Digital Commons Network^™

Residential Metals Abatement Program Investigation Summary Report (Non-Residential Parcels – Indoor Dust) - Small World Daycare, Environmental Resource Management (Erm)

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Residential Metals Abatement Program Investigation Summary Report (Non- Residential Parcels – Indoor Dust) Small World Daycare, Environmental Resource Management (Erm)

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Residential Metals Abatement Program Investigation Summary Report (Non-Residential Parcels – Indoor Dust) - Small World Daycare, Environmental Resource Management (Erm)

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final 2024 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Whitehall Borrow Submittal #2, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Residential Metals Abatement Program Investigation Summary Report (Non-Residential Parcels – Indoor Dust) - Gold Hill Lutheran Church (Creativity Factory Preschool), Environmental Resource Management (Erm)

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of The Impact Of Water Treatment By Liming Sedimentation And Dredging On The Content Of Heavy Metals In Fish Intended For Consumption, Asfie Maidie, Ismail Fahmy Almadi, Muchlis Efendi, Rekha Yusdha Nilawardhani, Komsanah Sukarti, Henny Pagoray

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The present study sought to determine the presence of metals and arsenic, a metalloid, among the fish of a coal mine reservoir, where the water was treated regularly through liming sedimentation combined with dredging, and the fish living in an adjoining river. The potential hazard of metals in fish as human food was analyzed. Except for selenium (an important metal to the human body), which was higher among the river fish than in the reservoir fish (P < 0.01), there were no particular patterns of other studied metals found in either habitat (P > 0.05), and apparently not related to the fish family that consumed by local people. Measurements of bioaccumulation factor (BAF) yielded scattered values from …

Long Term Sustainable Use Of Demersal Gillnet And Demersal Longline In Western Australia’S Temperate Shark Fisheries - Fisheries Research Report 340, Matias Braccini, Jack Parker, Daniela Waltrick, Maddison Watt, Nick Blay, Clinton Syers

Fisheries Research Reports

The Temperate Demersal Gillnet and Demersal Longline Fisheries (TDGDLF) are one of the main commercial shark fisheries in Australia. Most fishers in the TDGDLF use demersal gillnets to target sharks with scalefish taken in smaller amounts. Demersal longlines are also permitted but are not widely used. Demersal gillnets are size selective, but they do not necessarily discriminate among species, catching target and non-target species.

The Western Australian Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC) received funding as part of the Australian Government’s Our Marine Parks Grants Program to undertake research on the TDGDLF. This project was administered under the direction of a steering …

Fisheries Research Report No. 339: Assessment Of The Status Of The South Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource, Jeffrey V. Norriss, Sybrand A. Hesp, David V. Fairclough, Rubie Evans-Powell, B. Hancock, Emily A. Fisher, Tim Leary, Nick Jarvis

Fisheries Research Reports

This document provides the 2023 risk-based weight of evidence stock assessments for snapper, Bight redfish, hapuku, blue morwong, and Western blue groper for 2023 in the South Coast Bioregion (SCB).

Experimental Sars-Cov-2 Infection Of Elk And Mule Deer, Stephanie M. Porter, Airn E. Hartwig, Helle Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Jeffrey M. Marano, J. Jeffrey Root, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

To assess the susceptibility of elk (Cervus canadensis) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) to SARS-CoV-2, we performed experimental infections in both species. Elk did not shed infectious virus but mounted low-level serologic responses. Mule deer shed and transmitted virus and mounted pronounced serologic responses and thus could play a role in SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology.

Expanding Karst Groundwater Tracing Techniques: Incorporating Population Genetic And Isotopic Data To Enhance Flow-Path Characterization, Benjamin Tobin, Benjamin V. Miller, Matthew Niemiller, Andrea Erhardt

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

Karst aquifers are unique among groundwater systems because of variable permeability and flow-path organization changes resulting from dissolution processes. Over time, changes in flow-path connectivity complicate interpretations of conduit network evolution in karst hydrogeology. Natural and artificial tracer techniques have long provided critical information for protecting karst aquifers and understanding the potential impacts on ecosystems and human populations. Conventional tracer methods are useful in karst hydrogeologic studies for delineating flow paths and defining recharge, storage, and discharge properties. However, these methods only provide snapshots of the current conditions and do not provide sufficient information to understand the changes in interconnection …

Watershed, Lake, And Food Web Factors Influence Diazotrophic Cyanobacteria In Mountain Lakes, Lara Jansen, Daniel Sobota, Yangdong Pan, Angela Strecker

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cyanobacterial blooms can occur in freshwater ecosystems largely isolated from development and not experiencing extensive cultural eutrophication. For example, remote mountain lakes can experience intense blooms of diazotrophic (nitrogen-fixing) cyanobacteria caused by factors acting at different spatial and temporal scales. In this study, we examined how cross-scale interactions among watershed, lake, and food web characteristics influence diazotrophic cyanobacteria biovolume in mountain lakes. We quantified diazotrophic cyanobacteria biovolume, zooplankton abundance, and physico-chemical variables for 29 lakes in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, USA, in summer 2019. Watershed characteristics were compiled from historical datasets available for the region. Diazotrophic cyanobacteria biovolume ranged …

The Early Late Miocene Cessation Of Deep And Intermediate Water Circulation Through The Central American Seaway, Benjamin Stanley Kwiatkowski

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The state of the middle late Miocene global ocean circulations which regulated climate and affected deep ocean chemical environments were impacted by geographic changes. During the Miocene, cirum-equatorial circulations slowly decreased, which included through the seaway between the Americas called the Central American Seaway (CAS). Its shoaling and ultimate closing led to the onset of modern day oceanic circulation as characterized by the global thermohaline circulation. However, this seaway has a long hotly debated history concerning the timing of its restriction and shallowing owing in part to the shifting of tectonic plates.

The goal of this research focuses on investigating …

Examining The Health Risks Of Particulate Matter 2.5 In New York City: How It Affects Marginalized Groups And The Steps Needed To Reduce Air Pollution, Freddy Castro

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The following examines the impact of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) on public health, focusing on its sources and effects on vulnerable populations in New York City. PM2.5 is a particle that is 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter and, because of its size, can enter the bloodstream affecting the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and further complicating the health of the immunocompromised. Recent studies have shown that PM2.5 can come from various sources, including transportation and industrial emissions, as well as indoor sources like cigarettes and gas-operated stoves. Despite reduced levels of PM2.5 due to recent policy changes and initiatives taken …

Towards Sociobiogeochemistry: Critical Perspectives On Anthropogenic Alterations To Soil Nitrogen Chemistry Via U.S. Urban And Suburban Development, Christopher D. Ryan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The ecological impacts of changes to land use are relevant to concerns about climate change, eutrophication of waterbodies, and reductions in biodiversity. As a foundational component of ecosystem functioning, changes to soil biogeochemistry have significant effects on overall ecosystem health. With cities continuing to grow and develop in extent, the impacts of urbanization and suburbanization on soils are of particular concern. Despite a wide range of natural climatic and geologic conditions, several factors have driven similar patterns of land transformation and management across the United States. In particular, federal initiatives including the Home Owners Loan Corporation, the Federal Housing Administration, …

Pathway To Bakken Eor, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet on the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) potential of the Bakken Formation.

Struvite-Phosphorus Effects On Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Plant And Soil Response In A Furrow-Irrigated Rice Production System In Eastern Arkansas, Diego Della Lunga, Kristofor R. Brye, Trenton L. Roberts, Jonathan Brye, Michelle Evans-White, Christopher G. Henry, Daniel J. Lessner, Chandler Arel

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Phosphorus (P) fertilizers with low water solubility, like struvite (MgNH₄PO₄·6H₂O), have been identified to possibly reduce nutrient losses in furrow-irrigated cropping systems. However, there is a lack of research on the impacts of P and nitrogen (N) fertilization on greenhouse gas [GHG; i.e., methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and carbon dioxide (CO₂)] production in furrow-irrigated rice (Oryza sativa). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of electrochemically precipitated struvite (ECST), chemically precipitated struvite (CPST), triple superphosphate (TSP), diammonium phosphate (DAP), environmentally smart nitrogen …

Mapping Urban Form Into Local Climate Zones For The Continental Us From 1986–2020, Meng Qi, Chunxue Xu, Wenwen Zhang, Matthias Demuzere, Perry Hystad, Tianjun Lu, Peter James, Benjamin Bechtel, Steve Hankey

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

Urbanization has altered land surface properties driving changes in micro-climates. Urban form influences people’s activities, environmental exposures, and health. Developing detailed and unified longitudinal measures of urban form is essential to quantify these relationships. Local Climate Zones [LCZ] are a culturally-neutral urban form classification scheme. To date, longitudinal LCZ maps at large scales (i.e., national, continental, or global) are not available. We developed an approach to map LCZs for the continental US from 1986 to 2020 at 100 m spatial resolution. We developed lightweight contextual random forest models using a hybrid model development pipeline that leveraged crowdsourced and expert labeling …

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, February 2024, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Conference Season in Full Swing
--- ISOSWO Student Conference Scholarship Deadline
--- Diane Albertson Memorial Scholarship
--- Keeping Tabs on PFAS
--- Coating Workshop Coming to Des Moines
--- Important Reminders

Agricultural Groundcover Update January 2024, Justin Laycock

Natural resources published reports

Summary

• About 94% of the grainbelt had adequate (more than 50%) vegetative groundcover to prevent wind erosion in January 2024.
• In the northern half of the grainbelt, a larger-than-average area has 51–60% groundcover, which is expected to decrease to below 50% over the coming months.
• Just under 6% of the grainbelt (855,000 ha) had less than 50% groundcover, which is inadequate to prevent wind erosion. West Midlands Ag Soil Zone had the highest risk of wind erosion and 14.5% of this farmland had inadequate groundcover.
• Less than 0.5% of the grainbelt had a high to very high risk of wind …

Trees In Urban Environments: How Soil Quality Impacts Tree Performance, Saidan Qi

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Cities around the world are increasingly investing in reforestation and afforestation efforts to mitigate impacts from climate change and population growth. However, urban soil conditions can be unfavorable for tree growth. Street trees are widely known to suffer from poor soil quality, but there has been no comprehensive review of this topic so far. Clean soils can be transported from nonurban areas to support cities’ green projects, but this approach is not sustainable. Artificial (constructed) soils can be created from various materials and have been proposed as an alternative medium for urban tree growth, but no research has been done …

Salmonella In The Environment: A Review On Ecology, Antimicrobial Resistance, Seafood Contaminations, And Human Health Implications, Mohammad Maruf Billah, Md Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Salmonella is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria that is responsible for numerous food poisoning outbreaks worldwide. With 93.8 million food-borne illnesses and 155,000 fatalities annually, it has emerged as a significant global public health issue. There are currently more than 2,500 distinct Salmonella serotypes, and more than half of them are associated with Salmonella enterica. An increasing global public health concern for humans and animals is antimicrobial resistance by Salmonella species worldwide. Salmonella infections can be lethal; conditioned with an increased prevalence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains in the future. The emergence of MDR Salmonella serotypes is considerably …

Investigating The Mass Mortality Induced Factors Of Pearl Oyster (Pinctada Radiata) At Abu Dhabi Pearls Farm, Uae, Hamad Ahmed Almansoori

Theses

The aquaculture of shellfish plays a crucial role in enhancing maritime environments by mitigating algal blooms and improving water quality through the filtration of organic matter, nutrients, and bacteria. This study investigated the environmental factors influencing oyster (Pinctada radiata) mortalities through a comprehensive analysis of water quality in Al Mirfa and Al Mughirah farming sites of Abu Dhabi (UAE), from February 2021 to February 2022. To reach such understanding of the main factors led to mass mortalities of cultivated oysters, different monthly sampling and both chemical and biological analyses of the farm water, sediments as well as for both living …

Low Elevation Coastal Zone (Lecz) Population Social Vulnerability And Risk: A Spatial Analysis Based On The 2015-16 National Family Health Survey (Nfhs-4) Of India, Paradorn Wongchanapai

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background & Problem Statement:

This study assessed social vulnerability and risk to hydroclimate hazards of Indian urban and rural populations in the Low Elevation Coastal Zone (LECZ), a contiguous coastal area with elevations less than 10 meters. The LECZ is considered an at-risk area as hydroclimate hazards tend to be heightened. Moreover, being the most populous country in the world, any hydroclimate hazards that hit the LECZ would disproportionately impact a large number of Indian populations. Understanding the social vulnerability and risk of the LECZ populations can help mitigate and prevent potential adverse outcomes for the populations.

Importantly, this study …

Integration Of Field- And Space-Based Observations Toward Assessing Drivers Of Biogeochemical Variability Across Vulnerable Coastal Ecosystems, Alana B. Menendez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis uses new field datasets and satellite ocean color products to quantify biogeochemical variability in three coastal regions: Long Island Sound estuary, the coastline of the Bay of Bengal extending east to the Mekong Delta, and the Yukon River Delta. These three study regions have vastly different size domains, climates, populations, and economies, but all require enhanced coastal water monitoring in the face of climate change. These regions are all naturally dynamic and experience strong seasonal phenomena but are also subject to changing hydrological forcings and direct anthropogenic perturbations. This leaves these coastal areas vulnerable to altered biogeochemical cycling, …

A Road Map For Developing Novel Decision Support System (Dss) For Disseminating Integrated Pest Management (Ipm) Technologies, Franck B.N. Tonle, Saliou Niassy, Milliam M.Z. Ndadji, Maurice T. Tchendji, Armand Nzeukou, Bester T. Mudereri, Kennedy Senagi, Henri E.Z. Tonnang

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technologies offer effective solutions to reduce the negative effects of crop pests while considering human and environmental health. However, disseminating these technologies faces several barriers, with one of the most significant being the lack of farmer awareness regarding their availability, deployment, and uptake. Digital tools are perceived as a new form of leverage for overcoming these barriers. This study analyzes current IPM digital tools and their potential to boost farmers’ awareness of the deployment and adoption of IPM technologies. From a software engineering perspective, this study aims to emphasize the critical functionalities and limitations of various …

Forests Are Chill: The Interplay Between Thermal Comfort And Mental Wellbeing, Loïc Gillerot, Kevin Rozario, Pieter De Frenne, Rachel Oh, Quentin Ponette, Aletta Bonn, Winston T. L. Chow, Douglas Godbold, Matthias Steinparzaer, Daniela Haluza, Dries Landuyt, Bart Muys, Kris Verheyen

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

As global warming and urbanisation intensify unabated, a growing share of the human population is exposed to dangerous heat levels. Trees and forests can effectively mitigate such heat alongside numerous health co-benefits like improved mental wellbeing. Yet, which forest types are objectively and subjectively coolest to humans, and how thermal and mental wellbeing interact, remain understudied. We surveyed 223 participants in peri-urban forests with varying biodiversity levels in Austria, Belgium and Germany. Using microclimate sensors, questionnaires and saliva cortisol measures, we monitored intra-individual changes in thermal and mental states from non-forest baseline to forest conditions. Forests reduced daytime modified Physiologically …

Machine Learning-Enhanced All-Photovoltaic Blended Systems For Energy-Efficient Sustainable Buildings, Mohammad Nur-E-Alam, Kazi Z. Mostofa, Boon K. Yap, Mohammad K. Basher, Mohammad A. Islam, Mikhail Vasiliev, Manzoore E. M. Soudagar, Narottam Das, Tiong S. Kiong

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The focus of this work is on the optimization of an all-photovoltaic hybrid power generation systems for energy-efficient and sustainable buildings, aiming for net-zero emissions. This research proposes a hybrid approach combining conventional solar panels with advanced solar window systems and building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. By analyzing the meteorological data and using the simulation models, we predict energy outputs for different cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Toronto, Auckland, Cape Town, Riyadh, and Kuwait City. Although there are long payback times, our simulations demonstrate that the proposed all-PV blended system can meet the energy needs of modern buildings (up …

Semantic Segmentation Of Longitudinal Thermal Images For Identification Of Hot And Cool Spots In Urban Areas, Vasantha Ramani, Pandarasamy Arjunan, Kameshwar Poolla, Clayton Miller

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This work presents the analysis of semantically segmented, longitudinally, and spatially rich thermal images collected at the neighborhood scale to identify hot and cool spots in urban areas. An infrared observatory was operated over a few months to collect thermal images of different types of buildings on the educational campus of the National University of Singapore. A subset of the thermal image dataset was used to train state-of-the-art deep learning models to segment various urban features such as buildings, vegetation, sky, and roads. It was observed that the U-Net segmentation model with ‘resnet34’ CNN backbone has the highest mIoU score …

Local Habitat Composition And Complexity Outweigh Seascape Effects On Fish Distributions Across A Tropical Seascape, Molly Moustaka, Richard D. Evans, Gary A. Kendrick, Glenn A. Hyndes, Michael V. W. Cuttler, Tahlia J. Bassett, Michael J. O’Leary, Shaun K. Wilson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Context: The distribution of animals is influenced by a complex interplay of landscape, environmental, habitat, and anthropogenic factors. While the effects of each of these forces on fish assemblages have been studied in isolation, the implications of their combined influence within a seascape remain equivocal. Objectives: We assessed the importance of local habitat composition, seascape configuration, and environmental conditions for determining the abundance, diversity, and functional composition of fish assemblages across a tropical seascape. Methods: We quantified fish abundance in coral, macroalgal, mangrove, and sand habitats throughout the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. A full-subsets modelling approach was used that incorporated …

Rewilding Our Story: Using Storytelling To Combat Climate Change, Calli Lambard

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Calli Lambard, WCU Office of Sustainability, Rewilding Our Story: Using Storytelling to Combat Climate Change