbon fiber and carbon black in ECON raises costs and depletes valuable resources. This research introduces an inventive and sustainable approach to address snow accumulation on rigid pavements …

Simultaneous Detection And Quantification Of Ciprofloxacin, Doxycycline, And Levofloxacin In Municipal Lake Water Via Deep Learning Analysis Of Complex Raman Spectra, Quan Yuan, Xin Ru Wen, Wei Liu, Zhang Wen Ma, Jia Wei Tang, Qing Hua Liu, Muhammad Usman, Yu Rong Tang, Xiang Wu, Liang Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In recent years, the misuse of antibiotics has led to severe pollution in water environments, with excessive residues in lake water damaging ecosystems and promoting the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Therefore, rapid detection of antibiotic residues in the environment is crucial. This study introduces a novel method for the simultaneous quantification of mixed antibiotics in lake water using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) combined with deep learning methods. To demonstrate the accuracy of our experiments, we tested four lake water samples collected from four distinct sampling points of an artificial lake in a municipal city in China. We independently analyzed each …

Microplastic Accumulation In Soils: Unlocking The Mechanism And Biodegradation Pathway, Minh-Ky Nguyen, Md. Refat Jahan Rakib, Myung Hwangbo, Jongsun Kim

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Plastic pollution has become a pressing environmental issue, with significant quantities of microplastics (MPs) contaminating terrestrial ecosystems. In agro-environments and soils, the abundance of MPs has been reported to range from 3.7 to 40,800 items per kilogram. Once MPs enter the soil, their accumulation can have several detrimental effects on the soil environment and ecosystems. This review summarizes current research on the biodegradation of MP-contaminated soils. The primary mechanism of MP biodegradation involves enzymatic oxidation and hydrolysis, leading to the formation of functional groups. The interaction between microorganisms and polymers involves various processes, including colonization, biofilm formation, and biodegradation. Microorganisms …

Spatiotemporal Trends In Anopheles Funestus Breeding Habitats, Grace R. Aduvukha, Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman, Bester Tawona Mudereri, Onisimo Mutanga, John Odindi, Henri E.Z. Tonnang

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Effective identification and control of malaria vector larval breeding habitats are crucial for the management and eradication of malaria. Despite its importance, the last decade has seen a decline in data availability and intervention efforts due to reduced attention and prioritization. This study addresses the geographic data scarcity concerning Anopheles funestus larval breeding habitats in a malaria-prone region of western Kenya. Employing a two-step methodological approach, we integrated multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and rule-based fuzzy logic analysis to evaluate the spatiotemporal similarity or divergence of these habitats. The analysis spanned a five-year interval, 2008, 2013, and 2018 with 2013 serving …

Gamification For Air Quality Education: A Systematic Literature Review, Abdollah Baghaei Daemei, Ruggiero Lovreglio, Zhenan Feng, Daniel Paes, Clayton Miller

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Air quality is crucial to our health and well-being, as poor air quality can lead to serious health problems such as asthma, allergies, and other respiratory conditions. Educating people about air quality is key to improving awareness and taking action to reduce its negative effects. Gamification offers a creative and engaging way to deliver educational content by incorporating game elements into the learning experience. However, despite its potential, there has been no review of how gamification has been used for air quality education. Thus, this review aims to fill that gap by systematically examining how gamification is applied to air …

Development Of Soil Survey Methods For Urban Areas, Kohinoor Begum

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Urban soils are the foundation of urban ecosystems and play a vital role in long-term urban sustainability and resiliency. Accurate soil surveys of urban areas should be done at higher resolution since extensive human activities often result in urban soil being highly disturbed and spatially variable. Besides heterogeneity, one of the unique and challenging aspects of urban soil is the nature and properties of its organic carbon with a significant percentage of black carbon (a particulate product of incomplete combustion), which is less biologically active. Thus, in order to determine the ability of a soil to support biological activity and …

A Holistic Marine Biosecurity Risk Framework That Is Inclusive Of Social, Cultural, Economic And Ecological Values, Marnie L. Campbell, Chad L. Hewitt

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Effectively managing non-indigenous marine species risks demands swift, transparent decisions amid limited data and in an environment where conflicting interest across environmental, economic, social, and cultural realms exists. Conventional risk assessment tools often fail to comprehensively evaluate these risks together, leading to stakeholder dissatisfaction, conflicts and poor biosecurity outcomes. To address this, we present a structured 7-step marine biosecurity risk framework. It systematically assesses incursion's ecological, economic, social and cultural impacts, encourages stakeholder engagement and promotes inclusive decision-making. Steps include defining contexts, setting objectives, estimating consequences, determining management options, evaluating trade-offs, implementing decisions, and communicating risks effectively. A simulation using …

Is Carbon Risk Priced In The Cross Section Of Corporate Bond Returns?, Tinghua Duan, Frank Weikai Li, Quan Wen

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This article examines the pricing of a firm’s carbon risk in the corporate bond market. Contrary to the “carbon risk premium” hypothesis, bonds of more carbon-intensive firms earn significantly lower returns. This effect cannot be explained by a comprehensive list of bond characteristics and exposure to known risk factors. Investigating sources of the low carbon alpha, we find the underperformance of bonds issued by carbon-intensive firms cannot be fully explained by divestment from institutional investors. Instead, our evidence is most consistent with investor underreaction to the predictability of carbon intensity for firm cash-flow news, creditworthiness, and environmental incidents.

Sustainability Transformation For Healthcare Facilities Following Net Zero Model, Esraa Elmitainy

Theses and Dissertations

The healthcare industry is a field undergoing huge development. Focused on SDG 3 “Good Health and Well-being”, the healthcare industry, as the main health service provider, was marked by experts as a sector that should lead sustainable development by example. The current work aims to formulate a sustainability rating system for new and existing healthcare facilities to encourage the Egyptian healthcare industry to move towards sustainability according to net zero concepts. Additionally, the transition to net zero waste is investigated though experimental work to test the possibility of utilizing sterilized medical waste in cement-based bricks.

The rating system starts with …

Comparison Of Climate Change Awareness Among Coastal Communities In Northern And Southern East Java, Indonesia, Sukma Perdana Prasetya, Ketut Prasetyo, Warsono Warsono, Sarmini Sarmini, Muhammad Turhan Yani, Agus Suprijono, Sugeng Hariyanto, Nasution Nasution, Mohd Hairy Ibrahim

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

One of the important issues in the world today is climate change. Human activities and natural factors mainly cause these changes. The main factor that triggers this phenomenon is the need for more public knowledge in dealing with and anticipating the impacts of climate change. Therefore, this research analyzed the comparative knowledge and perceptions of coastal communities regarding climate change in East Java. Purposive sampling and snowball methods were used to select 110 respondents to complete the survey form. 50 respondents were taken from residents on the Sendang Biru coast, South Malang Regency, and 60 were taken from residents on …

Tidal Flood And Slow Onset Mobility In The Urban Community On The Northeast Coast Of Central Java, Indonesia, Haryani Saptaningtyas, Singgih Nugroho, Damar Waskitojati, Agung Waskito Adi, Cicilia Dwi Wuryaningsih, Ambar Istiyani, Louie Bacomo, Rowena Soreaga

SOSE Affiliate: Manila Observatory

This paper analyzed the various mobility patterns related to climate change in urban areas, focusing on the impacts of tidal floods and land subsidence in the coastal area of Central Java. The gradual changes in the coastal area are driven by climate change and development plans around the village, which have increased vulnerability. The community often experiences the impacts of rising sea levels and land surface subsidence, damaging the residential environment, public facilities, and hindering transportation and economic activities. This paper explores the experiences of different mobility types, including displacement, voluntary mobility, and immobility. A mixed-method approach was used, involving …

Quantifying Dust Nutrient Mobility Through An Alpine Watershed, Jeffrey R. Nielson, Janice Brahney

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Dust has the potential to play a significant role in the nutrient dynamics of alpine watersheds with important ecological implications. However, little is known about how dust nutrients circulate through the environment and which watershed characteristics facilitate dust impacts on water quality. This study explored the contribution of dust-deposited nutrients, focusing on a high-elevation Long Term Ecological Research site, where dust samples have been continuously collected since 2017. We incorporated observed dust nutrient compositions, including fractions of inorganic and organic nitrogen and phosphorus, into a popular hydrological model, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool, and ran simulations for 2019–2021. By …

Study On Ratio Of Cutting Height To Caving Height For Efficient Top-Coal Recovery In Extra Thick And Gently Inclined Coal Seam – A Case Study Of Seam 7 Ha Lam Coal Mine, Vietnam, Duc Hung Pham, Tien Dung Le, Phi Hung Nguyen, Van Quan Pham

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The mechanized longwall top-coal caving technology (LTCC) has been used in Quang Ninh underground coal mines owned by Vietnam National Coal – Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited (Vinacomin). The application of the LTCC technology has achieved significant achievements, contributing to the production of coal for national economy development. The use of LTCC has shown that the top-coal recovery efficiency is directly affected by the sequence of top coal drawing, ratio of cutting height to caving height, and caving span. These parameters, especially for extracting thick and gently inclined coal seam conditions as in the Quang Ninh coal field, have not …

Pesticide Runoff From Conventional, Minimum, And No-Tillage Cropping Systems: Meta-Analysis Of Published North American Data, Daniel Fleming, Dave Spencer, Chicot Irrigation

WRRI Publications

Pesticide applications may soon be regulated by laws predicated on the presupposition that reducing tillage, and thereby increasing soil surface crop residue cover, decreases sorbed and soluble agrochemical losses in surface runoff and erosion. This analysis was conducted to determine whether pesticide transport via surface runoff and erosion could be manipulated by tillage practices. Estimates of the amounts of crop residue cover within each tillage practice were averaged from data reported in the original articles. Response ratios of the paired means of runoff, erosion, and pesticide losses and concentrations from the effects of tillage practices were meta-analyzed as paired t-tests …

Development And Validation Of Rapid Edna Detection Method For Yellow Mud Turtle, Kinosternon Flavescens: A Field Study In South Texas, Usa, Sakib Tahmid Rishan, Richard Kline, Md Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The conservation of freshwater turtle species depends on precise and effective monitoring techniques. Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is a potential method for identifying cryptic and elusive turtle species in aquatic ecosystems. eDNA analysis can help to identify key regions for conservation efforts and monitor changes in population levels over time. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a rapid eDNA detection method for the yellow mud turtle (Kinosternon flavescens, an indicator species that is endangered in some states in the USA), which inhabits local oxbow lakes (e.g., resacas) in Cameron County, South Texas. A species-specific nested PCR …

The Journey Toward Sustainability: Positive Impact Of Environmental, Social, And Governance Index On Transportation., Doreen Mcgunagle, Laura Zizka, Ron Mau, Patti Clark

Publications

The transportation industry has been criticized for its hefty environmental footprint, questionable social practices, and lack of transparency regarding governance. Thus, more companies have begun including Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues in their strategies. Research has shown that effectively integrating ESG into business models can improve financial performance by tackling environmental, social, and governance challenges. This sustainable progress can be quantified by considering the extent to which the products or services produced by the firm’s harm or benefit social welfare. The current research paper examines ESG and financial performance over time in the Transportation Industry by comparing data from …

Water Quality Contributions Of Selected Buffalo River Headwaters In Searcy County, Arkansas, 2019–2023, Patrick Michael Dyer

Student Theses and Dissertations

Regulated by the National Park Service since 1972, the Buffalo River faces nitrogen, phosphorous, sediment, and fecal coliform contamination. Research assessing tributary water quality began with collecting water samples weekly from November 2019 until January 2023 (n = 156) near Tyler Bend Campgrounds. Pairwise analysis measured minimal water quality change from upstream to downstream on four headwater creeks. Data revealed that Tomahawk Creek’s fecal coliform bacteria were elevated above background levels, frequently exceeding state standards. National Land Cover Dataset class data were extracted to index land use at different scales. Simple linear regression, stepwise multiple linear regression, and a random …

Landslide Susceptibility Assessment Of The Wanzhou District: Merging Landslide Susceptibility Modelling (Lsm) With Insar-Derived Ground Deformation Map, Chao Zhou, Lulu Gan, Ying Cao, Yue Wang, Samuele Segoni, Xuguo Shi, Mahdi Motagh, Ramesh P. Singh

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The prevalent catalog-based Landslide Susceptibility Modelling (LSM) operates under the assumption that future landslide occurrences mirror past and current patterns. Due to growing urban expansion and climate change, certain landslides follow new patterns of occurrence, disrupting the foundational assumption of catalog-based LSM and leading to constraints in the effectiveness of traditional susceptibility maps. Here, to address this problem, we proposed a method to produce more accurate and dynamic landslide susceptibility maps by coupling advanced Ensemble Machine Learning (EML) and Multi-Temporal Interferometric SAR (MT-InSAR). The Wanzhou District in Three Gorges Reservoir area of China is considered as the test site. The …

A Bayesian Network For Business Uncertainties In Coal Mining Industry, Firman Risqul Fidry, Iwan Vanany, Jerry Dwi Trijoyo Purnomo

Journal of Sustainable Mining

In recent years, business uncertainty in the coal mining industry has increased along with increasing global energy demand and carbon emission reduction policies. Not much research has been done on business uncertainty in the coal mining industry based on modelling. This study aimed to develop a model for business uncertainty in the coal mining industry using a Bayesian network approach. The Indonesian coal mining industry was utilized as a case study to develop the proposed model. Two dimensions and nine factors were identified and structured based on a literature review and rigorous interviews with three interviewees from three companies. Each …

Eco-Efficiency And Life Cycle Assessment Of The Long Reach Directionally Drilled And Cross-Measure Boreholes Methane Drainage Technologies Employed In Bituminous Coal Mine On The Basis Of The Pilot Scale Experimental Data, Bartłomiej Jura, Piotr Krawczyk, Anna Śliwińska, Jacek Skiba, Marcin Karbownik, Natalia Howaniec

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This paper presents the results of eco-efficiency and life cycle analysis conducted for two methane drainage technologies: cross-measure (CM) and long reach directionally drilled (LRDD) boreholes. In the analyses, data from coal mine methane drainage of two coal panels, I-C and II-C, located at the Staszic-Wujek coal mine in Poland, were used. The results of the life cycle and eco-efficiency assessments showed that employment of long reach directional drilling boreholes method has a lower environmental impact and is more eco-efficient, causing the lower environmental impact and lower construction and operating costs per cubic meter of methane extracted. The results of …

Coal Mining-Induced Composite Damage To Geological Bodies And Geological Guarantee Against Damage Reduction, Wang Shuangming, Sun Qiang, Hu Xin, Geng Jishi, Hou Enke, Wang Shengquan, Zhou Shutao, Shi Qingmin, Yuan Shihao, Chen Kai, Song Shijie

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Background Coals have long served as a predominant energy source in China. With an increase in mining scale and intensity in recent years, the correlations between rocks, soils, hydrosphere, and ecological environment in coal mining areas have been strengthened. Given this, there is an urgent need to, from the perspective of Earth system science, understand the coupling relationships and chain characteristics among factors including the movement and deformations of surrounding rocks, rock bursts, coal and gas outbursts, water inrushes, ground subsidence, water and soil erosion, and damage to ecological environments, aiming to achieve safe, green coal mining. Methods …

Fracture-Seepage Characteristic Zones Of The Overburden Of Extra-Thick Coal Seams: Evolutionary Patterns And Their Engineering Applications, Kong Xiangguo, Zhao Tianshuo, Lin Haifei, Zhao Pengxiang, Wang Xu, Cai Yuchu, Ji Pengfei, He Di, Li Ke, Xu Chuanyu

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Methods Given that the overburden’s structure significantly influences pressure relief gas extraction, this study aims to explore the gas migration patterns of the overburden of thick coal seams during coal seam mining. To this end, this study analyzed the evolutionary patterns of the fracture morphology and seepage capacity of the overburden using physical similarity simulation experiments. Accordingly, this study investigated the mechanisms behind the evolution of fracture-seepage characteristic zones of the overburden of extra-thick coal seams and proposed a method for identifying fracture-seepage characteristic zones of the overburden. Using this method, this study conducted gas extraction along the …

Experimental Study Of The Piezoelectricity Of Middle Pleistocene Loess In The Weibei Region, China, Jing Yanlin, Liu Jie, Liu Qingying, Duan Xiaoxiao, Xie Na, Yang Dengke

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Quartz, the piezoelectric material discovered the earliest, has found widespread applications in industry, military fields, and daily life due to its piezoelectricity. The widely distributed loess worldwide is composed primarily of quartz, accounting for 37.0% to 69.9%. However, there is a lack of studies on the piezoelectricity of loess both domestically and internationally. Methods This study investigated the ${\mathrm{Q}}_2^{{\mathrm{eol}}} $ loess from the Weibei Loess Tableland in Shaanxi Province as an example to explore the piezoelectricity of loess. The piezoelectric coefficient of the loess was measured, and its piezoelectric voltage under the action of static loading and vibration was …

Deformations And Seepage-Induced Erosion Of Fractured Rocks In Fault Under Confined Settings, Sun Wenbin, Tian Dianjin, Ma Cheng, Xue Yanchao, Yang Can, Zhu Kaipeng

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Most of the mining areas in China have entered the deep mining stage. In this case, the risks of mine water inrushes increase significantly due to the complex deep hydrogeological conditions, a significant increase in the number of hidden disaster-causing factors, and the existence of faults. Methods Using a deformation-seepage experiment system for fractured rocks, this study investigated the characteristics of compressive deformations and seepage-induced erosion of fractured rocks in faults. By analyzing the impacts of particle-size distribution combinations, saturation state, and seepage pressure, on the deformation-permeability characteristics of fractured rocks under confined axial compression, this study investigated the …

An Intelligent Lithology Identification Method For Sandstone And Mudstone Strata And Its Applications: A Case Study Of The Jurassic Strata In The Lunnan Area, Xinjiang, China, Cai Ming, Zhou Qingwen, Yang Cong, Chen Feng, Wu Dong, Lin Wang, Zhang Chengguang, Zhang Yuanjun, Miao Yuxin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Lithology identification lays the foundation for fine-scale reservoir evaluation. However, traditional identification methods generally utilize the interactive relationships between only 2‒3 logging parameters, suffering from low utilization rates of logging information and low identification accuracy for strata with small differences in logging responses. This seriously restricts the effects of old well reexamination. The efficient, intelligent CatBoost classification algorithm can fully mine the correlations between multi-source logging information and lithology. Methods This study investigated the Jurassic sandstone and mudstone reservoirs in the Lunnan area, Xinjiang, China. Using five logging parameters determined through sensitivity analysis, i.e., natural gamma-ray value, spontaneous potential, …