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Remote Sensing And Geographic Information Systems For Decision Analysis In Public Resource Administration: Case Study In A Southwestern Watershed, William G. Kepner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Alternative futures analysis is a scenario-based approach to regional land planning that attempts to synthesize existing scientific information in a format useful to community decision makers. Typically, this approach attempts to investigate the impacts of several alternative sets of choices preferred by representative stakeholder groups relative to selected environmental or economical endpoints. Potential impacts from each of the scenarios are compared to current conditions of the region in terms of a set of processes that are modeled within a geographic information system. Future conditions are generally examined from the perspective of a recent baseline condition (versus empirically determined using a …

Multiple Source Pools And Dispersal Barriers For Galápagos Plant Species Distribution, J. Alan Yeakley, John F. Weishampel

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

We reexamined geographic factors explaining the number of plant species on islands in the Galápagos Archipelago. We hypothesized that plant species richness (S) was related to the number of source pools and that plant species dispersal preferentially followed direct, oceanic pathways. To test different dispersal pathways from multiple source pools, the total number of islands within a given dispersal radius (i) was posed as the sum of the number of line-of-sight islands (C_i) and of the number of islands without line-of sight connection (B_i). In partial regression analyses, controlling for nearest island area (A₂) …

Comparison Of Tovs-Derived Land Surface Variables With Ground Observations, Venkataraman Lakshmi, Joel Susskind

Faculty Publications

The Tiros Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) Pathfinder Path A retrieved surface skin temperature, surface air temperatures, and surface specific humidity are compared with data obtained from three large-scale field campaigns: the First ISLSCP (International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project) Field Experiment (FIFE), the Hydrologic Atmospheric Pilot Experiment (HAPEX) in the Sahel, and the Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS). The long-term estimates of surface skin temperatures, surface air temperatures, and surface vapor pressure were unbiased, and the standard deviations of the errors were about 4°C, 3.5°C, and 3.5 mbar, respectively. The monthly mean variables obtained from the TOVS data at four times …

Distribution And Habitat Of The Southern Two-Lined Salamander, Eurycea Cirrigera, In Will County, Illinois: Implications For Population Management And Monitoring, David Mauger, Timothy Bell, Eric L. Peters

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

The southern two-lined salamander (Eurycea cirrigera) was found to occur at numerous localities within the Kankakee River State Park in Will County, Illinois. The species is restricted to small drainages within the Kankakee River valley that have flow consisting of groundwater that discharges at seeps or springs at or within the valley bluff. Cooler water temperatures and possibly other conditions that are associated with water derived from seep or spring sources may be important factors in determining salamander abundance. This is particularly relevant to larval habitat. These observations suggest that the spring or seep-fed larval habitat may be the primary …

The Status Of The Blacknose Shiner (Notropis Heterolepis) Tn Iowa: A Preliminary Survey, Neil P. Bernstein, Michael Getting, Timothy Kamp, Stevenson Christain, Ryan Smith, Joseph Steele, Steven Steele

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

During the last 45 years, the blacknose shiner (Notropis heterolepis) has been restricted to a three county area in northwestern Iowa. We surveyed locations where this siltation-intolerant species had been captured to update the status of the fish in the state. Streams were blocked with nets on both the upstream and downstream ends of sample areas, and fish were collected with a backpack electrofisher and seines. Lakes where the blacknose shiner had been found were also sampled. No blacknose shiners were found and several possible explanations are offered for their absence from historical sites.

Density-Dependent Effects On Microhabitat Selection And Activity Of Two Species Of Larval Ambystoma Salamanders, Jeanette M. Jaskula, Robert Brodman

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

To be able to distinguish unnatural amphibian declines from natural population fluctuations we need a better understanding of the mechanisms that affect amphibian community structure. Larval pond-breeding salamanders exhibit density-dependent effects on population parameters, but little is known of the effect of density on behaviors that mediate interactions. Two species, Amby1toma tigrinum (tiger salamander) and A. laterale (blue-spotted salamander), were evaluated in laboratory aquaria for intraspecific and interspecific interactions that affect microhabitat selection and activity. Microhabitat selection was studied by partitioning containers into microhabitats that either contained or lacked refuges, and movement was recorded over a hexagonal grid to determine …

Morphological Abnormalities In Illinois Cricket Frogs, Acris Crepitans, 1968-71, Robert H. Gray

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Reports of malformed amphibians have been increasing, including external deformities such as missing or extra arms and legs, missing eyes and mandibles, and internal abnormalities involving the bladder, digestive system, and testes. Natural phenomena such as limb amputations during predation attempts by other animals, parasitism, xenobiotic chemicals (herbicides, insecticides, fertilizers and others), and UV-B or other radiation (either directly or indirectly by triggering production of toxicants from nontoxic chemicals) have all been linked to amphibian abnormalities. From 1968-71, I studied the natural history, effective breeding size, and seasonal, annual, and geographic variation in color morph frequencies of cricket frogs (Acris …

Ecogeochemistry Of The Subsurface Food Web At Ph 0–2.5 In Iron Mountain, California, U.S.A., Eleanora I. Robbins, Teresa M. Rodgers, Charles N. Alpers, D. Kirk Nordstrom

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Pyrite oxidation in the underground mining environment of Iron Mountain, California, has created the most acidic pH values ever reported in aquatic systems. Sulfate values as high as 120 000 mg 1^-1 and iron as high as 27600mg 1^-1 have been measured in the mine water, which also carries abundant other dissolved metals including Al, Zn, Cu, Cd, Mn, Sb and Pb. Extreme acidity and high metal concentrations apparently do not preclude the presence of an underground acidophilic food web, which has developed with bacterial biomass at the base and heliozoans as top predators. Slimes, oil-like films, flexible …

Managing For Enhancement Of Riparian And Wetland Areas Of The Western United States: An Annotated Bibliography, David A. Koehler, Allan E. Thomas

United States Bureau of Land Management: Staff Publications

This annotated bibliography contains 1,905 citations from professional journals, symposia, workshops, proceedings, technical reports, and other sources. The intent of this compilation was to: (1) assemble, to the extent possible, all available and accessible publications relating to riparian management within a single source or document; (2) provide managers, field biologists, researchers, and others, a point of access for locating scientific literature relevant to their specific interest; and (3) provide, under one cover, a comprehensive collection of annotated publications that could disseminate basic information relative to the status of our knowledge.

Biogeography Of A Changing Landscape: Pipidinny Swamp, Yanchep National Park Western Australia, Bradley W. Boucher

Theses : Honours

The resources of Pipidinny Swamp were utilised by the Nyoongar Aboriginal people for possibly 40,000 years. Since the late 1800s, the resources of Pipidinny Swamp were used by non-Indigenous settlers. More recently, the wetland was incorporated in the Yanchep National Park in 1991.This study sought to reconstruct the changes to the natural and cultural environments within the wetland to provide background knowledge for the management board of the Park. Field investigations abo demonstrated the dynamic state of the wetland over a six-month period between low water (Feb-Apr) and high water (Aug-Oct) by monitoring the groundwater system, the vegetation system, and …

The Effect Of Leaf Movement On Algal Epiphytes In Seagrass Meadows, T. R. Reid

Theses : Honours

Artificial seagrass units were used to determine whether seagrass leaf movement influences the biomass, species richness and composition of epiphytic macroalgae on the leaves of seagrasses, and whether the influence of leaf movement is altered by the degree of exposure to water movement and to depth. The influence of leaf movement on epiphytic biomass is important from an environmental management perspective, as there is the potential for epiphytic productivity to be underestimated if leaf movement is reducing the standing crop of epiphytes on seagrass leaves. Two forms of artificial seagrass units were used in three experiments to achieve these objectives; …

Variability In Winter Mass Balance Of Northern Hemisphere Glaciers And Relations With Atmospheric Circulation, Gregory J. Mccabe, Andrew G. Fountain, Mark Dyurgerov

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

An analysis of variability in the winter mass balance (WMB) of 22 glaciers in the Northern Hemisphere indicates two primary modes of variability that explain 46% of the variability among all glaciers. The first mode of variability characterizes WMB variability in Northern and Central Europe and the second mode primarily represents WMB variability in northwestern North America, but also is related to variability in WMB of one glacier in Europe and one in Central Asia. These two modes of WMB variability are explained by variations in mesoscale atmospheric circulation which are driving forces of variations in surface temperature and precipitation. …

Evaluation Of Sampling Methodologies For Assessing Fish Species Richness In Ridge And Valley Streams In Chattanooga, Tennessee, Evan Robertson Crews

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

I evaluated the adequacy of different electrofishing approaches for estimating species richness in small Ridge and Valley streams. My study objectives were to determine the effects of the sampling season, reach length, habitat sequences surveyed, and sampling intensity on estimates of fish species richness. Fish assemblages were sampled at 18 sites across five streams in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area, May-June (spring) and July-August (summer) 1998. Reach lengths ranged from 103 to 278 m (30 to 61 times the mean stream width [MSW]). At each site, fish were collected using one or two backpack electrofishers within habitat-specific enclosures (riflle-run or pool). …

Effects Of Watershed Land Use On The Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages In Ridge And Valley Streams In Chattanooga, Tennessee, Paul Leiper Freeman

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

A total of 20 sites in five Ridge and Valley streams located in Chattanooga, Tennessee were sampled May 8, 1998 to June 18, 1998 using quantitative and qualitative macroinvertebrate sampling techniques. All streams sampled were part of the Tennessee River drainage system and eventually contribute to Nickajack Reservoir. The 20 sites were second to fourth order streams with drainage areas of 3.8 to 46.9 (km2) and elevations of 195 to 232 (m). Sites with different percentages of agricultural, urbanized and forested land-use were selected to best evaluate the resulting impacts of urbanization and other anthropogenic activities on the invertebrate community …

Production Of The Subtropical Seagrass, Halodule Wrightii Aschers., In Lower Laguna Madre, Texas, Joseph L. Kowalski

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The autecology of shoal grass, Halodule wrightii Aschers., was studied at 1.2 m depth from June 1995 to February 1997 in Lower Laguna Madre (LLM), Texas. Halodule wrightii in LLM received about 47% surface irradiance, but otherwise displayed lower growth rates and biomass in nutrient-poor rhizosphere and water-column environments compared to H. wrightii populations in other Texas estuaries. High tissue N content and low C:N ratios belied low growth dynamics. Halodule wrightii in LLM is probably nutrient limited. A high nutrient demand by H. wrightii in a nutrient-poor environment may explain, in part, its gradual displacement by Thalassia testudinum and …

Remote Sensing Of Photosynthetic-Light-Use Efficiency Of Boreal Forest, Caroline J. Nichol, Karl F. Huemmrich, T. Andrew Black, Paul G. Jarvis, Charles L. Walthall, John Grace, Forrest G. Hall

United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Publications

Using a helicopter-mounted portable spectroradiometer and continuous eddy covariance data we were able to evaluate the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) as an indicator of canopy photosynthetic light-use efficiency (LUE) in four boreal forest species during the Boreal Ecosystem Atmosphere experiment (BOREAS). PRI was calculated from narrow waveband reflectance data and correlated with LUE calculated from eddy covariance data. Significant linear correlations were found between PRI and LUE when the four species were grouped together and when divided into functional type: coniferous and deciduous. Data from the helicopter-mounted spectroradiometer were then averaged to represent data generated by the Airborne Visible Infrared …

The Probe, Issue 205 – October 1999

The Probe: Newsletter of the National Animal Damage Control Association

Legislative News: Senate Kills Anti-Trapping Measure
Washington Stalls Anti-Trap Bills
Raccoon Roundworm Brochure Available
NWRC Biologist George Matschke Retires
Problem Mexican Gray Wolves Being Relocated
Chipmunk Found Rabid
Rock Star Scares Birds --"What the birds really hate is Tina Turner."
Rat Travels Business Class
What's Killing Colorado Deer?

Abstracts from the 2nd International Wildlife Management Congress, Hungary

History and Present Status of the European Beaver (Castor fiber) in Poland, with Implications for Beaver Management Programs -- A. Czech, Institute of Environmental Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
Assessment of Elephant Damage and Mitigation Options in Amboseli Basin, Kenya -- E.E. Esikuri* …

Resource Partitioning Between Coyotes And Swift Foxes: Space, Time, And Diet, Ann M. Kitchen, Eric M. Gese, Edward R. Schauster

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In its current distribution and abundance, the swift fox (Vulpes velox) has been significantly reduced from its historic range. A possible cause is competition with, and predation by, coyotes (Canis latrans). We investigated the level of spatial, temporal, and dietary resource use overlap between swift foxes and coyotes at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site in southeastern Colorado. We captured and radio-tracked 73 foxes and 24 coyotes from April 1997 to August 1998. We collected 10 832 and 5350 locations of foxes and coyotes, respectively. Overall, home-range sizes of foxes and coyotes were 7.6 ± 0.5 (mean ± SE) …

The Prairie Naturalist Volume 31, No.2 June 1999

The Prairie Naturalist

SPATlAL VARIATION IN POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS OF SHOVELNOSE STURGEON IN THE KANSAS RIVER ▪ M. C. Quist and C. S. Guy

INFLUENCE OF FIRE AND TRAPPING EFFORT ON GROUND BEETLES IN A RECONSTRUCTED TALLGRASS PRAIRIE ▪ K. J. Larsen and J. B. Williams

FISH ASSEMBLAGES AND HABITAT RELATIONSHIPS IN A SMALL NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS STREAM ▪ C. A. Barfoot and R. G. White

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS FOR NORTH DAKOTA 1998 ▪ R. N. Randall

NEW RECORDS OF THE PYGMY SHREW IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA ▪ C. B. King, G. M. Wilson, and P. D. Sudman

BUFFLEHEAD BROOD IN NORTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA …

The Benefits And Costs Of Performing An Ecological Study At The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport: A Journey Of Enlightenment, John Ostrom

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 1st (1999)

MSP Ecological Study--Objectives 1. To identify any and all species of wildlife present at MSP that may pose a threat to aviation safety and to document their numbers, seasonal distribution, behavior and natural or man-made features that are attractive to wildlife on or near the airport.
2. To make recommendations for mitigation of identified wildlife attractants and management of wildlife species that may pose a threat to aviation safety.

Zero Bird-Strike Rate - An Achievable Target, Not A Pipedream, S. M. Satheesan

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 1st (1999)

This paper explains how zero bird-strike rate can be achieved by any aerodrome by constant efforts and perseverance of a dedicated team as evidenced from the author’s experience on about 30 aerodromes in India. This paper stresses the importance of conducting survey of problem aerodromes every five years by an expert (Satheesan 1996c), necessity for employing an Ornithologist at every aerodrome, need for regular national-level training for bird-controllers (Satheesan, in press - b) and urgency for setting up Bird-strike Prevention Committees at national (interministerial) and airport levels. Bird strike rates were brought down to zero at the Trivandrum International Airport …

Temporal And Spatial Patterns Of Avifauna On Wetlands In The Vicinity Of Bush Field Airport, Augusta, Georgia, Usa, Robert A. Kennamer, L. Brisbin Jr., K. F. Gaines, W. L. Stephens Jr.

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 1st (1999)

Responding to a U.S. Federal court order to improve discharged wastewater quality, Augusta, Georgia initiated development of artificial wetlands in 1997 to treat effluents. Because of the proximity to Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration expressed concern for potential increased hazard to aircraft posed by birds attracted to these wetlands. We commenced weekly low-level aerial surveys of habitats in the area beginning January, 1998. Over a one-year period, 49 surveys identified approximately 42,000 birds representing 52 species, including protected Wood Storks and Bald Eagles, using wetlands within 8 km of the airport. More birds were …

The Perspectives Of The Air Line Pilots Association On Strikes Of Wildlife By Aircraft, Paul F. Eschenfelder

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 1st (1999)

Strikes of wildlife by aircraft cause thousands of life-threatening incidents, and hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damage to aircraft every year. This hazard is largely preventable, but it has not been properly addressed to date for a variety of reasons. ALPA believes that action should be taken now before a catastrophe occurs.

Collisions between aircraft and wildlife are increasing in frequency in North America due to growth in the number of migratory birds and other wildlife and the increased numbers of aircraft operations. This threat to human safety has manifested itself in several fatal strikes between aircraft and …

The John Muir Newsletter, Spring 1999, The John Muir Center For Regional Studies

Muir Center Newsletters (1981-2015)

NEWSLETTER c Reconstructing John Mum's First Public Lecture, Sacramento, 1876 by Steve Pauly, Pleasant Hill, California (Editor's Note: In our previous issue, Steve Pauley's article placed John Muir's first public talk in context. Wmere is his re-creation of some sections of the talk.) n the beginning of the long glacial winter, the lofty Sierra seems to have consisted of one vast undulated wave, in which a thousand separate mountains, with their domes and spires, their innumerable canons and lake basins, lay concealed. In the development of these, the Master Builder chose for a tool, not the earthquake nor lightning to …

Evolution Of The Dfw International Airport Wildlife Management Program –- Lessons Learned, Curt W. Kuehner, John R. Alexander

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 1st (1999)

On January 7, 1997, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport experienced its first large bird strike event, involving the collision of over 350 European starlings with an American Airlines MD-80. This prompted a serious assessment of existing wildlife control procedures, and eventually resulted in the formation of the DFW Wildlife Control Program. The number of reported strikes has dropped from 157 in 1996 to 52 in 1998. The success of DFW’s program is the result of long, hard hours and extensive trial and error. However, wildlife management personnel at other airfields do not have to go through all the growing pains and …

The Relative Importance Of Patch Area And Perimeter–Area Ratio To Grassland Breeding Birds, Christopher J. Helzer, Dennis E. Jelinski

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Habitat fragmentation has been implicated as a major cause of population decline in grassland birds. We tested the hypothesis that a combination of area and shape determines the use of grassland patches by breeding birds. We compared both species richness and individual species presence in 45 wet meadow grasslands in the floodplain of the central Platte River, Nebraska. Bird data were collected through the use of belt transects and supplemented by walking and listening outside transects. Our data supported our primary hypothesis that perimeter–area ratio, which reflects both the area and shape of a patch, is the strongest predictor of …

Oceanographic Center Catalog 1999-2000, Nova Southeastern University

Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Outside Four Walls: Implementing Environmental Education Out-Of-Doors On School Campuses, Diane Marie Bruns

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Procedure For Raising Trout In The Classroom As Part Of Environmental Education, Ronn Chapman

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Epi-And Mesopelagic Fishes, Acoustic Data, And Sst Images Collected Off Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, And Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, During Cruise "La Bocaina 04-97", F. Bordes, F. Uiblein, R. Castillo, A. Barrera, J. J. Castro, J. Coca, J. Gomez, K. Hansen, V. Hernandez, N. Merrett, M. Miya, T. Moreno, F. Perez, A. Ramos, Tracey Sutton, M. Yamaguchi

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

During cruise "La Bocaina 0497" a series of 14 tows with a commercial pelagic trawl at depths between 20 and 700 m and an acoustic survey with a SIMRAD EK-500 echosounder were carried out in neritic and adjacent oceanic waters off Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and Gran Canaria, Canary islands. In addition, SST images were obtained to get some informations on the prevailing hydrological conditions in the study area.

Of the 14 trawl tows ten were successful and resulted in capture of a total of 2166 fishes belonging to 81 species, 53 genera and 28 families. Ten species proved to be new …