Digital Commons Network^™

Taxonomy, Distribution And Ecology, Biology, Nutritional Composition, And Conservation Status Of Critically Endangered Lake Chala Tilapia Oreochromis Hunteri (Günther, 1889): Implications For Aquaculture Development, Jonathan Munguti, Mavindu Muthoka, Domitila Kyule, Esther Magondu, Jacob O. Iteba, Kevin Obiero, Paul Orina, Menaga Meenakshisundaram, Tanga M. Chrysantus

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Oreochromis hunteri Günther, 1889, commonly known as Lake Chala tilapia, is an endemic cichlid restricted to the small crater lake, Lake Chala, on the border of Kenya and Tanzania. This review synthesizes existing knowledge on the taxonomy, and phylogenetic placement, distribution and ecology, and biology including nutritional composition, and conservation status of O. hunteri and identifies knowledge gaps to assess its potential for aquaculture development. The knowledge gaps include its reproductive biology, population structure, and adaptive capacity to environmental and climatic variability. As the type species of the genus Oreochromis, O. hunteri is a unique, genetically isolated lineage within a …

Mapping Robusta Coffee (Coffea Canephora) Cropping Systems In Uganda: A Two-Step Pixel And Sub-Pixel Based Approach With Sentinel-2 Data, Getachew Kebede, Bester Tawona Mudereri, Onisimo Mutanga, Tobias Landmann, John Odindi, Natacha Motisi, Fabrice Pinard, Henri E.Z. Tonnang, Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Coffee is a highly valued commodity and a widely consumed beverage, playing an important role in global trade. However, coffee farming landscapes are increasing transitioning into smaller-scale agricultural setups. This transformation highlights the critical need for accurate classification and mapping of coffee cropping systems (CS), especially in countries like Uganda, where dense vegetation and complex terrain present substantial challenges to traditional land survey methods. Moreover, understanding the spatial distribution of Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) CS is essential for developing site-specific management strategies, guiding extension services, and informing evidence-based policy decisions. To address this gap, the present study aimed to enhance …

The Conservation Value Of Silvicultural Systems For Breeding And Post-Fledging Bird Communities In Northeastern North America, Christopher Andrew Liazos

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Forest bird community decline in the eastern United States is partly due to the lack of early-and-late-successional forests stemming from historic land use. Silviculture can create underrepresented forest age classes and structures to support avian communities during the breeding and post-fledging periods. In southwestern New Hampshire, we conducted a case study evaluating avian conservation value indices across silvicultural systems. Our goal was to observe how avian conservation value indexes and abundance differed between recently managed and unmanaged stands. We surveyed 215 breeding and 118 post-fledging points across 22 sites using point counts and vegetation surveys. Conservation values in the breeding …

Green Space: Investigation Into The Role Pocket Parks Play In Biodiversity And Human Well-Being, Jacalyn Speicher

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Natural communities and the birds that inhabit them are essential to the physical and emotional well-being of human residents in urban settings. The action research undertaken in this study addresses the social and environmental justice issues of equity, accessibility, and diversity afforded avian and human communities in the design of pocket parks within the urban landscape. As urbanization consumes the natural landscape, people and birds must adapt to the novel challenges of a changing environment. I studied 10 pocket parks identified in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between January and June 2026. This time frame spanned the seasons from winter to …

Real-Time Immersive Wildfire Simulation: A Game Engine Approach, Jake Bova

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Wildfires are growing in frequency, size, and severity, placing escalating demands on firefighting resources and putting lives, property, and ecosystems at risk. Accurate prediction of fire behavior is critical to suppression planning, evacuation decisions, and firefighter training, yet the operational models that fire managers rely upon face a persistent tradeoff. High-fidelity physics-based models capture fire–atmosphere interactions faithfully but are computationally expensive, often running far slower than real time on CPU hardware, while faster empirical models sacrifice the dynamic coupling between a fire and the wind field it generates. Furthermore, most existing tools produce abstract, two-dimensional outputs that offer limited visual …

Aquatic Invasive Species Survey And Treatment On Lake Umatilla And Lake Celilo 2024-2025 Report, Jacob Rose, Gabriel E. Campbell

Center for Lakes and Reservoirs Publications and Presentations

Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus) is an invasive aquatic plant in the Pacific Northwest that threatens salmon habitat. The Center for Lakes and Reservoirs staff surveyed for this and other aquatic species from 2024 and 2025 in the Columbia River in Lake Umatilla and Lake Celilo. This document summarizes their survey efforts including their protocols, data, and small-scale removal efforts.

Key To Spartina Of The West Coast Based On Vegetative Characteristics, Mary Pfauth, Mark D. Sytsma, Mitchell Kloer, Jennifer Riddle, Jacob Rose, Gabriel E. Campbell

Center for Lakes and Reservoirs Publications and Presentations

In their natural condition, Pacific Coast estuaries have extensive open mudflats in the intertidal area that are important shorebird feeding habitat and are used for oystering and recreational fishing. Several non-native cordgrass species are invading Pacific estuaries and damaging these functions and uses. Early detection is critical to effective management of cordgrass infestation. This key is intended to provide an easy-to-use reference for quick identification of Spartina (synonym: Sporobolus) species on the Pacific coast. We choose to focus on vegetative characteristics here, since flowers are not always visible when it can be advantageous to survey.

This publication is intended to …

First Record Of Arrhenophagus Chionaspidis Aurivillius (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) Parasitizing White Mango Scale In Kenya: Its Potential Distribution And Prospects In Biocontrol, Francis Obala, Abdelmutalab G.A. Azrag, Rehemah Gwokyalya, Shepard Ndlela, Ingo Grass, Georg Petschenka, Sunday Ekesi, Samira A. Mohamed

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The white mango scale, Aulacaspis tubercularis Newstead (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), is one of the most destructive pests of mango worldwide. Its current management in most of the invaded areas largely depends on the intensive use of chemical insecticides. Biological control using parasitoids represents one of the most effective and environmentally sustainable management options. However, in Kenya, one of Africa's leading mango-producing countries, no effective parasitoid species associated with A. tubercularis had previously been recorded. This study aimed to identify encyrtid parasitoids associated with A. tubercularis in Kenya, and to assess how bioclimatic factors influence their occurrence and habitat suitability. Mango leaves …

Reinterpreting Stochastic Optimal Control Under Ecological Uncertainty: Inferring Decision Urgency From Vegetation Biomass Dynamics, Komi Mensah Agboka, Tobias Landmann, Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Stochastic optimal control provides a rigorous framework for systems subject to uncertainty, yet its operational use in ecological crisis contexts remains limited by interpretability. We reinterpreted a stochastic control formulation in which selected parameters emerged as indicators of decision urgency rather than normative preferences. Vegetation biomass was modeled as a stochastic stock subject to nonlinear loss driven by feeding pressure (e.g., desert locust activity) and multiplicative noise, with uncertainty represented by a time-varying volatility term that integrated extreme rainfall anomalies and conflict-related disruption. Rather than prescribing an optimal policy, we inverted the closed-form solution of the control problem to infer …

Impact Of Environmental Microparticles On Insect Olfaction, Steve B.S. Baleba, Danube K.N. Wandji, Yves H. Tchiechoua, Komi Mensah Agboka, Iman B. Hassaballa, Victor O. Omondi, Beatrice T. Nganso, Saliou Niassy, Souleymane Diallo, Merid N. Getahun

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Terrestrial insects underpin key ecosystem services, including pollination, herbivory regulation, decomposition, nutrient cycling, and disease control. These functions depend on chemical communication that guides insects to food, mates, hosts, shelters, and oviposition sites while helping them avoid threats. Environmental microparticles, such as micro- and nanoplastics, tyre wear particles, soot, mineral dust, and agricultural residues, are now widespread across air, soil, vegetation, and indoor environments, exposing insects through contact, deposition, and ingestion. Growing evidence shows that these particles disrupt insect olfaction by adsorbing volatile compounds, blocking antennal sensilla, and interfering with receptor and neuronal processes. These disruptions impair foraging, mating, oviposition, …

Thermal Requirements And Phenology Modelling Of A Drosophila Suzukii Population: Implications For Pest Risk Under A Changing Climate, Shepard Ndlela, Abdelmutalab G.A. Azrag, Esther Owino Awuor, Ibrahim Maholidy Farid, Samira Abuelgasim Mohamed

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Drosophila suzukii (spotted-wing drosophila) is an invasive pest causing significant economic losses in soft-skinned fruit crops globally. This study presents comprehensive temperature-dependent life table data and phenology models for an African D. suzukii population collected in Kenya. Developmental time, mortality, fecundity, and adult longevity were assessed under constant temperatures from 12 to 30 °C. Using Insect Life Cycle Modelling (ILCYM) software, linear and nonlinear models were applied to characterise the effects of temperature on life history traits. Additionally, spatial risk indices including Establishment Risk Index (ERI), Generation Index (GI), and Activity Index (AI) were mapped globally for current and future …

Study Of Fire Regimes In Southwestern Australia Using Geospatial Techniques, Ana Do Carmo Carvalho

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The Northern Jarrah Forest in Southwestern Australia (SWA), part of a global biodiversity hotspot, is home to fire-sensitive tree species such as marri (Corymbia calophylla) and jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata). As climate change intensifies drought and extreme fire events, understanding the drivers of fire severity is increasingly critical. This thesis analyses fire regimes within the Mundaring drinking water catchment to better understand the spatiotemporal complexity of fire severity in relation to fire history and environmental factors.

The thesis commences with a review of three Fire History Databases (FHDs) used in SWA, highlighting significant inconsistencies and data gaps across time and space. …

Understanding Climate Change And Wellbeing Through Bhutan's Pursuit Of Gross National Happiness, Tashi Dorji

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Climate change has evolved into one of the biggest global challenges of the twenty first century reshaping ecological systems and social conditions with wide-ranging implications for human wellbeing. Bhutan offers a distinct context to explore interactions between climate change and wellbeing as it remains guided by its wellbeing-centred development philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH). At the same time, it remains highly vulnerable to climate change despite being the only carbon negative country in the world. Nonetheless, the intersections between climate change and GNH have not been systematically explored.

This research aims to explore the relationship between climate change and …

Land Use And Land Cover Simulation Via Integrated Modelling With Gis Techniques For Sustainable Land Utilization Development In The Northeast Khong Subwatershed Of Thailand, ฺBanchongsak Faksomboon, Thipphaphone Keoviyavong

Applied Environmental Research

Land utilization is an important indicator of socioeconomic and environmental changes caused by both natural and man-made factors. Land use and land cover (LULC) simulation is a critical tool for monitoring and predicting LULC and is essential for sustainable development, land resource management and planning. The cellular automata (CA) Markov model is the basis for the current study’s prediction of LULC changes in the Northeast Khong Sub Watershed (NKSW). Landsat data from 2013 to 2023 were used to investigate LULC classification and determine the spatiotemporal distributions of LULC. In addition, LULC data from 2013 and 2023 were used to generate …

Reduction Of Cr(Vi) With Infrared Light And Chemical Adsorption Of Cr(Iii) By A God-Crown/Bentonite Composite For Electroplating Waste Remediation, Andre Taufik Kurniawan, Muhammad Djoni Bustan, Sri Haryati

Applied Environmental Research

Heavy metal pollution, particularly chromium (Cr) from electroplating industrial waste, has severely threatened environmental quality and human health. This study aims to develop a composite adsorbent material based on bentonite and god crown biomass capable of removing chromium ions from liquid waste through a combination of reduction and adsorption mechanisms. The god crown/bentonite (GC/Bt) composite was synthesized at a mass ratio of 2:1 and calcined at 900°C. FTIR characterization revealed active functional groups (–OH, C=O, Si–O, and Al–O–Si), whereas BET analysis revealed a mesoporous structure (surface area 31.12 m2 g-1, pore diameter 4.37 nm) suitable for ion diffusion. The reduction …

Fabrication Of Urea With Amorphous Silica To Increase Rice Growth In Saline Soils, Thi Ha Chi Nguyen, Thi Hang Thuc Ha, Minh Phuong Nguyen, Ngoc Chuc Pham, Quang Bac Nguyen, Nguyen Huy Tuan Do, Ngoc Nhiem Dao, Trung Kien Nguyen

Applied Environmental Research

In recent decades, the decrease in rice cultivation areas in Vietnam, particularly in the Mekong River Delta, caused by climate change and soil salinization, has posed serious challenges for sustainable development. In addition to irrigation and agronomic practices, fertilizers that sustain rice growth under saline conditions play a crucial role in improving crop productivity. Amorphous silica has been reported to increase plant tolerance to drought, salinity, and heavy metal stress. In this study, nanosilica-coated urea (UCS) fertilizers were synthesized by coating urea granules with 1–5 wt% amorphous silica. The products were characterized by SEM, XRD, FTIR, TG‒DSC, and EDX to …

Heavy Metals And Organic Carbon In Sediments Of Seagrass Sediments Of Trang Province, Thailand, Siriporn Pradit, Pornthep Wirachwong, Thongchai Nitiratsuwan, Sujaree Bureekul, Supraewpan Lohalaksanadech, Thawanrat Kobkeatthawin, Monticha Jirajaras, Prakrit Noppradit, Sanya Sirivithayapakorn

Applied Environmental Research

In this study, the accumulation of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, and Pb) in water, suspended sediments, sediments, and seagrass in Kalase Bay, Trang Province, Thailand, during the 2024 dry season was investigated. These findings indicate that the enrichment factor (EF) for all the metals was less than 1, suggesting that anthropogenic contamination is not a significant concern in the area. The translocation factor (TF) values were less than 1 for all the metals except Cu, whose TF was greater than 1; however, these values were not statistically significant, indicating limited phytoextraction capacity. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) values for …

Spatial Modeling Of Natural Disaster Risk By Integrating Hazard, Vulnerability, And Exposure Factors Using Geospatial Techniques : Evidence From Mueang Tak District, Thailand, Suphatphong Ruthamnong

Applied Environmental Research

This study presents a comprehensive multihazard risk assessment for Mueang Tak District, Thailand, that integrates hazard, vulnerability, and exposure (H-V-E) dimensions. By utilizing geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was employed to prioritize critical risk factors. GIS analysis integrated multisource spatial data, including Landsat 9 and Sentinel-2 imagery, CHIRPS precipitation, and SRTM-derived topography, while AHP weights were established on the basis of expert judgment and socioeconomic indices such as the relative wealth index (RWI) and population statistics. The results delineate distinct spatial risk clusters: high landslide potential is concentrated in the steep terrain of …

Carbon Stock Assessment In Sonneratia Apetala Afforested Mangroves : A Case Study From Cox’S Bazar, Bangladesh, Mohammad Ismail, Sayed Abu Johany, Tanmoy Dey, Zakia Sultana Teasa, Trishna Das, Prabal Barua, Tonima Hossain, Sajib Ahmed

Applied Environmental Research

Sonneratia apetala is a key species for mangrove afforestation projects in Bangladesh and plays a crucial role in ecosystem restoration and carbon sequestration. The research on how the total carbon stock (TCS) varies across S. apetala plantations in Cox’s Bazar remains limited. Thus, in this study, the biomass and soil carbon stock were quantified across nine S. apetala afforested sites in Cox’s Bazar to assess spatial variation and influencing factors. The total biomass carbon (TBC) was calculated by summing the aboveground (AGBC) and belowground (BGBC) biomass carbon, while the soil organic carbon stock (SOCS) was determined from the 0–40 cm …

Seasonal Wastewater Monitoring And Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment Of Escherichia Coli In A University Wastewater System, Pathum Thani, Central Thailand, Natsima Tokhun, Natagarn Tongphanpharn, Weerawat Ounsaneha, Montip Jankeaw, Wiriyabhorn Klomsungcharoen, Patsara Wongsudi, Yawanart Ngamnon, Cheerawit Rattanapan, Kwang Mo Yang

Applied Environmental Research

In this study, the physicochemical properties of wastewater were characterized, and a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) of E. coli was conducted in the wastewater treatment system of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University, under the Royal Patronage, Pathum Thani, Thailand (VRU-SciTech). This study was conducted because the current water-quality assessment does not include the QMRA or evaluate the occupa-tional and incidental public risk of infection. Over a one-year monitoring period, this study quantified wastewater generation (~6.09 L person-1 day-1; ~3.21 × 103 m3 year-1) and analyzed its physicochemical parameters and E. coli concentrations. High concentrations …

Evaluation Of Soil Moisture Content, Ph, And Dominant Microorganisms In Crude Oil–Contaminated Soil Treated With Cow Dung, Indole-3-Acetic Acid (Iaa), And Simulated Microgravity, Amenze Ovenseri, Tawari-Fufeyin P.

Applied Environmental Research

Crude oil negatively affects soil physicochemical properties and microbial activity, thereby hindering plant growth and posing notable environmental and agricultural issues. The combined effects of cow dung, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and simulated microgravity on the recovery of soil degraded by crude oil were explored using Zea mays as the test plant. Soil was contaminated with crude oil at different concentrations (0%, 1%, 3%, and 5% v/w), with each concentration comprising eight treatments: cow dung, Zea mays seeds exposed to microgravity, and IAA alone or in combination. Changes in plant height, soil pH, soil moisture content, and soil microbial diversity were …

Investigation Of Mercury Bioaccessibility In Subsistence Fishes From The Canadian Subarctic, Kiran Mateo Sharma Mr

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Fish consumption is the primary pathway for human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg), a global contaminant of concern known to cause adverse health effects. Fort Albany First Nation, a remote Indigenous community in northern Ontario that relies on fish for both subsistence and cultural practices, has expressed concern regarding the safety of local fish consumption. Community members and leaders have communicated several priorities for scientific research that are the foundation of this thesis. Specifically, consumers of wild-caught fish have asked how traditional cooking methods may affect mercury concentrations in fish, and how mercury concentrations in little-studied organs, such as liver and …

Nanostructured Cathode Catalysts For Aem Electrolysis: From Catalyst Design To Degradation And Hydrogen Dynamics, Yamini Kumaran

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) presents a promising pathway toward cost-effective and sustainable hydrogen production by integrating the chemical robustness of alkaline systems with the compact, zero-gap design of proton exchange membrane electrolyzers. However, the widespread implementation of AEMWE is limited by the availability of highly active and durable platinum-group-metal (PGM)-free catalysts and by an incomplete understanding of their degradation behavior under realistic operating conditions.

This dissertation focuses on the development, characterization, and mechanistic investigation of nanostructured MoNi₄–MoO₂-based electrodes for efficient and stable hydrogen generation under alkaline and membrane-integrated environments. MoNi₄–MoO₂ nanorods …

Climate And Environmental Controls On Forest Soil Organic Matter Cycling, Genevieve Goebel

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Climate change factors act on the soil environment in complex ways, known to disturb soil organic carbon (C). Rising global temperatures and alterations to regional precipitation and nitrogen deposition regimes may contribute to the intensification of global change by accelerating the rate of biological decomposition and CO2 efflux to the atmosphere. The magnitude and endurance of the disturbance to soil organic C across landscapes and throughout time that climate change factors may pose to soil C cycling are not comprehensively understood. These knowledge gaps in our field make it challenging to anticipate how soil environments and the vast ecosystems that …

Final Annual Operations And Maintenance (O&M) Report: Butte Treatment Lagoon (Btl) System – 2023, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of A 3-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Numerical Model On A Large Northern Lake, Kirin Lorente

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Climate change is impacting high latitude regions disproportionately more than those at a lower latitude. With polar lakes being highly sensitive to changes in the climate, shifts in lake ice dynamics and hydrodynamics are indicators of such changes in regional and global climates. These changes impact future seasons in a positive feedback loop, where changes in winter ice cover impact open water nutrients levels and lake thermal structure. This highlights the importance for long-term monitoring. Despite the abundance of lakes distributed across Northern Canada, there has been limited research conducted on these sentinels of climate change.

Specifically, Great Bear Lake …

Assessing Dissolved Organic Matter Sources And Dynamics In Urban Stormwater: Implications For Greenhouse Gases, Harper W. Schmalz

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Stormwater management ponds (SWMPs) are important aspects of land-use planning and increasingly recognized as active sites of biogeochemical processing that influence carbon cycling; however, little research has investigated the controls on dissolved organic and dissolved inorganic carbon (DOC and DIC) within these systems. This thesis examined the processing and transformations of dissolved carbon between three compartments to support the development of a greenhouse gas (GHG) box-model for urban stormwater ponds, including SWMP sediment, surface water, and vegetation. The objective of this thesis was to assess the biogeochemical processes that govern the rate and transformation of DOC and DIC between these …

2024 Annual Operations And Maintenance Report 2024 Bres Annual Summary Report For Work Completed In Quadrant 4, Butte-Silver Bow Department Of Reclamation And Environmental Services

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

State Climate Superfunds, Rachel Rothschild

Articles

The harmful effects of climate change have already arrived in cities and states across America, with disasters increasing markedly in recent years along with more gradual environmental changes like sea-level rise and drought. To protect populations and natural resources, significant funding will be necessary for preventative measures as well as disaster response.

At present, it is states and ordinary taxpayers who must shoulder the enormous costs and planning for climate adaptation. A number of state legislators, however, have recently proposed enacting new laws that would require the companies who have most profited from fossil fuel usage to assist in funding …

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Of End-Of-Life Crystal Silicon Photovoltaic Panels: Recovery Methods And Extended Life In Agricultural Application, Patima Chaichana, Vacharaporn Soonsin, Nattapong Tuntiwiwattanapun

Applied Environmental Research

The increasing deployment of crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) panels has raised concerns about their waste management. This study evaluated management strategies for discarded c-Si PV panels in Thailand, integrating environmental and economic analyses. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) were applied. The LCA can be divided into 2 parts: (1) secured landfill vs decentralized recycling by existing facilities vs centralized full recovery and (2) reusing PV panels in agricultural applications. The results revealed that secured landfills were the most environmentally burdensome (34.43 Pt), whereas centralized recycling achieved net benefits (-211.93 Pt) through emission reductions and recovery of …