Digital Commons Network^™

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Midget Quillwort (Isoetes Minima), Lindsey K. Wise

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for midget quillwort (Isoetes minima) using NatureServe methodology, 2024.

Stakeholders’ Influence Of Voluntary Sustainability Reporting On Corporate Financial Performance, Delores Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explores the relationship between voluntary sustainability reporting and corporate financial performance, focusing on the influence of stakeholders on sustainability initiatives. The research uses legitimacy and stakeholder theories, drawing from signaling and institutional theories, to examine the impact of sustainability initiatives on financial results. The analysis was conducted on United States aerospace and defense companies listed in the Fortune 500, and Bloomberg’s ESG database. The independent variables included GRI-2019 – GRI-2022, stakeholders influence “STAKE,” firm size, and growth. The dependent variables were return on assets and Tobin’s Q. Return on investment was used as the moderating and mediating variable. …

Final 2024 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) Annual Update (Non-Residential Parcels And Residential Daycares), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Food Waste And Composting In Georgetown County, Kendal Mackison

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

No abstract provided.

When Overextended Surface Allocation Turns To Groundwater: A Q Methodology Of Well Users In Oregon’S High Desert, Melissa Haeffner, Janet Cowal, Brandy Walker, Clare Mcclellan

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

As legal battles over surface water allocation in Klamath County, Oregon, USA have gained national attention, earning the name “Water Wars,” authorities have been increasingly turning to groundwater to compensate for water shortfalls. This case study aims to identify the nuanced perspectives of household groundwater well users who are affected by groundwater extraction. Using Q methodology, we uncover groundwater well users’ perceptions and to what extent they think water problems are dealt with fairly. We identify four water perspectives that differ in the degree to which respondents prioritize clean water accessibility, industry accountability, individual responsibility for water management, and trust …

Carbonate And Organic Proxies And The Impacts Of Climate On Lake Systems: Paleoclimate Interpretations From Lake Chalco, Mexico, Aria Holmes

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

This project incorporates several lines of evidence to better understand the climate at Lake Chalco. Chapter 1 utilizes oxygen isotopes from carbonates and show that the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone varies on primarily glacial and millennial timescales; precession is not observed. These data indicate glacials periods were shallower and interglacials were wetter periods at Lake Chalco. Chapter 2 studies carbon, nitrogen, C/N, and TOC proxies and finds that the lake conditions during the glacials and interglacials are primarily a mixed algal-macrophyte-terrestrial organic matter. Deviations show that the lake during the interglacials had more algal organic matter- reflecting influxes of nutrients …

Presence Of Pharmaceuticals And Personal Care Products In Sinkhole Lakes In West-Central Florida, Elzbieta Bialkowska-Jelinska

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are essential for human health, improving quality of life, and extending life expectancy. However, many of these chemicals have become significant environmental pollutants, particularly in lentic (lake) environments. One unintended source of PPCPs in natural environments is onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS), commonly known as septic tanks.

This study examines whether the seasonal variability of rainfall and soil saturation affects the assemblages and concentrations of PPCPs in a residential lake. The general premise of the dissertation was that with the onset of the wet season, PPCPs that had collected in the drainfields of the …

Conditional Approval Letter For The 2024 Butte Priority Soils (Bpsou) Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) – Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) Annual Update (Non-Residential Parcels And Residential Daycares) (Dated July 1, 2024), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Newgeneratortm Decentralized Wastewater Treatment System For Non-Sewered Sanitation: Technology Advancement Through Field Evaluation And Modeling, Hsiang-Yang Shyu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Non-sewered sanitation systems (NSSS) offer innovative solutions to sanitation challenges in areas lacking basic facilities, utilizing advanced treatment technologies for on-site water reuse. The NEWgenerator (NG), an advanced NSSS developed at the University of South Florida under the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Reinventing the Toilet Challenge, integrates an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR), an ion exchange-based nutrient capture system (NCS), and an electrochlorinator for final disinfection. This study builds on previous field trials of the NG system, focusing on developing, evaluating, and optimizing its water reuse capabilities through field trials, system dynamics modeling, and advanced monitoring techniques.

In the first …

Artificial Carbon Sequestration In Utah, Signee Storrud, Kendall Becker, Scott Hotaling

All Current Publications

Carbon dioxide is an important greenhouse gas that helps keep Earth warm and habitable. But since humans began burning large quantities of fossil fuels during the Industrial Revolution, there has been a rapid increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide from approximately 280 parts per million in 1750 to more than 420 parts per million in 2024. Natural carbon storage processes have been unable to keep up with humans’ carbon dioxide emissions, and the sudden rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide has led to rapid global warming and climate change. One climate adaptation tool that may help rebalance Earth’s carbon cycle is artificial …

Geotechnical Analysis Of Soil Sample Pp-7 From The Ewu Palouse Prairie Restoration Site, Cheney, Wa, Jessica M. Lawrence, Sydney Fergen, Kai L. Valentine, Annika Smith

2024 Symposium

The Eastern Washington University Palouse Prairie Restoration Project is a program set to restore 120 acres of Palouse prairie back to its native habitat. The land is currently leased as a no till annual wheat field. The soil lies atop Pleistocene loess from the Cordilleran Ice Sheet and glaciofluvial deposits from the Great Missoula Floods. There were 9 different soil samples collected from the Palouse prairie restoration project area. Group 7 analyzed soil sample PP-7 collected at 47.492747°N, -117.593442°W, on September 21st, 2023, and over 10 weeks, tested the specific gravity (ASTM D854), particle size distribution (ASTM D422, D7928), soil …

Microplastic Accumulation In The Marsh Periwinkle (Littoraria Irrorata), Sarah Keaton, Hannah Lukhard, Eli Windy, Manar Hasan

DePaul Discoveries

Contamination of oceans by microplastics (mm) currently poses a major threat to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. Recent attention towards this issue has raised questions about the extent to which microplastics have accumulated in the environment, and has led to an increase in studies on the effects of microplastics in various organisms. However, levels of contamination in protected natural areas are still largely unexplored, yet can offer an important empirical perspective on the issue. In addition, little is known about the potential effects of microplastics on behavior in the field. This research was conducted within the protected ACE Basin National …

Spatial And Temporal Analysis Of Pm 2.5 Concentrations In Chicago Along The Lakefront Trail Using Wearable Air Quality Sensors, Jacob A. Johnson

DePaul Discoveries

Mass urbanization and transportation practices have resulted in high amounts of air pollution. Air pollution can have detrimental effects on human health causing respiratory issues as well as other health complications. Certain areas of cities experience more exposure to air pollution which can also cause them to have more health issues and lower life expectancy. These areas are often associated with disinvestment and minoritized communities of color. This research explores patterns of air quality related to environmental justice areas using low-cost wearable air quality monitoring sensors attached to a bicycle. Data was collected along the Lakefront Trail stretching from Irving …

A Seasonal Decomposition Comparison Between Forest And Turf Habitats: Implications For Climate Change, Amanda Shirmer

DePaul Discoveries

Decomposition is an essential ecosystem service in which microorganisms breakdown organic matter. This process improves soil health and acts as a vital step in global carbon cycles. In this study, we examined decomposition rates and associated soil properties in turf and forest habitats across summer and fall seasons in order to determine how land management practices and climate change may be altering local decomposition regimes. Our study determined that there was a statistically significant difference between decomposition rates in turf and forest ecosystems (P=0.003) and a significant difference in decomposition rate across season (P

Postweaning Skull Growth In Living Didelphid Marsupials: The Case Of Gracilinanus Agilis And Cryptonanus Chacoensis, Iveth A. Villalobos Guerrero, Noé U. De La Sancha

DePaul Discoveries

Ontogeny is described as the history of an organism through its lifetime including development, growth, and allometry. The ontogenetic approach in cranial dimensions has proved useful in interpreting evolutionary patterns. Among the largest Didelphidae family of Neotropical marsupials, the species of Gracilinanus agilis and Cryptonanus chacoensis are poorly known. In this study, we address three questions; Is there sexual dimorphism in these species? What is the pattern of allometry? Which allometric patterns best describe the patterns in the skull and mandible? We applied geometric morphometrics to describe and test these differences using MorphoJ. A discriminant function analysis was performed to …

The Impacts Of Urbanization On Soil: The Effect On Decomposition Rates And Microbial Communities, Maximus C. Halekakis

DePaul Discoveries

The anthropogenic impacts of industrialization have left many ecosystems polluted. Soil, being an imperative actor for ecosystem functions, is important to observe under anthropogenic change. My study examined soil organic matter decomposition, microbial biomass carbon(MBC) and the fungal to bacteria ratio(F:B) across an urban-suburban-exurban landuse gradient in San Luis Obispo, California. A cotton strip assay as well as microBIOMETER® testing was performed on three geographic locations in and outside of the city. The cotton strip decomposition acts as an indicator for organic matter breakdown as microorganisms break down the cellulose in the strips causing them to lose mass and tensile …

Seed Mix Performance With Environmental Stressors And Invasion: Implications For Wetland Restoration, Maddie Houde, Karin Kettenring

Browse all Datasets

Seed-based revegetation is increasingly pursued in wetland restoration, but seed and seedling mortality is high and can be further limited by environmental stressors, like hydrology and salinity. The interactive effects of hydrology and salinity on native plants, especially in the presence of invasive plants, are less clear. In greenhouse and mesocosm experiments, we tested different hydrologic and salinity conditions on the growth of native seed mixes and Phragmites australis, a widespread wetland invader in North America. The greenhouse experiment tested two mixes (forb mix, graminoid mix), while mixes in the mesocosm experiment combined forbs and graminoids chosen for broad …

The Growth Of Ethanol In Brazil: Sugarcane, Corn, And A Few Other Things, Fabio Mattos

Cornhusker Economics

Although we can expect more ethanol produced from corn in the coming years, it is unclear whether it will keep expanding at the same pace as in recent years or how much it will contribute to total ethanol production.

One point to keep an eye on is the typical dynamics of markets. If supply and demand conditions and price movements make corn-ethanol more profitable, ethanol plants in Brazil will keep increasing their production. If it makes more economic sense to produce corn-ethanol (as it happened recently), they will use more corn to produce ethanol.

Supply and demand conditions for ethanol, …

Natural Dialectics: Māori & Sioux Ecosophy Encounters The Rule Of Law, Robert T.F. Downes

The Journal of International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development

In the age of intensifying anthropogenic climate change, an ecosophical shift is required in the epistemological and ontological comprehension of the interrelations between the human and non-human worlds. This shift is essential for refining existing social scientific approaches to investigating and adjudicating questions of environmental governance, environmental justice, environmental sovereignty, in addition to advancing democratic counters to the effects of ecological degradation and environmental catastrophe that move beyond rigid political-economic constraints. This essay constitutes a novel engagement with discourses of radical democracy and radical ecology that applies the philosophical method of dialectical naturalism to an ecosophical interpretation of the human-nature …

Chief Sustainability Officer’S Role Centrality And Corporate Sustainability Performance, Taiwo Abraham, Gabriel Owusu, Xuan Wang

Management Faculty Publications

Corporate Sustainability Performance (CSP) has gained substantial attention as firms recognize its potential impact on competitive advantage. In response, there has been a significant increase in the appointment of Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs) tasked with managing sustainability performance and integrating systemic sustainability initiatives for business growth. In this research, we draw upon upper echelon theory and social network theory to argue that merely having a CSO does not enhance CSP. However, the centrality of CSO within organizational networks significantly augments CSP. Further, leveraging literature from institutional theory and stakeholder theory, we provide a fresh perspective on how organizations should approach …

Agenda De Investigación Para El Manejo Sustentable Del Manglar En Tamaulipas, México [Research Agenda For The Sustainable Management Of Mangroves In Tamaulipas, Mexico], Carlos Zamora-Tovar, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo, Glenda Nelly Requena-Lara

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Se presenta un análisis de la información ecológica disponible sobre los manglares de Tamaulipas, México. El objetivo fue establecer una línea base de conocimiento que defina el estado del arte a partir de la información publicada; actualizar la estructura forestal con datos propios observados en el año 2018; y determinar una agenda de investigación prioritaria para el manejo sostenible del ecosistema de man-glar, ecosistema de vital importancia por la gran variedad de recursos y servicios ambientales que aporta a la sociedad. La investigación bibliográfica recopiló 32 trabajos relevantes: 16 publicaciones formales, siete ediciones institucionales y nueve consideradas literaturas gris; recopilación …

Re: Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Final Unreclaimed Sites Field Sampling Plan (Fsp) Package #10: Ur-44, Ur-45, Ur-46, Ur-47, And Ur-48, Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Residential Metals Abatement Program Construction Completion Report (Non- Residential Parcels – Indoor Dust) Kennedy Elementary, Christopher Berg, Thomas J. Beckman

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Final Unreclaimed Sites Field Sampling Plan (Fsp) Package #11: Ur-49 And Ur-50, Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) 2024 Final Unreclaimed Sites Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Influence Of The Moisture On Fumes Derived From The Anfo Detonation, Andrzej Biessikirski, Mateusz Pytlik, Michał Dworzak, Michał Twardosz, Mariusz Wądrzyk, Rafał Janus

Journal of Sustainable Mining

ANFO is one of the most commonly used explosives in open-pit mining, usually produced by mixing systems on the blast site. One of the problems usually not considered is the moisture”s influence on the stored ammonium nitrate(V). The influence of moisture on fumes and the detonation process has been investigated by placing ammonium nitrate(V) prills in the climatic chamber. In the investigation, the influence was evaluated for ANFO samples which were produced based on the two types of fuel oils. It was concluded that the 3.0% moisture level resulted in the lowest NOx content in both case studies. Further increased …

Phylogenomics Recovers Multiple Origins Of Portable Case Making In Caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera), Nature's Underwater Architects, Paul B. Frandsen, Ralph W. Holzenthal, Marianne Espeland, Jesse Breinholt, Jessica A. Thomas Thorpe, Sabrina Simon, Akito Y. Kawahara, David Plotkin, Scott Hotaling, Yiyuan Li, C. Riley Nelson, Oliver Niehuis, Christoph Mayer, Lars Podsiadlowski, Alexander Donath, Bernhard Misof, Emily Moriarty Lemmon, Alan Lemmon, John C. Morse, Shanlin Liu, Steffen U. Pauls, Xin Zhou

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Caddisflies (Trichoptera) are among the most diverse groups of freshwater animals with more than 16 000 describes species. They play a fundamental role in freshwater ecology and environmental engineering in streams, rivers and lakes. Because of this, they are frequently used as indicator organisms in biomonitoring programmes. Despite their importance, key questions concerning the evolutionary history of caddisflies, such as the timing and origin of larval case making, remain unanswered owing to the lack of a well-resolved phylogeny. Here, we estimated a phylogenetic tree using a combination of transcriptomes and targeted enrichment data for 207 species, representing 48 of 52 …

A Comparative Analysis Of Openet For Evaluating Evapotranspiration In California Almond Orchards, Kyle Knipper, Martha Anderson, Nicholas Bambach, Forrest Melton, Zac Ellis, Yun Yang, John Volk, Andrew J. Mcelrone, William Kustas, Matthew Roby, Will Carrara, Sebastian Castro, Ayse Kilic, Joshua B. Fisher, Anderson Ruhoff, Gabriel B. Senay, Charles Morton, Sebastian Saa, Richard G. Allen

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The almond industry in California faces water management challenges that are being exacerbated by droughts, climate change, and groundwater sustainability legislation. The Tree-crop Remote sensing of Evapotranspiration eXperiment (T-REX) aims to explore opportunities to improve precision irrigation management for woody perennial cropping systems. Almond orchards in the California Central Valley were equipped with eddy covariance flux measurements to evaluate satellite remote sensing-based evapotranspiration (RSET) models. OpenET provides high-resolution (30-m spatial and daily temporal) RSET data, synthesizing decades of research for practical water management. This study provides an evaluation of OpenET performance at six almond sites covering a large range in …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit Grove Gulch Sedimentation Bay 100% Remedial Design/Remedial Action Re-Submittal, Josh Bryson

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Changes To Tropical Cyclone Trajectories In Southeast Asia Under A Warming Climate, Andra J. Garner, Dhrubajyoti Samanta, Mackenzie M. Weaver, Benjamin P. Horton

School of Earth & Environment Departmental Research

The impacts of tropical cyclones (TCs) on Southeast Asia’s coastlines are acute due to high population densities in low-lying coastal environments. However, the trajectories of TCs are uncertain in a warming climate. Here, we assess >64,000 simulated TCs from the nineteenth century to the end of the twenty-first century for both moderate- and high-emissions scenarios. Results suggest changes to TC trajectories in Southeast Asia, including: (1) poleward shifts in both genesis and peak intensification rates; (2) TC formation and fastest intensification closer to many coastlines; (3) increased likelihoods of TCs moving most slowly over mainland Southeast Asia; and (4) TC …