Digital Commons Network^™

Sustainable Landscaping And Sustainability Education On A College Campus: A Case Study In Place-Based, Collaborative Ecosystem Science, Christine S. O'Connell, Shannon Hahn, Evelyn Jauregui, Michael V. Frazier, Anika R. Bratt, Mary A. Heskel, Megan Butler, Christie M. Manning

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Sustainability education on college campuses can leverage interdisciplinary collaborations between facilities services, sustainability offices, environmental studies researchers, and students to provide hands-on opportunities for place-based learning. In an effort led by student researchers that could be replicated in academic practice at other academic institutions, we collaborated across campus groups to improve campus landscaping and turfgrass management. Turfgrass is an ideal cover for high-traffic areas and recreation, but is energy intensive to maintain, inefficient at carbon sequestration, and requires fertilizing which contributes to nutrient pollution. Here, we outline a student-led research effort that combined experiential learning, using a college campus as …

Web-Mapping Viewers To Enhance Environmental Education And Watershed Planning, Austin L Holland, John Strauser, Eric Olson

Journal of Extension

Extension professionals have been using web-based geographic information system (GIS) viewers to aid in education, outreach, and planning. This article highlights the Center for Land Use Education's new Watershed & Conservation Planning Web-Viewer, which was created in collaboration with Extension Lakes using publicly available GIS data. The tool has two objectives: to enhance public education on the relationship between land and water resources and to support the use of geospatial data in conservation planning. This article outlines the justification for the tool, its usefulness, and a path forward for those who can create their own version for their region or …

"Making The Familiar Strange": The Ecocentric Power Of Climate Fantasy, John Cook

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Contributing to the failure to address climate change is a lack of public imagination, both in perceiving the threat of climate change and conceptualizing solutions. Climate fiction engages readers on an emotional level and speculative fiction in particular can invent alternative worlds illustrating different ways of thinking and living. Fantasy fiction is uniquely suited as a form of climate fiction, with its immersive, subversive qualities, prioritization of the nonhuman, and a tendency towards sprawling, multiple-volume epic series. This paper explores two categories of climate fantasy themes. One category is recovery—regaining a clear view of the natural world. The other is …

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final 2023 Reclamation Improvement Sites Sampling: Bres No. 17 – Paymaster Dump Site Evaluation Summary Report, Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Approval Letter For The Draft Final Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Unreclaimed Sites: Ur-35 Construction Completion Report (Ccr), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Comment Letter For The Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Npl Site Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit, Remedial Design Documents For The Blacktail Creek Area Groundwater Hydraulic Control System (Dated July 31, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area (Sbcca) Butte Reduction Works (Brw) Air Monitoring For Interim Demolition Activities – Phase Ii Data Summary Report (Dsr), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring In South Florida Using Water And Aerosol Payloads On Uncrewed Aircraft, Kayla D. Taylor, Justin Fratto, Avinash Muthu Krishnan, David Zink, Blake Neal, Jose Cabrera, Emel Sen-Kilic, Marc Compere, Kevin Adkins

Student Works

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) threaten aquatic ecosystems, public health, and tourism and fishing industries throughout the United States, including Florida. Because HABs can develop and spread rapidly, geographically representative sampling efforts can be very difficult and labor-intensive, and traditional monitoring methods, such as satellite-based remote sensing, often lack the spatiotemporal resolution needed to characterize bloom dynamics. This project, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (Grant No. 05D36825), aims to develop an uncrewed aircraft (UA)-based water and aerosol sampling approach to improve HAB monitoring and support prediction and mitigation efforts. One year into our funding period, we have integrated a multi-depth, …

Re: Approval Letter For The Revised Draft Final Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Butte Treatment Lagoons (Btl) Quarterly Operation And Maintenance Report: Butte Treatment Lagoon System – First Quarter 2026 (Dated September 15, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Final 2023 Reclamation Improvement Sites Sampling: Bres No. 31 – Waste Dump #5 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Conditional Approval Letter For Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Butte Treatment Lagoons (Btl) Hydraulic Capacity Improvements Interim Operations And Water Management Plan (Dated September 18, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final Unreclaimed Sites Field Sampling And Investigation Plan: Ur 54 – East Of Main And Gagnon, Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Community-Based Water Management Through Cultural Ecosystem Services: Traditional Wisdom And Modern Adaptation In Senjoyo Spring, Indonesia, Puji Winarti, Sri Haryani, Sri Wardani, Langlang Handayani

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Small-scale freshwater ecosystems play vital ecological and cultural roles. However, community-based water management (CBWM) often lacks a clear analytical approach to integrating cultural ecosystem services (CES) and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), limiting the practical understanding of culturally grounded governance. To address this gap, this qualitative study explores the interactions between CES and TEK, analyzes their roles within CBWM, and identifies their implications for sustainable water governance. The integration between cultural value and local ecological knowledge makes Senjoyo Spring an appropriate location for this study. Data were collected through interviews with 20 key informants, field observations, forum group discussions (FGDs), and …

Community-Based Well Testing And Outreach To Mitigate Human Health Risk From Unsafe Drinking Water, W. Adam Sigler, Katharine Sutphen, Margaret J Eggers, Kaleena Miller, Michelle Grocke-Dewey

Journal of Extension

Twenty-two percent of groundwater wells tested nationwide have one or more contaminants above a health threshold, yet many private well owners are unaware of these risks because they have not tested their water. Researchers piloted a community well testing clinic for education/outreach and surveyed participants about outcomes. Two months later, 75% of participants with high or intermediate health risk water quality results had taken action or intended to, indicating that community private well testing clinics can be effective in mitigating human health risks from contaminated drinking water.

The Impact Of Urban Morphology On Spatial Configuration And Socio-Spatial Structure: A Comparative Space Syntax Analysis, Tazra Kamaran Ismael, Abdulrazaq Zamil Menshid Al-Saedi

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Urban morphology plays a crucial role in shaping the spatial configuration, movement patterns, and socio-spatial interactions within cities. However, despite the extensive development of Space Syntax research, limited research has comparatively examined how contrasting urban morphologies influence spatial hierarchy, accessibility, and intelligibility within the same urban context, particularly in the rapidly transforming cities of the Global South. This study investigates the configurational characteristics of two contrasting urban sectors in Koya City, Iraq: the organically developed historic city centre and the planned grid-based Zanko neighbourhood. A Space Syntax analysis was conducted using axial maps generated in DepthmapX. The analysis was supported …

Good Governance In The Concept Of Climate Justice: Decarbonisation Policies In Economic Considerations Of Losses And Sacrifices, Daryanti Daryanti, Albertus Sentot Sudarwanto, Erna Dyah Kusumawati, Rosita Candrakirana

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Projections of losses resulting from the impacts of climate change in Indonesia are estimated to reach USD 30.5 million, affecting four key sectors: agriculture, water supply, health, and the maritime sector. This study shows that good governance based on climate justice in the implementation of decarbonization policies is the most important factor in avoiding long-term economic losses caused by the adverse impacts of climate change or investing in climate resilience. This study employed a normative methodology using a statutory approach to examine efforts related to climate change mitigation and adaptation. The findings of this research indicate that regulations in Indonesia, …

Machine Learning Models For Estimating The Consumed And Remaining Useful Life Of Haul Trucks In An Open-Pit Mine In Peru, Marco Cotrina, Jairo Marquina, Mario Sandoval, Jose Mamani, Johnny Ccatamayo

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The purpose of this study was to develop a machine learning-based model to predict the consumed useful life and estimate the remaining useful life of haul trucks in an open-pit mining operation in Peru. A comparative analysis of multiple machine learning models was conducted, including multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest + PSO, support vector regression (SVR), gradient boosting machine (GBM), decision tree + PSO, and artificial neural networks (ANN-MLP). The models were evaluated using performance metrics such as R², RMSE, and MAE, selecting the optimal model to estimate the remaining useful life based on a theoretical lifespan …

Development Of A Spectral Index And Web Application For Automated Marble Quarry Monitoring: A Sentinel-2 Based Approach For Change Detection And Monitoring, Konstantinos Ntouros, Vasileios Drimzakas - Papadopoulos, Georgios Gkologkinas, Georgios Ntouros, Dimitrios Markou

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This study introduces an automated workflow to monitor marble quarry operations using Sentinel-2 satellite data, providing a cost-effective and efficient tool for regulatory oversight focused on environmental sustainability. At the core of this workflow is the Quarry Change Detection Index (QCDI), a new spectral index specifically developed to leverage the unique spectral characteristics of quarry sites, enhancing the detection of land cover changes associated with quarry expansion. To facilitate practical application, a web-based tool was developed using Google Earth Engine and Streamlit. The user-centric design of this platform features an intuitive interface, allowing users to easily select parameters, visualize data, …

Draft Final 2024 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-44 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Evolving Wildfire Crisis: The Need To Adapt Statewide Extension Efforts To Address Diverse Challenges, Alison L. Deak, Kathryn E. Low, Luca Carmignani, Ryan E. Tompkins, Barbara Satink Wolfson

Journal of Extension

There are many factors that contribute to wildfire preparedness in California. Although effective wildfire preparedness requires tailored regional approaches, it is crucial to understand how statewide Extension programs can address shared challenges while augmenting region-specific strategies. For the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Fire Network to meet the growing demands for fire-related Extension programming, a team of advisors surveyed California residents to refine the goals of our Extension programs. Survey results highlight key gaps in fire-related Extension education that residents in California and beyond need to reduce their wildfire risk.

Funding And Financing Mechanisms For Decarbonization At Higher Education Institutions, Emma Coopersmith, Dimitra Prassa, Alexander R. Barron

Environmental Science and Policy: Faculty Publications

A growing number of higher education institutions (HEIs) are decarbonizing their campuses, with thermal energy networks supported by ground-source-heat pumps (GSHPs) as the most common approach (Barron et al., 2025). The value proposition of these systems includes net savings on energy and maintenance, increasing occupant comfort, reducing air pollution and addressing deferred maintenance, guarding against future regulatory risk, providing education and research opportunities, and helping institutions meet climate goals. Despite the many benefits of decarbonization, funding and financing pose a significant challenge given the high upfront costs for GSHPs and building retrofits. “How will we pay for this?” is likely …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit Draft Final Unreclaimed Sites Field Sampling And Investigation Plan: Ur-54 – East Of Main And Gagnon, Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicle Deterioration: Impact Of Vehicle Age And Emission Control Technology On Nox Emissions - Preprint, Amber L. Gurecki Allen, Andrew R. Colman, Max D. Sommer, William D. Waddoups, Darrell B. Sonntag

FEAT Publications

Pre-print manuscript.

Abstract

This study examines the effect of aging and deterioration on NO_x emissions from heavy-duty diesel trucks (HDDTs) with different emission control technologies, including Engine Control only, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and selective catalytic reduction (SCR). In-use tailpipe emissions were measured from 12,023 HDDTs from 13 roadside measurement campaigns conducted in California and Utah between 2008 and 2024. Vehicle registration records and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) engine certification database were used to identify engine NO_x control technology. At younger ages, SCR-equipped HDDTs generally emitted significantly less NO_x than non-SCR-equipped HDDTs. However, after several years …

Clark Tailings Consolidated Waste Management Area Site Investigation Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Woodard & Curran

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Fisheries Science Update - Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Resource - October 2026, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) monitors the status of Western Australia’s demersal scalefish resources by undertaking periodic stock assessments on key indicator species.

This summary provides key outcomes of the 2026 Pilbara red emperor stock assessment (Resource Assessment Report No. 12).

Resource Assessment Report No. 12: North Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource: Pilbara Red Emperor 2026 Assessment, Fabian I. Trinnie, Rubie Evans-Powell, Brett Crisafulli, S. A. Hesp, Ainslie Denham, Dion Boddington, Craig L. Skepper

Resource Assessment Reports

Executive Summary

The North Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource (NCDSR) comprises ecological suites of tropical demersal fish species that occur predominantly in inshore (20–250 m deep) and offshore (> 250 m deep) waters of the North Coast Bioregion (NCB). More than 60 demersal species are landed by fisheries operating in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of the NCB each year, including higher-valued species, such as red emperor (Lutjanus sebae), goldband snapper (Pristipomoides multidens), rankin cod (Epinephelus rankini), and ruby snapper (Etelis boweni), and lower-valued species, such as bluespotted emperor (Lethrinus punctulatus).

The Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Resource (PDSR) is harvested by the …

First Evaluation Of Contrast-Enhanced Micro-Xct As A Tool For Organismal And Reproductive Trait Observations In Corals Based On Scans Of Thesea Nivea Deichmann, 1936, Erin E. Easton

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Micro-X-ray computed tomography (micro-XCT) with contrast enhancement is considered a non-destructive tool that is increasingly being applied to explore the internal and external structures of vertebrates and invertebrates. Although micro-XCT has been applied to corals to study skeletal features, contrast enhancement has not been applied to evaluate the utility for visualization of soft tissue structures in corals. This study is the first to evaluate the utility of contrast enhancement to visualize internal and external features, including soft tissue features, of octocorals. Contrast staining of a Thesea nivea specimen with 2.5% Lugol's iodine permitted visualization of soft tissues with sufficient density …

Blue Carbon Ecosystems As Climate Solutions: Sequestration Across Coastal And Marine Environments, Allison K. White, Richard J. Kline, Md. Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs) such as mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses, sequester significant amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere. These ecosystems capture and store carbon in biomass and sediments over long periods. Other marine ecosystems, including the open ocean, kelp forests, bivalve reefs, and coral reefs, have been excluded from the BCEs, but they have the potential to serve as crucial blue carbon sinks or to support adjacent BCEs. Climate change, however, poses severe threats to these ecosystems. Rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, and ocean acidification can lead to habitat loss, reduced biodiversity, and impaired carbon sequestration capacity. Consequently, anthropogenic …

Draft Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area (Sbcca) Operations And Maintenance (O&M) Plan, Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Significance Of Kenya's Indigenous And Emerging Blue Foods For Sustainable Aquaculture Development. A Review, Jonathan Munguti, Mavindu Muthoka, Domitila Kyule, Esther Magondu, Kevin Obiero, Jimmy Mboya, Menaga Meenakshisundaram, Tanga M. Chrysantus, Gerald Kwikiriza, Francis K. Njonge

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Kenya's aquaculture sector is at a pivotal stage, transitioning from a historical reliance on Nile tilapia and African catfish toward a more diversified production portfolio that integrates indigenous and emerging freshwater and marine species. This shift is increasingly recognized as essential to enhance climate resilience, food security, and ecosystem health. This systematic review synthesizes more than two decades (2000 to 31st January, 2026) of peer-reviewed literature to evaluate the biological suitability, culture performance, and socio-ecological roles of underutilized native taxa, including Ningu (Labeo victorianus), Jipe tilapia (Oreochromis jipe), freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium spp.), rabbitfish (Siganus sutor), marine-acclimatized Nile tilapia, mud crab …