Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond What Is Heard: A Documentary Film About Acoustic Ecology As Sustainability Activism, Jesse Rolfe

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Acoustic ecology is an interdisciplinary field that studies the relationship between sounds, sound sources, and environment they exist within. From an environmental perspective, this involves a holistic consideration of ecosystems, and how the various organisms within that ecosystem, including humans, impact and interact with each other through sound. Biosphere Soundscapes, an international, interdisciplinary project directed by Australian acoustic ecologist Dr. Leah Barclay, operates to engage communities within UNESCO Biosphere Reserves through acoustic-ecological concepts, monitoring, and techniques. In November 2016, I undertook the process of creating a short documentary film entitled Beyond What is Heard, which aimed to explore how the …

Conservation As Mutualism: A Case Study Of Thulo Syafru, Jennifer S. Brady

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examined the opinions, perceptions, and knowledge of residents of Thulo Syafru, a small village in the buffer zone of Langtang National Park, Nepal, regarding conservation efforts spearheaded by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and the World Wide Fund for Nature. 26 community members were interviewed along with key figures in community leadership and the two aforementioned organizations. Thulo Syafru is an essential location for red panda conservation, leading to many conservation efforts being focused in the area. Overall, people expressed very positive opinions regarding red pandas and their protection, positive attitudes about conservation, and appreciation …

Urban Agriculture As Embedded In The Social And Solidarity Economy Basel: Developing Sustainable Communities, Isidor Wallimann

Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration

The Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) is a viable strategy in dealing with some contemporary problems known both in industrial and developing countries. Addressed is how local populations could reach certain objectives and satisfy certain needs using techniques characteristic of SSE and, thus, carve out a social and economic space of their own vis-à-vis anonymous markets, global actors, local and national elites. Illustrated further is this strategy on the example of Urban Agriculture Basel, a unit of the Social Economy Basel. Within this self governed space, it is suggested, a path can be laid for the necessary transition towards local, …

Parallel Mutations Result In A Wide Range Of Cooperation And Community Consequences In A Two-Species Bacterial Consortium, Sarah Douglas, Lon Chubiz, William Harcombe, F. Ytreberg, Christopher Marx

Biology Department Faculty Works

Multi-species microbial communities play a critical role in human health, industry, and waste remediation. Recently, the evolution of synthetic consortia in the laboratory has enabled adaptation to be addressed in the context of interacting species. Using an engineered bacterial consortium, we repeatedly evolved cooperative genotypes and examined both the predictability of evolution and the phenotypes that determine community dynamics. Eight Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains evolved methionine excretion sufficient to support growth of an Escherichia coli methionine auxotroph, from whom they required excreted growth substrates. Non-synonymous mutations in metA, encoding homoserine trans-succinylase (HTS), were detected in each evolved S. enterica …

Transforming The Wku Office Of Sustainability's Front Yard Into An Edible Landscape, Alexandra Hezik

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Since moving to 503 Regents Avenue in Fall 2013, the WKU Office of Sustainability has served as a sustainable best practices demonstration home for the WKU and Bowling Green communities. Not only does the house in which the Office of Sustainability is located serve as an educational tool for people, but also the landscape. In May 2014, the WKU Community Garden was established in the backyard. The transformation of the Office of Sustainability’s front lawn into an edible landscape began on April 1, 2015. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate an alternative to conventional lawns.

Gascoyne Demersal Scalefish Resource : Draft Harvest Strategy, 2016-2021. Version 1.0, Western Australia. Dept. Of Fisheries.

Fisheries Management Papers

Harvest strategies for aquatic resources managed by the Western Australian Department of Fisheries (the Department) are formal documents prepared to support the decision-making processes and ensure these processes are consistent with the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD; Fletcher 2002) and Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM; Fletcher et al. 2010). The objectives of ESD are reflected in the objects of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA), Section 3, and the draft Aquatic Resources Management Bill 2015 (ARMB), Clause 9, which will replace the FRMA once enacted.

North Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource : Draft Harvest Strategy, 2016-2021. Version 1.0, Western Australia. Dept. Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

Harvest strategies for aquatic resources managed by the Western Australian Department of Fisheries (the Department) are formal documents prepared to support decision-making processes and ensure these processes are consistent with the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD; Fletcher 2002) and Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM; Fletcher et al. 2010). The objectives of ESD are reflected in the objects of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA), Section 3, and the draft Aquatic Resources Management Bill 2015 (ARMB), Clause 9, which will replace the FRMA once enacted.

North Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource : Draft Harvest Strategy : 2016 – 2021 : Version 1.0, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

No abstract provided.

Gascoyne Demersal Scalefish Resource : Draft Harvest Strategy : 2016 – 2021 : Version 1.0, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

No abstract provided.

A Primer In Community-Based Social Marketing, Ivy Thomson, Roslynn Brain

All Current Publications

This guide is written to help produce behavioral changes within communities. It was not produced just for people who specialize in marketing or public outreach, but for the administrative assistants in small organizations who need to draft a program to increase use of public transportation, for parents who want to improve local air quality for their children, for students who want to initiate sustainable behaviors at their schools, the frustrated commuters who would like to decrease traffic congestion.

An Inquiry Into The Pedagogical Implications Of Dewey’S Ecological Thinking, Simon Jorgenson

Occasional Paper Series

My primary purpose is to (re)examine Dewey in the context of contemporary conceptions of ecology and environmental education. With this in mind, I will focus primarily on what Dewey has to say about the natural world, beginning with his general philosophy and moving through several of his educational works.

Full Issue, Volume 4, Number 2, Donna J. Peterson

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

Studying Macroinvertebrate Diversity In An Urbanized Watershed Of Rock Island, Illinois., Brittany A. Poynor

Biology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Urban land-use covers millions of hectares in the United States. Rock Island is an urbanized city in Illinois, U.S.A. that currently has issues with their stormwater system due to being an urban area. For the past few years, the water quality of the streams in this watershed has been examined, but the biodiversity which can also contribute to water quality knowledge, has not been studied in depth.

The study proposed in this paper is based on the amount of biodiversity in the streams at ten sites in the Rock Island watershed and the water quality at those same sites. It …

Networks And Landscapes: A Framework For Setting Goals And Evaluating Performance At The Large Landscape Scale, R.P. Bixler, S. Johnson, K. Emerson, T. Nabatchi, M. Reuling, C. Curtin, Michele Romolini, J.M. Grove

Center for Urban Resilience Scholarship

The objective of large landscape conservation is to mitigate complex ecological problems through interventions at multiple and overlapping scales. Implementation requires coordination among a diverse network of individuals and organizations to integrate local‐scale conservation activities with broad‐scale goals. This requires an understanding of the governance options and how governance regimes achieve objectives or provide performance evaluation across both space and time. However, empirical assessments measuring network‐governance performance in large landscape conservation are limited. We describe a well‐established large landscape conservation network in North America, the Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent, to explore the application of a social–ecological performance …

Influence Of Traditional Taboo Practices On Natural Resource Conservation In Uli, Ihiala Local Government Area Of Anambra State Nigeria; Sustainable Community Development., Geoffrey O. Anoliefo, Paul Anulika Nwokeji, Beckley Ikhajiagbe

Journal of Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is the conservation and maintenance of the ecological integrity of a given area. The present study investigated the effective use of traditional laws and taboo practices in the preservation of the natural resources of Uli, a town in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State Nigeria. The study examined strategies employed in environmental sustainability in this area at the period leading upto Nigeria’s independence in 1960, impact of the civil war (1967-1970) and its aftermath till date. The instruments used for the data collection included literature review, field survey using the questionnaire, one on one oral interviews and …

An Analysis Of The Characteristics And Practices Of Selected Alabama Small Livestock Producers: A Focus On Economics And Marketing, Jannette R. Bartlett, Nii O. Tackie, Mst Nusrat Jahan, Akua Adu-Gyamfi

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

The study examined the characteristics and practices of small livestock producers, focusing on economics and marketing. Data were obtained from a convenience sample of 121 small producers from several South Central Alabama counties, and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including chi-square tests. The socioeconomic characteristics reflected a higher proportion of part-time farmers; a higher proportion with at most a two-year/technical degree or some college education; and a higher proportion with $40,000 or less annual household income. A majority had been farming more than thirty years, and most had small herds. Also, very few made profits; many sold animals live …

Sustaining The Saco Estuary: Final Report 2015, Christine B. Feurt Ph D, Pamela A. Morgan, Mark D. O. Adams, Anna L. Bass, Carrie J. Byron, Michael C. Daley, Michael O. Esty, Noah G. Perlut, Kayla Smith, Tyler Spillane, Michelle M. Steen-Adams, James Sulikowski, Stephan I. Zeeman, Jacob Aman, Michele Dionne, Jeremy Miller, Kristin Wilson

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

This study focuses on the Saco estuary, the tidal portion of the Saco River, which drains the largest watershed in southern Maine. With headwaters in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the watershed encompasses more than 4,400 km², and provides clean healthy drinking water to over 100,000 people living and working in communities in southern Maine.

When the study began in 2009, very little was known about the ecology of the Saco estuary. Researchers at the University of New England and the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve employed the process of collaborative learning to bring together people who …

Indications Of Ancient Maya Soil Resource Management In Northern Belize, Austin Michael Ulmer

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to use soil chemical properties, particularly carbon isotopes to describe the agricultural landscape in the Blue Creek region on the Rio Bravo Escarpment in northwestern Belize. The primary question associated with this study focused on the comparative agricultural potential of the soils between the upland karst environment and the lowland coastal plains using the distribution and frequency of ancient Maya maize production. Soil physical features, such as clay concentrations throughout profiles in conjunction with soil chemical properties were used to aid in determining the level of ancient maize production. Isotopic evidence suggests that anciently, …

What Is Valuable?, Kelly Harer

SR & SC Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

The Grand Gleaners Project Analysis, Kara D. Cook, Cody Gallagher, Elliott Holzman, Jonathan Neracher, Emily Miotke

LIB 322: Wicked Problems of Sustainability

The Heartside Gleaning Initiative (HGI) is a Grand Rapids based non-profit organization that collects unsold produce from the city’s two farmers markets and distributes it to the low-income residents of the Heartside Neighborhood. Through their efforts they increase access to healthy and local foods as well as combat food waste in the Heartside Community. Seeing the value of this work, we, an interdisciplinary team of Grand Valley State University students, sought to further the mission of the HGI by focusing predominantly on two vital aspects of any non-profit business: promoting and funding. In the winter semester of 2015 we established …

Growing Community Gardens Through Education, Kaitlyn Becka, Sydney Martis, Rich Mehok

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper explores the process of our leadership experience project on the topic of community gardens. Initially, our proposed research question was where in Akron area is the best location to build a community garden? Based on the primary and secondary research conducted, building a community garden would not be feasible or needed. Our conclusion showed that the real need and importance within the community was an education program on the topic of community gardens rather than planting a real garden. Therefore, the research question was revised to develop an education program focusing on healthy eating, victory gardens, and pollination …

Ancient Humans Influenced The Current Spatial Genetic Structure Of Common Walnut Populations In Asia, Paola Pollegioni, Keith E. Woeste, Francesca Chiocchini, Stefano Del Lungo, Irene Olimpieri, Virginia Tortolano, Jo R. Clark, Gabriel E. Hemery, Sergio P. Mapelli, Maria Emilia Malvolti

Department of Forestry & Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Common walnut (Juglans regia L) is an economically important species cultivated worldwide for its wood and nuts. It is generally accepted that J. regia survived and grew spontaneously in almost completely isolated stands in its Asian native range after the Last Glacial Maximum. Despite its natural geographic isolation, J. regia evolved over many centuries under the influence of human management and exploitation. We evaluated the hypothesis that the current distribution of natural genetic resources of common walnut in Asia is, at least in part, the product of ancient anthropogenic dispersal, human cultural interactions, and afforestation. Genetic analysis combined with ethno-linguistic …

Rural Year-Round Growing To Ameliorate A Possible Negative Effect From Climate Change, Kimberlie A. Brussa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggested that, as the world population grows, food and water shortages will become even more serious issues (IPPC's 2014 predictions about the future effects of climate change (CC), Year-round growing (YRG) may provide a way for communities to extend growing seasons, expand local farm systems, and provide food year round. This case study included a detailed analysis of responses from representatives of all sectors of rural Mesa County, Colorado, regarding YRG and a local food and farm plan due to CC. The case was bounded by time (6 months of data collection) which …

Urban Garden Survival, Phoebe Ferguson, Rachel Martin

Biology Presentations

Urban gardens are community led plots designated for agricultural purposes in residential and urban areas. Greenville County has seen a recent growth in urban gardens with the assistance of non-profit groups like Gardening for Good. The current total in Greenville County stands at 79 with new gardens added every year. While the growth is encouraging, some gardens have failed. This study uses GIS to explore the social and ecological factors that correlate with urban garden survival in an effort to provide garden managers with information that will help them develop gardens that thrive and persist.

Bibliography For Work In Ecocriticism, Zümre Gizem Yılmaz

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

No abstract provided.

University Professors’ Perceptions About The Impact Of Integrating Google Applications On Students’ Communication And Collaboration Skills, Jacqueline L. Cahill

Journal of Research Initiatives

A qualitative research study was conducted and data were collected by interviewing university professors on their perceptions about the impact of integrating Google Apps, as a means of classroom instructional delivery, on students’ communication and collaboration skills. The participants consisted of eight university professors from a major university, who integrate, or had previously integrated at least two Google Apps Education Edition collaborative tools into their instructional strategies. The result of this study has the potential to benefit universities that are debating on whether utilizing teaching collaborative technology skills, as an instruction tool, would engage students and enhance their communication skills. …

Faculty Research Interest Database, David Owerbach

Office of Research Institutional Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The 2014 National Community Summit On Green Infrastructure: Summary Report, Stuart Mendel, Justin Glanville, Julie Quinn

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This report presents key points from each dialogue session, as well as overall themes from the Summit as a whole. These key points and themes were synthesized by dialogue facilitators and representatives from CSU, NEORSD and EPA. In addition, this report presents narrative versions of the lead presentations for each session. These are meant to serve as case studies of best practices to address each session topic.

Vitamin D Status Of College Students: Implications For Health Leaders, Eileen M. Cress

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vitamin D deficiency is considered to be a pandemic with implications for compromised bone health and other chronic diseases. Few studies have examined vitamin D status in college-aged individuals where prevention of future health consequences is still possible. Serum vitamin D 25(OH)D status and vitamin D intake were examined in 98 college students ages 18-29 years during winter. BMI was classified as < 25and 25 or greater. Race was categorized as Caucasian or other. Overall, 69.5% had suboptimal serum vitamin D levels, <30ng/mL. Only 8 students (8.2%) met the EAR (400 IU) per day for vitamin D intake. t tests were used to determine if there were significant differences in serum vitamin D level and dietary intake based on gender, race and BMI. Significant differences were found in serum vitamin D level when compared by gender and race. Females tended to have a higher serum vitamin D level than males. Those representing minorities had lower serum vitamin D levels than Caucasians; One hundred percent of the minority students had suboptimal serum vitamin D levels. Based on these findings, dietitians should increase efforts to target college-aged individuals in educational programming related to factors affecting vitamin D synthesis, vitamin D intake, and health consequences of suboptimal vitamin D status, particularly in winter. Consideration should be given to vitamin D fortification of foods that meet the preferences of today’s consumer.

Forest Management And Wildfire Risk In Inland Northwest, Joel N. Hartter, Forrest R. Stevens, Lawrence C. Hamilton, Paul T. Oester, Russell G. Congalton, Mark J. Ducey, Morgan A. Crowley

Carsey Publications

This brief reports the results of a mail survey of forest landowners in northeastern Oregon conducted in the fall of 2012 by the Communities and Forests in Oregon (CAFOR) Project at the University of Colorado and the University of New Hampshire in cooperation with Oregon State University College of Forestry Extension. The mail survey--a follow-up to a telephone survey conducted for the counties of Baker, Union, and Wallowa in the fall of 2011 -was administered to understand who constituted forest landowners in these three coun¬ties and their perceptions about forest management on both public and private land, as well as …