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Evaluation Of Winter Cover Crops On Nutrient Cycling, Soil Quality And Yield For Production Systems In The Mid-South, Ina Iris Sanchez Jan 2016

Evaluation Of Winter Cover Crops On Nutrient Cycling, Soil Quality And Yield For Production Systems In The Mid-South, Ina Iris Sanchez

LSU Master's Theses

The practice of planting cover crops during fallow periods has increased due to the benefits provided to the soil system including improved nutrient cycling, addition of organic matter and a more diverse soil fauna resulting in better crop yield and an overall improvement of soil health. Research has shown that microbial activity is sensitive to changes in management practices and is a good indicator of whether the changes are benefiting the production system. To study the effects of cover type on corn (Zea mays L.) harvest parameters and soil chemical and biological properties a field trial consisting of a split …

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Creating Sustainable Future Of A Degraded Urban Canal: Mae Kha, In Chiang Mai, Thailand, Sunantana Nuanla-Or Jan 2016

Creating Sustainable Future Of A Degraded Urban Canal: Mae Kha, In Chiang Mai, Thailand, Sunantana Nuanla-Or

LSU Master's Theses

Chiang Mai is the largest and the most significant city in the Northern region of Thailand. It was established in 1296 as the capital of Lanna Kingdom. Since then, the city is famous for its exquisite authentic Northern culture, essential trading routes, an abundance of natural places, and agriculture derived along the Ping River as well as a functional canal system in the city. In the past few decade, uncontrolled and unplanned urban development, deforestation, and the lack of public awareness have caused landscape degradation in the city. Consequently, Chiang Mai has faced several serious environmental problems such as congestion, …

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Glue Sticks And Gaffs: Disassembling The Drag Queening Body, Ray Siebenkittel Jan 2016

Glue Sticks And Gaffs: Disassembling The Drag Queening Body, Ray Siebenkittel

LSU Master's Theses

Drag queening men, typically gay men who perform femininities for entertainment, use makeup, padding, injections and other tools to change their bodies for performance. I focus on the backstage activities of drag performers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, rather than conventional observations from the audience, to explore the negotiation, construction and implications of these bodies, both physically and discursively. Through autoethnographic accounts and participating in my own drag performance, I highlight the often unseen, less frequently discussed aspects of drag queening in order to lessen the distance between the efforts of performers and the stage. Drag queening men’s bodies are a …

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Results Of Operation Full Stop: Terminix Service Co. Inc., Control Of Formosan Subterranean Termites (Coptotermes Formosanus) In The French Quarter Of New Orleans, Edward Joseph Martin Iv Jan 2016

Results Of Operation Full Stop: Terminix Service Co. Inc., Control Of Formosan Subterranean Termites (Coptotermes Formosanus) In The French Quarter Of New Orleans, Edward Joseph Martin Iv

LSU Master's Theses

In New Orleans alone, the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, causes $300 million in damages annually. Formosan subterranean termites are the most destructive subterranean termite in the world wherever they occur. From 1998- 2011 Operation Full Stop was implemented in five phases. Basic parameters were set up through the LSU AgCenter. French Quarter Residents were allowed to select their own licensed pest control operator for approved termite treatments. The United States Department of Agriculture in New Orleans provided funds to Operation Full Stop to pay the pest control operator for initial treatment and yearly renewal of termite contracts. Terminix Service …

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The Effects Of Carbon Nanotubes On Cells In A Synthetic Oxygen Carrier Enriched Alginate Scaffold, Joshua Paul Tate Jan 2016

The Effects Of Carbon Nanotubes On Cells In A Synthetic Oxygen Carrier Enriched Alginate Scaffold, Joshua Paul Tate

LSU Master's Theses

Abstract Huge progress has been made in the development of three dimensionally printed tissue structures. With the use of cells, three dimensional printers, and CAD drawing software, donor identical structures can be fabricated. However, cell scaffolds currently lack significant mechanical integrity which can result in reduced cellular survival, attachment, and nutrient delivery. For this reason, multiple strategies have been developed to increase and improve mechanical stability within engineered constructs without having to sacrifice cell viability. The hypothesis of this paper was that incorporating Perfluorotributylamine (PFTBA), a greenhouse gas, with single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), a allotrope of carbon with a …

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Detection Of Antibiotic Resistance Clostridium Difficile In Lettuce, Yi Han Jan 2016

Detection Of Antibiotic Resistance Clostridium Difficile In Lettuce, Yi Han

LSU Master's Theses

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is regarded as the major cause of infectious diarrhea in humans after antimicrobial treatment. C. difficile has been reported to be widely isolated from food animals and meat. The main purpose of this study was to characterize C. difficile isolates from retail fresh vegetable (lettuce), test the antibiotic-resistance property using five common clinical-selected antibiotics (metronidazole, vancomycin, clindamycin, erythromycin, and cefotaxime). Lettuces (grown in California, Arkansas, and Louisiana) were purchased from retail stores. Toxigenic C. difficile was isolated from 13.8% (41/297) of the lettuce samples. Among the toxigenic isolates, 82.9% (34/41) only produce toxin B, and 17.1% …

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Meeting Biopsychosocial Needs Of Individuals With Histories Of Multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences, Christine G. Morgan Jan 2016

Meeting Biopsychosocial Needs Of Individuals With Histories Of Multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences, Christine G. Morgan

LSU Master's Theses

According to Felitti and colleagues (1998), a significant portion of the general population has been exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with subsequent and persistent, dose-related, negative consequences to physical and mental health. Debilitating disturbances to biopsychosocial well-being are significant and frequently lead to fatality in adulthood. After reviewing the prevalence and severity of ACEs, this thesis presents an overview of the literature outlining the biological, social, and psychological factors contributing to the development and progression of disease in the brain and body. Additionally, current trauma-informed interventions are summarized. Three experienced clinicians share practical advice for implementing evidence-based, trauma-informed mental …

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Effect Of Tillage And Fertilization On Agronomics And Nutrient Uptake Of Sweet Sorghum And Soil Test Extractable P And K After Four Years Of A Monocrop Production System, Jifeng Li Jan 2016

Effect Of Tillage And Fertilization On Agronomics And Nutrient Uptake Of Sweet Sorghum And Soil Test Extractable P And K After Four Years Of A Monocrop Production System, Jifeng Li

LSU Master's Theses

Sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] (SS) has been grown in the southern United States to produce syrup for many years. There is an interest in SS as a biofuel feedstock due to its high sugar content and high total biomass. Currently, little is known about the nutrient demand for SS or how it responds to tillage and fertilization. The objectives of this study were to: 1) evaluate the effects of tillage and phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilization on SS agronomics, 2) evaluate nitrogen (N), P, and K uptake and nutrient partitioning in SS, 3) determine P and K …

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Infectivity And Physiological Effects Of White Spot Syndrome Virus (Wssv) In Farmed Louisiana Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus Clarkii), Barcley Talon Pace Jan 2016

Infectivity And Physiological Effects Of White Spot Syndrome Virus (Wssv) In Farmed Louisiana Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus Clarkii), Barcley Talon Pace

LSU Master's Theses

The red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, represents an important aquaculture species responsible for over half of all commercial aquaculture profits in Louisiana. White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is highly pathogenic and induces mass mortality in crustacean aquaculture operations worldwide. Crayfish lack the adaptive ability of the vertebrate immune system, and must depend on primitive, innate immune responses to combat viral infections. This study aims to investigate the dose-response of WSSV in P. clarkii and to examine viral-host interactions by examining the biochemical and immunological changes induced by WSSV infection in this species. Viable viral particles were isolated from naturally infected …

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Vitrification Of Immature And Mature Bovine Oocytes, Paige T. Hardin Jan 2016

Vitrification Of Immature And Mature Bovine Oocytes, Paige T. Hardin

LSU Master's Theses

Vitrification is the latest technique used in cryopreservation, the ability to utilize this method with oocytes and embryos has become a valuable system. Vitrification has been successful with bovine embryos and oocytes but is far from optimal. Following cryopreservation storage discarding embryos can cause ethical issues, and mature oocytes have fragile organelles that can be detrimentally affected by ice crystal formation during freezing. Immature oocytes have not formed some of these temperature sensitive microfilaments and can circumvent these detrimental effects. The common intracellular cryoprotective agents are dimethyl sulfoxide, glycerol and ethylene glycol. Different combination of these agents have been reported …

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The Effect Of Restoration On Nitrate Reduction And Biogeochemical Functioning In Louisiana Wetlands: Bottomland Hardwood Forests And Deltaic Sediments, Nia R. Hurst Jan 2016

The Effect Of Restoration On Nitrate Reduction And Biogeochemical Functioning In Louisiana Wetlands: Bottomland Hardwood Forests And Deltaic Sediments, Nia R. Hurst

LSU Master's Theses

Nitrogen loading in the Mississippi River from increased N fertilization of agricultural land helps to trigger an area of hypoxic water in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) every summer. Louisiana wetlands can play a vital role in removing nitrate from river waters prior to discharge in the GOM. However, Louisiana’s wetlands have experienced significant losses in recent years. Efforts to restore wetlands include reconnecting floodplain wetlands to rivers and utilizing river diversions to re-introduce sediment to coastal wetlands. Increasing wetland connection to rivers can reduce water nitrate by expanding opportunities for nitrate reduction. I examined soil physicochemical properties, microbial …

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Control, Care, And Stress: Parenting's Effect On Child Internalizing Symptoms, Maysa Kaskas Jan 2016

Control, Care, And Stress: Parenting's Effect On Child Internalizing Symptoms, Maysa Kaskas

LSU Master's Theses

Theoretical models of childhood psychopathology suggest that the parent-child relationship serves an influential role in the development and maintenance of internalizing disorders such as anxiety and depression. However, there is a great deal of inconsistency in the research literature on the predictive power of parenting variables such as parental control and parental care. Furthermore, these parenting variables are often poorly defined and inconsistently operationalized across studies, hampering interpretation of results and limiting conclusions on the strength of the effect. Additionally, few studies have examined the role of parenting with careful attention to moderators. In order to investigate these problems, 189 …

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Hydrodynamic Modeling Of Newly Emergent Coastal Deltaic Floodplains, Alexandra Christensen Jan 2016

Hydrodynamic Modeling Of Newly Emergent Coastal Deltaic Floodplains, Alexandra Christensen

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal deltaic floodplains provide an important ecosystem service by removing or retaining nitrate from enriched riverine water. Wetland plants, soils, and microbes within these floodplains use nitrate through uptake, burial, and denitrification, thereby reducing the impact of nitrate on algal blooms and hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. However, these processes depend on the physical, biological, and chemical conditions within the floodplain. Understanding and characterizing the hydrodynamics of these systems and the relative impact of river, tide, and wind forcings are the first steps in understanding the biogeochemical processes controlling nitrate removal. Motivated by the desire to identify biogeochemical hotspots …

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Development Of Microfluidic Devices To Study Algal Chemotaxis And Long-Term Growth Dynamics, Benjamin Seth Roberts Jan 2016

Development Of Microfluidic Devices To Study Algal Chemotaxis And Long-Term Growth Dynamics, Benjamin Seth Roberts

LSU Master's Theses

Harmful algal blooms pose a threat to human health and the environment. Many complex factors influence their formation and development, and much is still unknown. One major influencing factor that is well-known yet poorly studied is algal chemotaxis. Many studies have examined chemotaxis in other organisms, but very little about chemotaxis in algae has been studied, largely because existing technology and assay techniques are inadequate. Microfluidics offers many possibilities for cell biology, and has been applied to the study of chemotaxis in other organisms already. These techniques can be applied to the study of algal chemotaxis as well. We present …

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Developing And Characterization Of Catfish Skin Hydrolysates Including Antioxidant And Antimicrobial Properties, Cesar Augusto Galindo Perez Jan 2016

Developing And Characterization Of Catfish Skin Hydrolysates Including Antioxidant And Antimicrobial Properties, Cesar Augusto Galindo Perez

LSU Master's Theses

Catfish skin (CS) contains considerable amount of protein that may be hydrolyzed enzymatically to generate hydrolysates (CSH) which may have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The generation of natural compounds with these properties is of special interest to the food industry. The objective of this study was to develop and characterize CSH including antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. CSH were produced from different enzymatic reaction periods using alkaline protease, and their characterization, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and some functional properties were evaluated. A selected CSH was analyzed for peptide composition and partial amino acid sequences. The color analysis showed that darker, more yellow, and …

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Methodologies Utilizing Protected Oxyallyl Cations For Molecular Design, Jacob Reuben Stepherson Jan 2016

Methodologies Utilizing Protected Oxyallyl Cations For Molecular Design, Jacob Reuben Stepherson

LSU Master's Theses

This master’s thesis discusses developments of novel organic methodologies utilizing oxyallyl cationic systems in the pursuit of highly functionalized molecular scaffolds. Chapter 1 focuses on the discovery of the oxyallyl cation intermediate, and examines reported transformations. Detailed optimization and substrate studies following exploitation of a protected 2-oxyallyl cation for nucleophilc capture comprises the information in both Chapter 2 and Chapter 3. Chapter 4 extends methodologies performed by my colleagues and establishes a tandem process using 2-silyloxypentadienyl cations to furnish complex structures. In this report, reaction design and optimization are chronicled, followed by exploration into the reactivity, mechanism, and scope of …

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Characterization Of Sulfur Chemistry In Louisiana Coastal Wetland Soils Using X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (Xafs) Spectroscopy, Negar Dehghani Tafti Jan 2016

Characterization Of Sulfur Chemistry In Louisiana Coastal Wetland Soils Using X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (Xafs) Spectroscopy, Negar Dehghani Tafti

LSU Master's Theses

Sulfur is one of the most abundant elements in the environment, which plays a vital role in the growth and functioning of plants and microorganisms. It is found in an extended variety of species in gases, liquid, and solid forms and present in various nature systems. Wetlands are one of the largest global sinks/sources of sulfur. Being existing in a variety of oxidation states, sulfur contributes to biogeochemical cycles of coastal wetlands through involving in humification processes as well as influence on metal sulfide formation and consequently, methanogenesis and greenhouse gas emission. In this study, we have evaluated sulfur chemistry …

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Spatial Biodegradation Of Mc252 Crude Oil On A Coastal Headland Beach, Zachary Joseph Romaine Jan 2016

Spatial Biodegradation Of Mc252 Crude Oil On A Coastal Headland Beach, Zachary Joseph Romaine

LSU Master's Theses

Following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in April, 2010, hard structures were constructed to deter oil migration into sensitive marsh areas behind Fourchon Beach, LA These hard structures created conditions for accumulation and burial of oil across an 8 foot deep beach vertical profile. Buried oil persists in these areas due to anaerobic conditions of beach groundwater. The objectives of this thesis are to compare the rate and extent of biodegradation of 3-ring PAHs in crude oil deposits from the surface and subsurface, and to investigate effects on beach groundwater after introduction of O2. Field samples were removed from 2011-2016 …

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Simulating Behavioral Microcystin Impairment In Fish, Nicholas Richard Keeney Jan 2016

Simulating Behavioral Microcystin Impairment In Fish, Nicholas Richard Keeney

LSU Master's Theses

Fish experiencing blooms of the cyanobacteria genera Microcystis and Anabaena acquire microcystin and saxitoxin through ingestion of contaminated food and absorption of dissolved toxin. Even low chronic doses induce sensory and motor impairment—the impact of which is unquantified in wild populations. Here, I introduce Lagrangian particle models for cyanobacteria and fish which test the hypotheses that impairment symptoms suppress movement and growth. This is implemented within the Finite-Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM). Cyanobacteria particles move vertically according to mixing and buoyancy (a function of cellular reservoirs). Fish navigate the horizontal domain, foraging in high growth areas, and fleeing when toxin …

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A Contemporary Approach To A Classic Model: Exploring The Influence Of Local Interactions And Disturbance On Mangrove Forest Dynamics With A Spatially-Explicit Version Of Forman, Kieley Shannon Hurff Jan 2016

A Contemporary Approach To A Classic Model: Exploring The Influence Of Local Interactions And Disturbance On Mangrove Forest Dynamics With A Spatially-Explicit Version Of Forman, Kieley Shannon Hurff

LSU Master's Theses

The mangrove forest gap dynamic model, FORMAN, was the first individual-based model (IBM) to simulate the long-term successional dynamics of three Caribbean mangrove species, Avicennia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa, and Rhizophora mangle. Assumptions under the spatially implicit approach of gap dynamic models limit their application to small-scale simulations. An expanded, spatially-explicit version of FORMAN was developed to allow for simulations of larger spatial grids, through the inclusion of localized soil conditions and neighborhood-based light resource competition. This expanded model was used to investigate the influence of localized interactions and disturbances of varying size on forest dynamics. A data-model comparison using field …

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Evaluating Survival Of Released Ranched American Alligator In Coastal Louisiana, Kristy Durham Capelle Jan 2016

Evaluating Survival Of Released Ranched American Alligator In Coastal Louisiana, Kristy Durham Capelle

LSU Master's Theses

Since 1986, Louisiana’s American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) ranching program has required the release of alligators produced from eggs collected from wild nests to maintain wild populations. This project assessed long-term harvest data (1991-2010s) to estimate survival of released alligators. First, wildlife and fishery harvest models and general inter-disciplinary survival models were evaluated to determine best fit to the data. Second, once the best fitting model was selected, release length, precipitation and temperature from release sites, and an index of hunter effort were added to investigate influences on survival estimates. Release length was included because over time the proportion and size …

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Influence Of Silicon On The Development Of Anthracnose Of Grain Sorghum, Sanjay Pokhrel Jan 2016

Influence Of Silicon On The Development Of Anthracnose Of Grain Sorghum, Sanjay Pokhrel

LSU Master's Theses

To study the effect of Silicon (Si) with and without a fungicide on anthracnose development of sorghum, several experiments were conducted in the greenhouse and field. In the initial study, different Si rates [0 (control), 0 (lime control), 200, 400, 600, 800 kg Si/ha] were used in a low-Si Alfisol to determine if inoculum densities were affected by Si levels. No differences were observed between inoculum densities of 1*105 and 1*106 conidia/ml in affecting anthracnose development in the greenhouse. Anthracnose severity was found to be lowest in plants treated with 800 kg Si/ha, regardless of inoculum density. In another study, …

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The Influence Of Soil Properties On Marsh Edge Erosion, Cody Lee Johnson Jan 2016

The Influence Of Soil Properties On Marsh Edge Erosion, Cody Lee Johnson

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal Louisiana exhibits some of the highest rates of land conversion to open water in the world. This is most apparent in Terrebonne Bay, Barataria Bay, and Breton Sound (Couvillion et. al, 2011). The hypothesis is made that locally generated wind waves are responsible for the observed land loss. Recent research has attempted to relate the marsh edge erosion rate to wave energy flux density. Under the appropriate assumptions, this relationship is modeled reasonably well by a linear relationship between erosion rate and wave energy flux. Such a model is a valuable tool for coastal resource management. A deficiency of …

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Developing Agritourism In The Caribbean: Critical Ethnography And Sustainable Landscape Design To Improve The Human Experience At Letan Bossier, Haiti, Kristen Maria Lonon Jan 2016

Developing Agritourism In The Caribbean: Critical Ethnography And Sustainable Landscape Design To Improve The Human Experience At Letan Bossier, Haiti, Kristen Maria Lonon

LSU Master's Theses

The Letan Bossier, Haiti community is in need of continued investment from international agencies, in an effort to improve conditions for locals, along with shaping the experience of the tourist, at and around an attractive natural basin, three miles north-west of Cayes-Jacmel, Haiti, at about 187 meters above sea level. In order to improve one’s journey through this mountainside community to the Grand Basin, capital investments must be made. The goal of the proposed design solutions is to solve for the locals first, in turn, attracting tourists to experience a space that’s supported by its own people. The goal of …

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The Evaluation Of Eprinomectin (Longrange®) On Long-Term Parasitic Infection In Nursing Calves During Summer Grazing®, Lyndsea D. Seibert Jan 2016

The Evaluation Of Eprinomectin (Longrange®) On Long-Term Parasitic Infection In Nursing Calves During Summer Grazing®, Lyndsea D. Seibert

LSU Master's Theses

One of the most significant threats to the well-being and performance of grazing livestock are gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasitic infections. Allowing a large GIN burden to manifest can cause a significant cost in terms of productivity in grazing cattle. Beef producers commonly rely greatly on the efficacy of broad-spectrum anthelmintics, to not only kill resident worms but to also prevent the establishment of ingested infective stage larvae (L3) for a period following treatment. Eprinomectin (LONGRANGE®, E-LR) is the first extended-release injectable cattle dewormer that claims to provide cattle producers season-long persistent parasite control for 100 to 150 d in a …

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Investigating Species And Population Level Foraging Variation And Individual Specialization In Pygoscelis Penguins Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Rachael W. Herman Jan 2016

Investigating Species And Population Level Foraging Variation And Individual Specialization In Pygoscelis Penguins Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Rachael W. Herman

LSU Master's Theses

Gentoo Penguins (Pygoscelis papua) are known to be generalist foragers, while Adélie (P. adeliae) and Chinstrap (P. Antarctica) tend to specialize on krill within the Western Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands, particularly during the breeding season. However, little is known on temporal consistency in diet and foraging habitat of these species, particularly at the individual level. We used stable isotope analysis (SIA) of blood and feathers to evaluate seasonal and individual foraging consistency within Adélie, Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins breeding in the South Shetland Islands, as well as among three Gentoo Penguins’ populations in the Western Antarctic Peninsula and …

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The Photodegradation Of 2,6-Dichloro-4-Nitroaniline (Dcna) In Freshwater And Saltwater, Emily Noelle Vebrosky Jan 2016

The Photodegradation Of 2,6-Dichloro-4-Nitroaniline (Dcna) In Freshwater And Saltwater, Emily Noelle Vebrosky

LSU Master's Theses

The fungicide 2,6-dichloro-4-nitroaniline (DCNA) is applied to crops grown in areas near both freshwater and saltwater bodies and it can enter the surface waters where it is susceptible to photolysis; limited information is published on the photodegradation of DCNA. It has been shown that the salinity of seawater can influence both the overall rate of degradation of chemicals and impact the distribution and types of photoproducts generated during the photodegradation processes of a pesticide. The photodegradation of DCNA was measured in distilled water, artificial seawater, estuarine water, and phosphate buffer to determine the degree of differences in the degradation rate …

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Fishes Associated With Oil And Gas Platforms In Louisiana's River-Influenced Nearshore Waters, Ryan Thomas Munnelly Jan 2016

Fishes Associated With Oil And Gas Platforms In Louisiana's River-Influenced Nearshore Waters, Ryan Thomas Munnelly

LSU Master's Theses

A distinctive feature of coastal Louisiana is the unrivaled network of oil and gas installations (platforms) extending from inshore waters to the deep Gulf of Mexico. Since 2007 there has been a 38% reduction in platform numbers with the highest removal rates occurring in shallow (< 18 m) nearshore waters. Many fishes and invertebrates are attracted to platforms, presenting a unique opportunity to study detailed species-specific responses to the river-influenced hydrographic characteristics of Louisiana’s nearshore zone (5–25 km water depth). Prior studies of fishes around platforms focused on a few relatively large platforms in water depths ≥ 18 m. However, about one-third of all platforms are small, unmanned and non-drilling platforms located in waters < 18 m depth. Paired video and hydrographic data were collected at 150 small platforms in < 18 m water depth during the summers of 2013–2014. Fifty-four species of fishes were associated with small platforms. The assemblage(s) included juveniles of 29 species, indicating the importance of nearshore platforms as diverse nursery habitat. The coastal zone was divided into three regions based on broad-scale interactions between freshwater input and bathymetry driving major distinctions in interregional hydrography and fish assemblages. Co-occurring within this expansive artificial reef network is the second largest hypoxic area (dissolved oxygen (DO) < 2.0 mg l−1) on Earth. Platforms offer reef-like habitat features in the upper water column that may offer refugia for some reef-associated species during hypoxic events. Significant intraregional differences in physicochemical features were related to the presence of hypoxia (defined as DO < 50% saturation), as well as the distribution of sandy shoals. Eleven species accounted for most of the assemblage dissimilarities, composing ~93% of fishes observed. Habitat suitability indices for these 11 species provided information about habitat selection across horizontal and vertical physicochemical gradients throughout the coastal zone, and within hypoxic and well-oxygenated stratified water columns. East Bay, near the outlet of the Mississippi River, exhibited less hypoxia and a distinct fauna that included four adult goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara). This endangered fish was observed during spawning season (summer), suggesting that East Bay might support a spawning aggregation.

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Influences On The Successful Implementation Of The Convention On Wetlands Of International Importance (Ramsar) Among Member Countries, Aziza Saud Al Adhoobi Jan 2016

Influences On The Successful Implementation Of The Convention On Wetlands Of International Importance (Ramsar) Among Member Countries, Aziza Saud Al Adhoobi

LSU Master's Theses

Wetlands are very dynamic ecosystems and are featured all over the world’s landscape. Recent studies suggested that wetlands are in continuous decline, both and quantity and quality and between 64-71% is the estimated global wetland loss in the 20th century (Davidson 2014; Gardner et al., 2015). Therefore, as wetland loss increases around the world, more effort to protect and restore wetland habitat, values, and services become crucial. For this reason, the Ramsar Convention was established four decades ago to highlight the severity of wetland loss and to produce guidelines that aim to guide Contracting Parties toward sustainable and efficient management …

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Biomass Catalytic Upconversion With A Metallic Catalyst Bed Under Radio Frequency Induction Heating, Mohammad Abu-Laban Jan 2016

Biomass Catalytic Upconversion With A Metallic Catalyst Bed Under Radio Frequency Induction Heating, Mohammad Abu-Laban

LSU Master's Theses

This study investigated the thermal performances of platinum particles when coupled on a steel support, under the application of a radio frequency (RF) field. Platinum nanoparticles were reduced on the surfaces of type-316 stainless steel balls, based on published methods of Pt reduction from chloroplatinic acid. Alternatively, 1wt. % Pt/Al2O3 commercial catalyst pellets were mixed with stainless steel balls and investigated for hydro-deoxygenation of pyrolysis oil from pine sawdust biomass. The catalysts were placed inside an electric insulator tube suspended within a looping copper coil connected to the induction heater, and heated at different power levels. An infrared camera was …

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