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New Verified Nonindigenous Amphibians And Reptiles In Florida Through 2015, With A Summary Of More Than 152 Years Of Introductions, Kenneth L. Krysko, Louis A. Somma, Dustin C. Smith, Christopher R. Gillette, Daniel Cueva, Joseph A. Wasilewski, Kevin M. Enge, Steve A. Johnson, Todd S. Campbell, Jake R. Edwards, Michael R. Rochford, Ryan Tompkins, Jeffrey L. Fobb, Scott Mullin, Christopher J. Lechowicz, Dallas Hazelton, Alície Warren

Papers in Herpetology

More nonindigenous species occur in Florida, USA, than any other region worldwide and may threaten many of Florida’s natural resources. The frequency of new reports mandates the need for regular updates. Herein, we use photographic and specimen vouchers in addition to literature records to provide updated information on verified nonindigenous amphibians and reptiles in Florida. Between our most recent summary in 2012 and the end of 2015, 38 additional species are known to have been intercepted (n = 2) or introduced (n = 36). We also update the invasion stage of seven species previously reported from Florida and …

Elevation Dynamics In A Restored Versus A Submerging Salt Marsh In Long Island Sound, Shimon C. Anisfeld, Troy D. Hill, Daonald R. Cahoon

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Accelerated sea-level rise (SLR) poses the threat of salt marsh submergence, especially in marshes that are relatively low-lying. At the same time, restoration efforts are producing new low-lying marshes, many of which are thriving and avoiding submergence. To understand the causes of these different fates, we studied two Long Island Sound marshes: one that is experiencing submergence and mudflat expansion, and one that is undergoing successful restoration. We examined sedimentation using a variety of methods, each of which captures different time periods and different aspects of marsh elevation change: surface-elevation tables, marker horizons, sediment cores, and sediment traps. We also …

A Spatio-Temporal Comparison Of Avian Migration Phenology Using Citizen Science Data, Ali Arab, Jason R. Courter, Jessica Zelt

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The effects of climate change have wide-ranging impacts on wildlife species and recent studies indicate that birds’ spring arrival dates are advancing in response to changes in global climates. In this paper, we propose a spatio-temporal approach for comparing avian first arrival data for multiple species. As an example, we analyze spring arrival data for two long-distance migrants (Rubythroated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris; and Purple Martin Progne subis) in eastern North America from 2001–2010 using Citizen Science data. The proposed approach provides researchers with a tool to compare mean arrival dates while accounting for spatial and temporal variability. Our results show …

Applying Advanced Ground-Based Remote Sensing In The Southeast Asian Maritime Continent To Characterize Regional Proficiencies In Smoke Transport Modeling, James R. Campbell, Cui Ge, Jun Wang, Ellsworth J. Welton, Anthony Bucholtz, Edward J. Hyer, Elizabeth A. Reid, Boon Ning Chew, Soo-Chin Liew, Santo V. Salinas, Simon Lolli, Kathleen C. Kaku, Peng Lynch, Mastura Mahmud, Maznorizan Mohamad, Brent N. Holben

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

This work describes some of the most extensive ground-based observations of the aerosol profile collected in Southeast Asia to date, highlighting the challenges in simulating these observations with amesoscale perspective. An 84-hWRFModel coupled with chemistry (WRF-Chem)mesoscale simulation of smoke particle transport at Kuching, Malaysia, in the southern Maritime Continent of Southeast Asia is evaluated relative to a unique collection of continuous ground-based lidar, sun photometer, and 4-h radiosonde profiling. The period was marked by relatively dry conditions, allowing smoke layers transported to the site unperturbed by wet deposition to be common regionally. The model depiction is reasonable overall. Core thermodynamics, …

No Filters, No Fridges: A Method For Preservation Of Water Samples For Edna Analysis, Kelly E. Williams, Kathryn P. Huyvaert, Antoinette J. Piaggio

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: Advancements in the detection of environmental DNA (eDNA) for detecting species of interest will likely allow for expanded use of these techniques in the field. One obstacle that continues to hinder applications in the field is the requirement of a cold chain of storage for water samples containing eDNA. While eDNA has been successfully preserved using Longmire’s lysis buffer applied to filters, it has yet to be tried with freshwater samples collected for eDNA detection of an invasive species. We tested the utility of Longmire’s solution (100 mM Tris, 100 mM EDTA, 10 mM NaCl, 0.5 % SDS, 0.2 …

Phosphorus Release Potential Of Agricultural Soils Of The United States, Rebecca A. Young

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Phosphorus (P) is one of the leading causes of surface water quality decline in the United States, leading to algal blooms and hypoxia in lakes and streams. Decreasing conservation funds dictate that agencies such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service, maximizes its effectiveness and efficiency in implementing practices to address P management and runoff on agricultural lands. Additional information on P behavior in soil is needed to improve P management plans to reduce pollution risk at the watershed, farm, and field scales. This research focuses on the development of total soil P release models, to be included into assessment and …

Assessment Of Selected Antibiotic Resistances In Ungrazed Native Nebraska Prairie Soils, Lisa M. Durso, David A. Wedin, John E. Gilley, Daniel N. Miller, David B. Marx

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The inherent spatial heterogeneity and complexity of antibioticresistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance (AR) genes in manureaffected soils makes it difficult to sort out resistance that can be attributed to human antibiotic use from resistance that occurs naturally in the soil. This study characterizes native Nebraska prairie soils that have not been affected by human or food-animal waste products to provide data on background levels of resistance in southeastern Nebraskan soils. Soil samples were collected from 20 sites enumerated on tetracycline and cefotaxime media; screened for tetracycline-, sulfonamide-, b-lactamase–, and macrolide-resistance genes; and characterized for soil physical and chemical parameters. All …

Occupancy Analysis And Density Estimation Of Kori Bustards (Ardeotis Kori) And Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida Meleagris) For Use In Landscape Conservation Planning In The Northern Tuli Game Reserve, Botswana, Kathryn R. Mccollum

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

For understudied species, more informed conservation planning and decision-making on both the local and landscape levels may be attained through the use of occupancy and abundance estimations. Here, we focus on two iconic bird species in eastern Botswana, kori bustards (Ardeotis kori) and helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris). The overall goal of this project was to better understand the hierarchy of factors that influence occupancy (ψ) and density of kori bustard and helmeted guineafowl populations within the Northern Tuli Game Reserve and how these factors may interact to affect landscape conservation and usage. We performed distance sampling …

On Balance: Preschool Children's Judgements Of Sociomoral, Environmental, And Social Conventional Transgressions, Whitney Drahota

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The current study investigates how preschool children judge behaviors that harm the environment as compared to moral transgressions, social-conventional transgressions, and personal choices. Forty-five preschool children (45% male) attending urban and rural preschool programs in Nebraska participated. An assessment tool was designed for this study and was comprised of a moveable balance scale on a game board. Pictures depicting different types of transgressions were attached to each end of the balance scale with Velcro and children judged which transgression was worse, or if both were equally bad. The results indicate that overall, children tended to judge socio-moral transgressions as worse …

The Connection Between Childhood Time Spent Outdoors And Adult Sustainability Behaviors, Rebecca Grosskurth

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The goal of this research is to examine the connection between childhood time spent in the outdoors and adult sustainability behaviors through investigating college student involvement in resource conservation at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. There is a growing library of research on how to successfully promote eco-friendly behaviors with little evidence of its successful application on a wide scale. The research questions are as follows: What is the connection between childhood time spent in nature and adult sustainability behaviors? To what extent do students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln practice sustainability behaviors? Researchers focused on environmental sustainability and defined the …

An Evidence Based Assessment Of Algae And Land Use Across Nebraska, Matt O'Nele

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The purpose of my thesis research is to examine blue green algae and land use trends across Nebraska using GIS technology in order to create a map that demonstrates any correlation between the data. Much research has already been conducted linking agricultural practices to eutrophication and I believe that upon examination of the data, that most of the water bodies containing high levels of blue green algae will be closely related to areas in high agricultural production. Specifically, I hypothesize that areas with a lot of corn production will see the most blue green algae blooms. I will use the …

Poor Air Quality Affects Those Who Have Served In Afghanistan, Kaylee Wheeler

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The United States has been in the war against terrorism for the past 14 years in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a country torn by war for hundreds of years which has impacted the landscape and the environment. The economy of Afghanistan has suffered as a result and the country is classified as an underdeveloped country, but the economy is gaining on a slow increase. There is still little enforcement on the environmental regulations resulting in thousands of Afghani deaths every year from poor air quality. The United States has contributed to the poor air quality by using open burn pits to …

Effect Of A Window Shade On Home Energy Use, Ben Eigbrett

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Shading windows has been shown to reduce energy costs by reducing temperatures inside of buildings. Previous studies focused on office buildings and shades that respond to changing light levels, and found that automatic window shades are more effective at reducing temperature than manual shades. Few studies have been done on the effectiveness of reducing temperature with window shades controlled by motion detectors, however, motion detectors have been found to reduce energy consumption from lighting systems. To see if motion detectors are also effective at reducing temperature when used with window shades, this study focused on a cheap, easy to install …

The Correlation And Awareness Level Of Human Perspective On Environmental Conditions Through Viticulture, Specifically In The Location Of Lincoln, Nebraska, Weslyn Anne Ramaekers

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Our climate is ever changing, and rapidly at that. Yet, people seem to be more and more unaware and disconnected to our changing environment. This is where wine comes in, wine is a complex and concrete representation of each subtle ecosystem change that occurs in the environment. Therefore, the research question for this study is, can wine be used as a tool to raise individuals awareness levels about the environment? This study was conducted at three wineries in the location of Lincoln Nebraska, through implementation of a Google Forums survey. The survey consisted of a combination of categorical and quantitative …

Investigating The Relationship Between Local Environmental Knowledge And Environmental Concern Among College Students, Danielle Hardesty

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Our global society is becoming increasingly aware of the way the climate is changing worldwide and the consequences that will result from those changes. An individual’s level of concern for the environment will likely affect how willing they are to engage in and support behaviors that aim to preserve the natural world. This study aimed to determine how local environmental literacy, degree program type and college grade level impact environmental concern. Two surveys were used in this project: one to measure environmental concern and one to measure local environmental literacy. The survey measuring environmental concern was the Revised New Ecological …

Analysis Of Persistent Marking Techniques Using Passive Integrated Transponders And Visible Implant Elastomer Through Metamorphosis In Ambystoma Mavortium, Brooke Welsh-Appleby

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Salamander species are a key component of monitoring ecosystem integrity and health as indicator species. Being able to monitor growth and development from larval to adult forms can provide important descriptive data such as growth, development, and survivorship. Passive integrated transponders (PIT) and visible implant elastomer (VIE) are two methods of permanent tagging through metamorphosis in salamander species. We were interested in what the retention rate of tags using PIT versus VIE through metamorphosis in Ambystoma mavortium. We hypothesized intramuscular PIT tags would be most successful compared to sub-cutaneous PIT tags and VIE injection. In our experiment, PIT tags retention …

Nebraska Chapter Gamma Sigma Delta Newsletter Issue #49 [Sic, #50] Fall 2015

Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska Chapter: Newsletters

Welcome New Members

Recipients of 2014 Gamma Sigma Delta Awards

Award of Merit for Service Recipient: Dennis Brink

Excellence in Research Award Recipient: George Graef

Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient: Roberto Cortinas

Excellence in Extension Award Recipient: Gary Zoubek

Alissa Martindale is presented the Outstanding Undergraduate Student

Garth A. Brown is presented the Arthur von Bergen Memorial Award

Vivek Sharma is presented the Outstanding Graduate Student award

In Memoriam: Dale Swartzendruber, Dr. Loyd L. Young, Herman Jacob Gorz, John Kenyon Ward.

Gamma Sigma Delta Committees 2015

Differences In Individual Perceptions Of Volcanic And Seismic Hazards, Justin Elwonger

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

While there has been significant research done on public perceptions of volcanoes and volcanic hazards, there are gaps in the literature in both studies regarding perceptions of earthquakes and seismic hazards as well as comparative studies on perceptions between tectonically active and inactive areas. This is an exploratory study that aims to lay the groundwork to help fill in some of these gaps. A free-response survey instrument was developed and deployed to populations of college students in Nebraska and Hawaii. Overall, responses showed that the types of perceptions in both locations are quite similar, but the frequency that those perceptions …

The Effects Of Political Culture And Structure On Nutrient Reduction Policy, Thien Chau

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Since 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has worked through a twelve state watershed nutrient task force to combat the Gulf of Mexico hypoxia that occurs every summer due to nutrient runoff in the Mississippi River basin. The hypoxic condition in the Gulf causes massive ecological and economic harm to the region and progress in addressing the issue has been slow. The twelve task force states represent a north-south cross section of the Basin and a variety of political cultures and structures. This research examines the openness to public participation resulting from political culture in these states and how that …

What Motivates Unl Students To Recreate Outdoors: A Case Study For Unl Outdoor Adventures, Isaac Cortes, Christina Woodworth

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Participation in outdoor recreation has gradually increased since the mid 1900s, especially among young people in the 18 to 35 year old age range. Growing up in Nebraska, many young people might not have the opportunity to participate in a wilderness experience. That’s where UNL Outdoor Adventures comes in. OA provides an outlet for UNL students and community members to experience outdoor recreation activities through an indoor climbing wall, bike shop, equipment rental area, challenge course, academic classes and adventure trips. As trip leaders for OA for more than four years, we have seen the positive effects outdoor recreation can …

Downstream Pollution: Do Gender And Emotion Matter?, Marianna Khachaturyan, Gary D. Lynne, Natalia Czap

Cornhusker Economics

Gender differences are a subject of interest to many disciplines, including economics when it comes to strategic behavior, environmental studies when it comes to environmental attitudes and behavior, and psychology when it comes, among many other topics, to differences in emotion expression and reaction. To study a number of questions related to conservation decisions in the context of downstream water pollution, including gender differences and effect of emotions, a laboratory experiment was conducted in the Experimental and Behavioral Economics Laboratory of the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In total 216 students and members of the public …

Prescribed Fire Monitoring Report, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve 2014 (Iqcs Fire Number 285382, 285383, 266782, 285677), Sherry A. Leis, Sarah E. Hinman

United States National Park Service: Publications

Introduction

In 2014, the preserve’s federal and NGO partners conducted prescribed fires during March, April, and October that encompassed 8129.8 acres of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (TAPR). This was a unique burn year in that prescribed burns occurred in the spring, the traditional burn season, and the fall. Fall burns were conducted to support needed archaeological surveys as part of the environmental compliance for a symphony event scheduled for June 2015 at the preserve. Burns at TAPR were coordinated with local US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and various units of the National Park Service.

Burns …

The Comparative Effects Of Garden Pansies And Monilophytes On Perceived Stress Among College Students, Paige Dunkle

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This study is designed to compare how college students rate their sense of stress in the presence of garden pansies or monilophytes (ferns). The objective is to discover more ways in which students can incorporate stress-reducing elements in their workspace. 32 students were placed in a room at a desk supplemented by a single pansy or fern. The students were asked to complete a 10 minute timed survey consisting of demographic questions and statements taken from the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. The hypothesis is that students will report feeling less stressed in the presence of the flowering pansy. Results consisting …

Shorebird Migratory Stopover Responses To Local And Regional Change: Habitat Decisions In A Vanishing Landscape, Caitlyn Gillespie

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Understanding the consequences of anthropogenic change for migratory species is challenging because although they have evolved to cope with environmental uncertainty, migrants still rely on predictable relationships within and among habitats to make informed decisions. Calidris shorebirds rely on ephemeral wetlands during northward migration through mid-continental North America, where favorable habitat conditions are annually and regionally unpredictable and increasingly altered by land-use change. During spring 2013 and 2014, we assessed Calidris habitat use in the Rainwater Basin (RWB) and the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) at both local and landscape scales. Although anthropogenic change has altered the wetland landscape in both …

Early Miocene Antarctic Glacial History: New Insights From Heavy Mineral Analysis From Andrill And–2a Drill Core Sediments, Francesco Iacoviello, Giovanna Giorgetti, Isabella Turbanti Memmi, Sandra Passchier

ANDRILL Research and Publications

The present study deals with heavy mineral analysis of late Early Miocene marine sediments recovered in the McMurdo Sound region (Ross Sea, Antarctica) during the ANDRILL— SMS Project in 2007. The main objective is to investigate how heavy mineral assemblages reflect different source rocks and hence different provenance areas. These data contribute to a better understanding of East Antarctica ice dynamics in the Ross Sea sector during the Early Miocene (17.6–20.2 Ma), a time of long-term global warming and sea level rise. The AND-2A drill core recovered several stratigraphic intervals that span from Early Miocene to Pleistocene and it collected …

Water Current, Volume 47, No. 2, Spring 2015

Water Current Newsletter

All Seats Reserved For June Tour to Republican River Basin

Water for Food, Filmmaker Team On Drought Documentary

Reducing Energy Consumption In The Unl Residence Halls: A Case Study Of Unl's Participation In The 2015 Campus Conservation Nationals, Kyle Chapo

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Energy conservation has become an increasingly discussed topic in recent years as climate change marches onward and energy prices fluctuate. In response to the ever-present problem of energy cost rises, Campus Conservation Nationals was created to promote energy-saving behaviors in universities throughout the United States. UNL has participated in CCN before, but due to several external factors, failed to produce significant improvements to its energy consumption. The purpose of this project was to monitor their 2015 participation in an attempt to identify methods of increasing energy conservation in the future.

Small-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Investment: Payback Periods, Net Present Value, And The Impact Of Epa 111(D), Shea C. Winkler

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Increasingly, states are using policy and incentive to promote the development of small-scale distributed solar energy generation systems (DG). Net metering is the most common state policy approach (enacted by 46 states), but various states have also enacted other incentives and different approaches to net metering. Investments with faster payback periods are more attractive to investors. In this study we analyze five different state approaches at various projected electricity cost escalation rates with respect to the payback periods for a 5-kilowatt (kW) DG. We also weigh the potential impact that proposed United State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations to 111(d) …

The Repurposing Of Abandoned Buildings In Gary, Indiana With Sustainable Design: The Revitalization Of A Distressed City, Tatiana Height

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abandonment has been a major problem plaguing the city of Gary, Indiana. The city saw its peak in the 1960’s and has since been the site of pollution due to the steel mill, a general lack of investment, and seedy behavior in empty buildings. Based on information gathered, such as the Broken Windows Theory, citizen testimonials, expert interviews, government initiatives, and revitalization plans of other cities, restoring abandoned buildings will prove socially and economically beneficial to the city of Gary. This research provides suggestions for how to mitigate the abandoned building problems, suggestions for possible funding of the abandoned building …

Comparative Analysis Of Aquaponic Grow Beds, Thomas Malachi Mcguire, Geoffrey Addison Popken

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The global agricultural system has become a major source of stress on the earth’s natural resources. The current food production and distribution system is not secure and will not sustain future populations as global food production pressures intensify. It will be important to explore other avenues of food production in order to build a more sustainable system in the future. Aquaponics eliminates soil from the equation of food production by combining aquaculture(fish farming) and hydroponics(growing plants in water saturated media). Aquaponics may provide a source of relief for areas without suitable soil or dense human populations. This experiment looks to …