Digital Commons Network^™

The Importance Of Body Size And Spatial Scale In Modeling Winter Bird Distributions, Carissa M. Mobley

Student Publications

Birds’ annual cycles include biologically linked breeding and non-breeding seasons, yet most research and bird atlases focus exclusively on the breeding season. There have been very few winter bird atlas projects in North America, and none have been published for the northeastern United States. Short daylight hours and harsh weather limit winter survey coverage, making species distribution models (SDMs) essential for addressing spatial gaps.

I evaluated the optimal spatial scale for SDMs across bird species differing in body size and tested whether optimal scale varies with body mass. Using 16,967 eBird checklists collected during the first winter survey period (December …

Interspecific Overlap In Seabird Diet Throughout The Breeding Season, Alexis V. Berkey

Student Publications

Seabirds are central-place foragers that breed in multi-species colonies, providing an opportunity to study species coexistence. I quantified interspecific competition among four seabird species (common terns Sterna hirundo, Arctic terns Sterna paradisaea, Atlantic puffins Fratercula arctica, black guillemots Cepphus grylle) breeding in the Gulf of Maine in 2022, 2024, and 2025. I hypothesized that, throughout the breeding season, 1) seabird diet would change and 2) interspecific overlap in diet would increase. I compared diets across species and time using direct observation of prey feeds and stable isotope values of seabird egg membranes and blood, which provide …

Phenol–Chloroform Dna Extraction For Dna Amplification From Personal Items, Aditya Rahman Ernanto, Dinda Amaliyatul Khasanah, Yunita Aldirahayu, Rizki Setiyaningrum, Arya Iswara

Makara Journal of Science

This study examined the feasibility of extracting DNA from various personal items using the phenol–chloroform–isoamyl alcohol (PCIA) method. A towel, collared shirt, toothbrush, shower puff, comb, hair tie, and buccal swabs were analyzed. The quality of the DNA extraction, along with DNA concentration, purity, and suitability for multiplex PCR amplification, were evaluated. The shower puff exhibited the highest DNA concentration (68.35 ng/µL), whereas the collared shirt yielded the lowest (26.43 ng/µL). All samples exhibited good DNA purity (A260 nm/A280 nm ranging from 1.827 to 1.985), emphasizing the potential of this method for forensic analysis. Factors influencing DNA concentration included material …

Comparison Of Heavy Metal Accumulation In Soil And Wood Core Within Tallassee And Tuskegee, Alabama, Alicia R. Wilson, Brianna Smith, Latricia Miller, Rashidah Farid

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Heavy metals are natural components of the environment and can be relatively non-impactful in low concentrations. However, high concentrations of heavy metal toxicity can result in air, water, and soil contamination that adversely impacts environmental, human, and wildlife health. This study focuses on detecting the presence of heavy metals in soil, Loblolly Pine tree bark, and wood core samples from sites near a landfill in the Tallassee, Alabama, community and a post-agricultural site in Tuskegee, Alabama. It has been hypothesized that heavy metals are present in soil, tree bark, and the tree’s wood core from sampling sites. Samples were taken …

Key Elements Of Mission-Based Urban Agriculture In The United States Aimed At Addressing The Social Determinants Of Health, Jordan Losavio

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Urban agriculture (UA) in the United States (U.S.) is increasingly positioned as a multi-domain strategy for addressing social determinants of health (SDOH), yet evidence is fragmented and often focused on participant outcomes rather than the organizational and environmental conditions that determine whether those benefits can be sustained, expanded, or maintained over time. This dissertation uses an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to clarify (1) what SDOH outcomes are associated with UA in the peer-reviewed literature, (2) which internal and external factors leaders perceive as driving UA organizational success or failure, and (3) which factors predict comparative organizational functioning across a national …

Ozone Pollution Reduction Partially Offsets The Negative Impact Of Climate Change Mitigation Efforts On Global Hunger, Shujuan Xia, Tomoko Hasegawa, Thanapat Jansakoo, Daniel Mason-D’Croz, Kazuaki Tsuchiya, Shinichiro Fujimori, Maksym Chepeliev, Marta Kozicka, Abhijeet Mishra, Willem-Jan Van Zeist, Xin Zhao, Thijs De Lange, Thais Diniz Oliveira, Jonathan C. Doelman, Matthew Gibson, Petr Havlík, Mario Herrero, Ipsita Kumar, Yuki Ochi, Timothy B. Sulser, Marina Sundiang, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Jun’Ya Takakura, Keith Wiebe

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Studies warning of the potential negative effects of climate mitigation on food security through the competing use of land for bioenergy and afforestation have overlooked the impact of reduced ozone and its potential enhancement of crop yields. Here we use six global agro-economic models to compare the impacts of climate change with climate mitigation policy and ozone reduction on agriculture. We find that ozone reduction could reduce the negative impact of a 1.5 °C-consistent climate change mitigation policy on global hunger by 15% in 2050. Sub-Saharan Africa and India, where hunger is most severe, account for 56% of this global …

The Sortee Guidelines For Data And Code Quality Control In Ecology And Evolutionary Biology, Joel L. Pick, Bethany J. Allen, Benedicte Bachelot, Kevin R. Bairos-Novak, Jack A. Brand, Barbara Class, Tad Dallas, Pietro B. D'Amelio, Erola Fenollosa, Esteban Fernández-Juricic, Dylan G. Gomes, Matthew J. Grainger, Thomas Guillemaud, John Christian, Ruby Krasnow, Malgorzata Lagisz, Sebastian Lequime, Daniel S. Maynard, Shinichi Nakagawa, Rose E. O'Dea, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Open data and code are crucial to increasing transparency and reproducibility, and in building trust in scientific research. However, despite an increasing number of journals in ecology and evolutionary biology mandating for data and code to be archived alongside published articles, the amount and quality of archived data and code, and subsequent reproducibility of results, has remained worryingly low. As a result, a handful of journals have recruited dedicated data editors, whose role is to help authors increase the overall quality of archived data and code. There is, however, a general lack of consensus around what a data editor should …

The Modern Sisyphus Blows Leaves: Attitudes And Impacts Regarding Leaf Litter Removal On A Suburban Campus, A. C. Nony, M. R. Mcclung, M. L. Reid

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Leaf litter habitat disruption in suburban spaces stems from the prevalence of “lawn culture,” that is, the accepted societal norm that land immediately surrounding humans or meant for human recreational use should be clean, tidy, controlled, and aesthetically pleasing, above other considerations. When leaf litter on residential and recreational lawns is cleared, it removes vital habitat for organisms of several taxa, especially species that rely on litter as a moisture and temperature-controlled substrate for overwintering. We administered an opinion survey to students, staff, and faculty at Hendrix College, a highly residential and suburban campus in Conway, Arkansas, to assess views …

Metagenomic Insights Into Antimicrobial Resistance In Small-Scale Poultry And Cattle Farms, Elijah Ayilaran, Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge

Food and Animal Sciences Faculty Research

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical challenge to global health, with food animal production systems recognized as significant reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. This study evaluated the prevalence and distribution of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factors (VFs) across small-scale poultry and cattle farms. A total of 468 samples (soil, feces, water, and natural land soil) were collected from four farms and analyzed using shotgun metagenomics. Proteobacteria (34.91%) were the dominant phylum across environments, followed by Cyanobacteria (15.67%), Actinobacteria (14.95%), Firmicutes (10.57%), and Bacteroidetes (8.69%). Tetracycline (33.41%) and beta-lactam (30.30%) resistance genes were the most abundant, with macrolide (9.32%) and …

Aquatic Interrelations In Malika Mokeddem’S Novel N’Zid (2001), Laura C. Klein

Green Humanities: A Journal of Ecological Thought in Literature, Philosophy & the Arts

This article offers an ecological analysis of Malika Mokeddem's novel N'Zid (2001), moving beyond postcolonial and anthropocentric interpretations. It centers on the protagonist Nora's individuation, arguing this process is intrinsically linked to her evolving relationship with the aquatic environment from which she emerges. The article aims to situate N'Zid within an ecological perspective, particularly relevant in the Anthropocene, an era compelling a reassessment of humanity's place. Echoing Bruno Latour, addressing inter-relationality is essential as the stable physical framework of the Moderns becomes unstable. This view necessitates rethinking environmental issues and encourages a scientific interpretation of the novel, drawing on neurosciences, …

Ecologic Factors Contributing To West Nile Virus Hyperendemicity In Central South Carolina: An Integrated Vector–Human–Environmental Study, Elba S. Fridriksson, Ahayla Muraleedharan, Kyndall C. Dye-Braumuller, Madeleine M. Meyer, Kia Zellars, Hiuxuan Li, Melissa S. Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

West Nile virus (WNV) is an endemic arboviral infection in the United States that has undergone phyloge-netic evolution since its introduction 25 years ago. An integrated vector–human–pathogen study was conducted in the summer of 2023 to unearth contemporary Culex quinquefasciatus habitat patterns and human transmission spillover foci in South Carolina, a state with historically little WNV data. A serosurvey revealed WNV seroprevalence 10 times the national average (22% versus 2%, respectively), with unusual epidemiologic risk factors. Female Culex quinquefas-ciatus WNV positivity was low (2.7%), with viral phylogenetics 100% homologous to the WN02 clade. Mosquito vectors clustered in affluent urban neighborhoods …

Hold Paramount The Health, Safety, And Welfare Of The Public And The Planet, Daniel B. Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Fighting The Black Snake: The Dapl And The Case For Indigenous Environmental Stewardship, Kenny Moll

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis analyzes the current scope of environmental injustice on Native lands in the U.S. Specifically it examines The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) and its impacts on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North Dakota. Western colonialism and capitalism have dominated North American ecosystems since their forcible introduction hundreds of years ago, causing the commodification of natural resources and leading to injustices such as that of the “Black Snake.” However, the story of The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s resistance will be analyzed through the framework of Indigenous philosophy and environmental justice. Chapter 1 analyzes the implementation of the DAPL and …

Long-Term Changes In Relative Humidity And Soil Wetness: Implications On Agriculture And Environmental Sustainability In Western Himalaya, Ashwani Ashwani, Pankaj Kumar

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Long-term climate changes in humidity and soil wetness in the cold deserts of the Western Himalaya are still not well researched. Understanding the long-term trends of relative humidity (RH) and soil moisture is crucial in high-altitude, cold desert regions for effective agricultural management and environmental sustainability. The study was conducted in a part of the western Himalaya, which is an ecologically fragile zone with a highly sensitive agricultural region that is vulnerable to climatic variations. A comprehensive study was conducted to evaluate the spatiotemporal variability of RH and soil wetness by means four techniques: Mann-Kendall, Modified Mann-Kendall, Sen’s slope estimator, …

Non-Invasive Monitoring Of Camel Hair From A Free-Grazing Herd As A Biomarker In Linking Environmental Exposure And Nutritional Status In Desert Ecosystems, Ibrahim Albokhadaim

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Camels are vital livestock in arid regions, yet their elemental exposure remains underexplored, particularly through non-invasive biomarkers. This study is novel in applying camel hair as a non-invasive, long-term biomarker to assess nutritional adequacy and environmental exposure in a free-grazing desert herd, with age-stratified evaluation of essential and toxic element accumulation. For this purpose, a cross-sectional study was conducted on a herd of 18 apparently healthy camels (≤6 months: 28%; >6 months: 72%). Initially, hair samples were collected, washed, digested, and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The samples were then analyzed to determine the concentrations of 12 …

Dna Of Leadership To Guide Our Existential Purposes Toward Kindness, Hakan Kapucu

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

This article examines the intersection of leadership and humanity’s quest for existential purpose, highlighting the role of human values such as kindness, empathy, respect, and ethics in guiding individuals toward meaning. It examines how existential purposes—shaped by philosophical, spiritual, social, and scientific perspectives—align with values that foster personal fulfillment and collective well-being. The article highlights the potential of leaders to address existential struggles, such as the dread of insignificance or isolation, by creating purpose-driven workplaces. Two leadership styles, servant leadership and technoversal leadership, are presented as exemplary models. Servant leadership prioritizes community, fostering environments where individuals discover purpose through shared …

Agrivoltaics Swot Analysis For Implementation In The United States, Vani Ramesh

UROP Posters

Agrivoltaics is the implementation of solar installations alongside agricultural land in order to improve the efficiency of land usage in both industries. Research in European and Asian countries developing agriculture and solar developments in tandem has indicated that implementation in the United States, including Virginia, is feasible and beneficial. The US has the highest energy use per capita in the world, with the increase of various technologies has resulted in land developments using higher energy levels than previously. While Virginia’s energy demand has increased with the addition of data centers. Increased energy demand and food security requirements have unearthed policy/political …

When Words Flow Like Water: How The Enbridge Line 3 Pipeline Environmental Impact Statement Failed To Prevent Hydrogeologic Harm In Minnesota, Carly Gutzmann

Journal of Earth and Life Science

For the aquifers of Minnesota, the environmental impact statement (EIS) was a promise of protection that never left the page. An environmental impact statement is meant to be an aid in the decision making process in order to ensure that projects consider potential environmental harms that may occur. However, they are often used instead as another regulatory box to check, rather than as active considerations when planning. As such, a project plan can be flawed from the start—if project developers only consider environmental impacts after they have already put considerable time, effort, and funding into their project as-is, they may …

Dietary Ecology Of Waterfowl Nest Predators In The Prairie Pothole Region: Evaluating Resource Use From Species To Individual Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Grace Barthelmess

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Nest predation is a primary factor influencing waterfowl productivity in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America. Although this system is intensely managed and studied, research has largely focused on how predators affect waterfowl populations, with comparatively little attention to how predators actually rely on waterfowl as a resource. Understanding predator feeding ecology is therefore critical for informing effective management strategies and interpreting the complexity of predator-prey interactions on this landscape. My objective overall was to elucidate the feeding ecology of nine focal predator species commonly associated with waterfowl nest predation in the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion of the PPR: …

Factors Affecting Diet Selection In Sheep Fed Endophyte-Infected Toxic Fescue, Jordan Thomas, Ronelson Stinfil, Kenneth P. Coffey, Christine C. Nieman, Derico Setyabrata, Shawna Weimer

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) S.J. Darbyshire) infected with toxin‑producing fungi can induce fescue toxicosis in grazing ruminants, reducing performance and altering forage intake. Chemical compounds in red clover (Trifolium pratense), such as biochanin A, have been proposed to mitigate these effects by improving palatability and blood vessel relaxation. This study examined whether the inclusion of ground red clover (GRC), either alone or in combination with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and polyethylene glycol (PEG), affected voluntary diet selection in lambs offered toxic fescue. Thirty‑three lambs were housed individually and assigned randomly to one of four diets: (1) toxic …

An Ecological-Evolutionary Investigation Of Phenotypic, Genetic, And Environmental Variation And Correlations Among Reproductive Traits Of Tall Goldenrod (Solidago Altissima), Michael J. Wise, Daniel Lavy, David E. Carr, Warren G. Abrahamson Ii

Faculty Journal Articles

Although fitness-related traits are expected to be under strong selection, traits related to reproduction are often quite variable within plant populations. We used data from two large greenhouse experiments to quantify phenotypic, genetic, and environmental variation, as well as genetic tradeoffs that might help explain the maintenance of withinpopulation variation in four traits related to sexual or vegetative reproduction in tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima). The goldenrod population exhibited high levels of both phenotypic and genetic variation for capitulum (flower head) number and size, seed production, and rhizome growth. Significant negative genetic correlations were present between the number of capitula and …

Preserving The Identity Of Historic Coptic Orthodox Monasteries In Egypt Under Contemporary Pressures: Case Studies Of St. Bishoy And St. Anthony Monasteries, George Medhat Adeeb, Mohamed Khairy Amin, Mohamed Ahmed Al-Sherbiny

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Historic Coptic Orthodox monasteries in Egypt (HCOMEs) represent an important component of Christian heritage, integrating architectural value with enduring spiritual traditions that reflect both tangible and intangible dimensions. However, contemporary development and changing functional demands are generating transformations that may affect their identity if not carefully managed. Despite extensive scholarship, limited research has systematically examined these transformations through a structured evaluative approach. This study addresses this gap by developing and applying an analytical and evaluation framework to examine how contemporary pressures influence the historical, architectural-spatial, and spiritual identity of HCOMEs, and to assess the effectiveness of monastic responses. The framework …

Development Of Enhanced Dingo Optimization Algorithm For Distribution Network Reconfiguration, Samson Oladayo Ayanlade, Ignatius Kema Okakwu, Richard Oladayo Olarewaju, Ayodeji Akinsoji Okubanjo, Joseph Bukola Samson, Oluwadare Adepeju Adebisi, Emmanuel Idowu Ogunwole, Oluwadare Olatunde Akinrogunde

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This paper presents the Enhanced Dingo Optimization Algorithm (EDOA) to reconfigure the radial distribution network with the long-standing problem of active power loss minimization while maintaining a stable and acceptable voltage profile. EDOA enhances the standard Dingo Optimization Algorithm (DOA) through the integration of adaptive search control, elite-guided local refinement, and crossover-based diversity preservation mechanisms tailored for distribution network reconfiguration problems. The proposed method has been tested on two test systems: the IEEE 33-bus standard as well as the real-world Ayepe 34-bus distribution feeder in Ibadan, Nigeria. In the IEEE 33-bus test system, EDOA reduces active power loss by 56.00%; …

Strengthening Ocean Literacy: Marine Science Education And Training To Ensure Australia's Blue Future, Prue Francis, Rachel Kelly, Louise Swanson, Tanveer M. Adyel, Benjamin Arthur, Kirsten Benkendorff, Melanie J. Bishop, Helen Bostock, Marnie L. Campbell, Emma Church, Corrine Condie, Vaibhavi Dwivedi, Michelle Dyer, Matthew England, Liam Fullbrook, Charlie Huveneers, Malcolm Johnson, Brianna Le Busque, Rebecca R. Mcintosh, Amelie Meyer, Benjamin Mos, Jana Mrazova, Allyson O'Brien, Gretta T. Pecl, Amandine Schaeffer, Rebecca J. Shellock, Grant A. Smith, Scott Smithers, Ana Vila-Concejo, Graham Wood

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This white paper sets out a national vision for advancing ocean literacy in Australia and outlines the role of marine science in fostering an informed, engaged society capable of addressing the challenges and opportunities of our changing oceans. As environmental pressures intensify, and marine resource demands increase, Australians’ capacity to engage with ocean issues, understand risks and opportunities, and participate in marine decision-making has never been more urgent. Marine science will play a central role in building ocean literacy by delivering credible, actionable science, and strengthening education and training systems that enhance understanding of, and connection to, the ocean. Our …

The Evolution Of California Wildfire Governance Through State Bills, Regulations, And Executive Actions, Cassandra Dawn Blevins

History and Political Science | Senior Theses

California faces an escalating wildfire crisis, driven by climate change, drought, and development in fire-prone areas. Despite decades of scientific research on wildfire behavior and risk reduction, catastrophic fires since 2017 raise a critical question: to what extent have California state laws and policies kept up with the intensifying wildfire crisis? Existing scholarship provides extensive insight into wildfire ecology, land-use planning, fuel management, and community resilience, yet it lacks a comprehensive evaluation of whether California’s legislative, regulatory, and executive actions have adapted in a coordinated and evidence-informed manner. In particular, the literature offers limited analysis of how state laws integrate …

The Impacts Of Wing-Flashing By Northern Mockingbirds On Foraging, Parental Care, And Reproductive Success, Anna R. Starman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Foraging efficiency may be enhanced by flashing patches of white wing and tail feathers and has been documented in several avian species. Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos, NOMO) exhibit this “wing-flashing” (WF) behavior while foraging, during displays, and in response to predators. In NOMOs, WF has been hypothesized to increase foraging success, but previous findings are inconclusive. To further investigate the biological role(s) of WF behavior in NOMOs, the ventral surface of white primary feathers of male NOMOs were artificially darkened, and the foraging and provisioning rates of undarkened (control) males and their mates were compared. While foraging, undarkened …

Public Perception Of Environmental Contamination And Its Implications For Fish And Community Health In West Bengal, India, Libia Hazra

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In West Bengal, India, the highest fish-consuming state in the country, fish are woven into everyday life, including ceremonies of birth and marriage, prayers offered during harvesting and the cultural memory of communities whose identities are inseparable from aquatic life. However, the rivers, wetlands, and ponds that sustain these fish-human relationships are increasingly threatened by environmental contamination resulting from industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, and inadequate environmental management. Understanding how communities perceive these environmental changes is essential for developing effective conservation and public health strategies.

In collaboration between the Indian Institute of Technology (ITT) Kharagpur, India, and Michigan Technological University (USA), …

Neonicotinoid Bioaccumulation In Bluegill And Bullhead Within Lake Julia And Lake Zumwalde, Jake Stuber

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus, Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis, and Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus are unique in their stark differences. Bullhead are scaleless bottom feeders that can tolerate high pollution and low O₂ conditions. In contrast, Bluegill are scaled, aggressive nesters and are less tolerant of high pollutants or low-oxygen conditions. Among these pollutants include a class of chemicals called neonicotinoids (hereafter referred to as neonics). Neonics are a class of insecticides primarily used within agriculture and pest management. Due to the effectiveness, application has escalated on a global scale. They have been well documented by many toxicology assessments. …

Indigenous Land Seizure & Environmental Injustice: Impacts Of Settler Colonialism, Lydia Moorman

Journal of Earth and Life Science

The fields of conservation and environmentalism prioritize ecosystem health, yet both emerged from western frameworks that displaced and criminalized Indigenous land stewardship. The idealization of “pristine wilderness” narratives served to justify the removal of Indigenous peoples from their homelands and erased millennia of sustainable land stewardship that had maintained ecological balance long before western conservation existed. These narratives not only misrepresented Indigenous relationship with land but also constructed a false dichotomy between humans and nature that positioned Indigenous presence as a threat rather than a source of ecological knowledge. Simultaneously, anthropogenic expansion; such as pipelines, mining, railroads, and other extractive …

Unlocking Green Potential In Indonesian Small Medium Enterprises: Challenges And Opportunities For Sustainable Vermicelli Production, Togar W. S. Panjaitan, Karina Agustin, Prayonne Adi, Jani Rahardjo, I Nyoman Sutapa

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Due to limited initiatives and support, the transition to green manufacturing among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries remains challenging. Through a critical literature review and case study of the Indonesian vermicelli industry, this study highlights the importance of collaboration and strong policies to address this. Other findings also reveal that the energy intensity and emissions in the sector exceed best practice benchmarks, with the cooking and drying stages contributing significantly to emissions due to high energy consumption. Lack of government regulations, company awareness, and understanding of applicable practices and technologies creates challenges in green manufacturing. The study …