Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating The Success Of Tool-Lending Libraries And Their Contributions To Community Sustainability, Neil Tabor

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Tool Lending Libraries function much like that of a public library, offering users the chance to check out a variety of tools at no cost, as part of a membership fee or on a tool by tool fee basis, far lower than the purchase price for each tool, and below rates offered by for-profit rental agencies. This study attempts to determine what factors make a successful tool lending library and how these operations contribute to community sustainability. Findings for specific criteria were inconclusive, but suggest it is extremely difficult to isolate variables enough that insight will be provided into criteria …

Determining The Feasibility Of Including Historic Roads And Routes Connecting The Eastern Legacy Sites In The Extension Of The National Historic Lewis And Clark Trail, Kiana Mathew

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Worked with landscape architects and interdisciplinary study team conducting congressionally mandated Special Resource Study to determine the significance, desirability and feasibility of adding Eastern Sites and Segments, in several Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Southern states, to the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail as a formal Trail extension. Duties involve substantial field survey work and travel and included landscape evaluations, site and segment documentation and field verification of mapped data to support a National Historic Trail Extension feasibility determination based on National Trails System Act criteria. Knowledge of planning principles and cultural landscapes, strong computer, research, writing, and communication skills were …

Transforming The Teaching Of Geoscience And Sustainability, David Gosselin, Cathy Manduca, Timothy J. Bralower, David Mogk

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The geosciences have an important role to play in addressing whether humans can live sustainably on Earth. From water to energy, from climate change to natural hazards, geoscience is central to solving a wide range of problems.

Two projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) support faculty in incorporating aspects of sustainability in their teaching: the Interdisciplinary Teaching of Geoscience for a Sustainable Future ( InTeGrate) Center in the Geosciences and the On the Cutting Edge Faculty Development Program in the Geosciences. The former is funded by NSF’s Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Faculty Development Program, and the …

Impacts Of The Federal Farm And Ranch Lands Protection Program: An Assessment Based On Interviews With Participating Landowners, J. Dixon Esseks, Brian J. Schilling, Alexander Hahn

Center for Great Plains Studies: Staff and Fellows Publications

Focus of the Study

From mid-February to mid-May 2012, a research team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln surveyed 506 owners whose agricultural land was protected from development through conservation easements that were funded in part by USDA’s Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP). This program “provides matching funds to help purchase development rights to keep productive farm and ranchland in agricultural uses. Working through existing programs, USDA partners with State, tribal, or local governments and non-governmental organizations to acquire conservation easements or other interests in land from landowners, USDA provides up to 50 percent of the fair market easement …

A Natural Resource Condition Assessment For Sequoia And Kings Canyon National Parks, Appendix 16 - Bats, Alice Chung-Maccoubrey

United States National Park Service: Publications

Scope of Analysis

North American bats are highly unique animals that have historically been overlooked by land managers and misunderstood by the public. Bats are unique as the only true flying mammals and due to their exceptionally long lives (5-15 years) and unusually low reproductive rates (typically one young per year) for their small size. Most North American bat species are insectivorous, serve as the primary predators of nocturnal insects, and can consume up to one-third of their weight in insects per night. Thus, bats play a role in regulating insect populations, insect-related ecological processes, and nutrient redistribution and cycling …

Missouri National Recreational River 2012 Resource Brief, Isabel W. Ashton, Michael Prowatzke, Kara Paintner

United States National Park Service: Publications

Includes brief information on plant community monitoring, water quality monitoring, and weather and climate monitoring for the Missouri National Recreational River in the United States for 2012.

How Has Climate Change Impacted Summertime Rainfall Amounts In Nebraska?, Erinn Richert

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Recent weather events have led people to believe that climate change is the cause of them. El Niño Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, has a major influence, in certain parts of the United States. Climate models are predicting that there will be an increase of precipitation in the Midwestern United States. A previous study regarding the eastern portion of Nebraska investigated the impact of climate change on the precipitation schedule (Gershunov et al, 1997). For this study, three stations across Nebraska were investigated, one from the eastern, central, and western part of the state. Different statistical tests will be applied to …

A Model In Waiting: How Lincoln Nebraska Could Be The Ideal City For Recycling Progressivism, Caleb Greenfield

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Lincoln Nebraska currently has a recycling diversion rate of only 18.4% lagging far behind the national average of 34% and alarmingly low when compared to San Francisco, California with a rate of 80%. This study was to determine the forces that propelled California and San Francisco to the highest diversions rates in the nation from a policy, waste collection process and management standpoint. Then look at what forces there are in Lincoln, Nebraska and what could be done to improve its diversion successfully. This study was conducted primarily through the literature review process.

The results were that California was not …

Greenhouse Gas Flux In Nebraska’S Saline Marshes: An Analysis Of Frank Shoemaker Marsh, Alicia Lenners

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

For my thesis I will be studying the flux of greenhouse gases (CH₄, CO_2, and N₂O), focusing on methane production, released from wetlands, specifically the saline wetlands of Lincoln, NE. Methane is an important greenhouse gas (GHG), and wetlands are the biggest producers of the gas. With time most of the methane will be oxidized into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO₂), but meth (Laing, Shreeve, & Pearce, 2008).

The Effects Climate Variability On Avifauna, On The Platte River In Nebraska, Miranda Cynova

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This study 1) looked at how weather patterns are predicted to change as a result of global climate change, 2) considered how these changes could affect the survival of Piping Plovers, Interior Least Terns, and Whooping Cranes and 3) considered the importance of managing wildlife in the Great Plains in light of the predicted consequences of global climate change. Correlation (Spearman r_s) tests were completed to compare the abundance of each species of birds and the amount of water flowing in the Platte River. Piping Plovers and Interior Least Terns have a specific amount of water that is …

Amphibian Community Composition And Its Relationship To Salinity Along The Salt Creek In Wilderness Park, Lancaster County, Nebraska, Nicholas Arneson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Amphibians serve as an indication of proper ecosystem health. Due to their permeable skin and cutaneous respiration, amphibians are prone to be adversely affected by intensified water quality parameters (Welsh and Olliver 1998) . Salinity (the measure of dissolved salts) can have a serious effect on amphibian reproduction and recruitment (Smith et al 2006). A research project was enacted during the 2012 summer field season in Wilderness Park located in Lancaster County, Nebraska to determine if a relationship exists between amphibian species richness and relative abundance with measures of salinity (ppm). Breeding sites were determined and placed in three relative …

Navigating Todays Grocery Stores: Food Labels And The Regulations Behind Them, Jessica Furlan

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Rising concern over food safety issues by consumers has resulted in an increased demand for what are perceived to be healthier food options. Labels have become major marketing tools, and instrumental in consumer choices. This study looks at the history and regulations behind three certified labels: USDA Organic, Demeter Certified Biodynamic, and Certified Naturally Grown, as well as the highly prevalent “natural” food claim, in an attempt to discover whether the claims made by their labels are factually sound. With the exception of the “natural” claim, which is neither certified nor regulated by the FDA, USDA or other organizations, it …

Relating Incoming Uv Radiations To Melanoma Cases In The Country Of New Zealand, Madeline Paige Eversoll

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The purpose of this study is to look at how incoming ultraviolet rays might have an impact on skin cancer occurrences for the country of New Zealand. Looking at the atmospheric conditions and assessing how it can be related to areas like public health, can show how interconnected the environment can be with the welfare of human beings. If such connections can be made, relationships between melanoma toward UV and ozone can show how effective the Montreal protocol was in prohibiting the emissions of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). According to Chemistry Climate Model Projections, if it weren’t for the Montreal protocol 67% …

Management Of Invasive Garlic Mustard Populations, Jillian M. Schneider

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate current practices regarding known Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) populations in Lincoln, Nebraska and to determine the most effective management techniques in controlling garlic mustard invasions. A.petiolata is a shade tolerant, cool season growth plant invasive to North America. It is an allelopathic biennial whose established first year rosettes overwinter giving garlic mustard a head start on native annuals allowing it to outcompete indigenous species in the understory of woodland areas. Information regarding the histories and extent of invasions, management methods, and impacts on ecosystems was gathered from personnel at Fontenelle Forest Nature …

Building Conservation Through Cycling: Exploring The Relationship Between Bicycling And Environmental Conservation, Claire Love

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

Proprietary Research To Determine Feasibility Of Commercializing The Pink Oyster Mushroom, Evan P. Bumann

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This project serves as a feasibility experiment to bring the Pink Oyster mushroom(Pleurotus flabellatus) into constant domestic cultivation for the purposes of commercialization. Important data acquired from growth trials were growth timelines and yields. This information was used to generate interactive spreadsheets with which one can determine possible cost and profit in a variety of scenarios. The first portion of the experiment involved constructing a growth chamber, which can achieve and maintain stable environmental conditions. This portion was successful. Secondly, the numbers obtained from the experimental growth trials were used to determine future projections from the perspective of …

Exploring Prairie Diversity: Plant Parasitic Nematodes Of 9 Mile Prairie, Maggie Olson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Nematodes are some of the most diverse and abundant animals on Earth. These microscopic invertebrates are found in virtually all terrestrial and aquatic habitats. While their abundance and diversity of form is well documented, their genetic diversity and distribution is largely unknown (Boag and Yeates, 1998). How this diversity is distributed across continents, ecoregions, and landscapes is still being discovered.

There are two primary objectives of this project. First, we wanted to determine how patterns of nematode diversity are distributed within and among tall grass prairies. Additionally, we wanted to generate new knowledge about belowground prairie diversity. One component to …

Causes And Effects Of Streambank Erosion And Mass-Wasting Along Stevens Creek In Northeast Lancaster County, Nebraska: A Photographic Qualitative Case Study, Jared A. Norris

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The Stevens Creek watershed borders the eastern side of the city of Lincoln, Nebraska. The study site for this investigation is located near the intersection of the Murdock recreation trail bridge and the Stevens Creek waterway. This research examined the causes and effects of streambank erosion within approximately 75 meters upstream and downstream of the Murdock Trail bridge-Stevens Creek intersection. The investigation utilized extensive photographic evidence, field observations, and some water and soil sampling to qualitatively determine that the extent of streambank erosion within the given study site is occurring at an accelerated rate, likely as a result of increased …

Missouri National Recreational River Visitor Study, Summer 2012, Marc F. Manni, Yen Le, Steven J. Hollenhorst

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

This visitor study report profiles a systematic random sample of Missouri National Recreation River visitors during July 19 - 25, 2012. A total of 467 questionnaires were distributed to visitor groups. Of those, 256 questionnaires were returned, resulting in a 54.8% response rate.

Group size and type: Thirty-eight percent of visitor groups consisted of two or three people and 35% were in groups of six or more. Sixty-four percent of visitor groups consisted of family groups.

State or country of residence: United States visitors were from 29 states and comprised 99% of total visitation during the survey period, …

Assessing Retention In Two Freshman Natural Resource Orientation Courses, Mark E. Burbach, Shannon Moncure

Discipline-Based Education Research Group Speaker Series

Many university programs have implemented freshman orientation courses to improve student retention. This two‐year study explored the relationship between student evaluations of instruction in relation to student learning objectives of two recently developed freshman natural resource orientation courses and predictors of college student retention identified by Davidson, Beck, and Milligan (2009) and Cuseo (2007). The five instructional objectives were Developing a Sense of Community, Reviewing Issues Related to Natural Resources, Evaluating Courses and College Activities, Exploring Careers in Natural Resources, and Developing Resources in the Department. Ninety‐five freshman students participated in this study. All five evaluations of instruction in relation …

Scotts Bluff National Monument 2012 Resource Brief, Isabel W. Ashton, Michael Prowatzke, Kara Paintner

United States National Park Service: Publications

Includes brief information on plant community monitoring, air quality monitoring, and weather and climate monitoring at Scotts Bluff National Monument in Nebraska, USA in 2012.

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument 2012 Resource Brief, Marcia Wilson, Kara Paintner, Isabel Ashton, Michael Prowatzke

United States National Park Service: Publications

Includes brief information on plant community monitoring, aquatic invertebrate monitoring, weather and climate monitoring at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in Nebraska, USA from 2012.

Birds Of The Central Platte River Valley And Adjacent Counties, Mary Bomberger Brown, Paul A. Johnsgard

Zea E-Books Collection

The central Platte River Valley region of Nebraska is described ecologically, and defined as encompassing 11 counties and nearly 10,000 square miles, and extending about 120 miles from the western edge of Lincoln County to the eastern edge of Merrick County. At its center is the Platte River, the historic spring staging area for Sandhill and Whooping cranes, five species of geese, and millions of waterfowl and water-dependent birds, in addition to providing the breeding habitats for more than 100 other bird species. Collectively, at least 373 bird species have been reported from the Central Platte Valley, making it the …

Atrazine And Nitrate In Public Drinking Water Supplies And Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma In Nebraska, Usa, Martha G. Rhoades, Jane L. Meza, Cheryl L. Beseler, Patrick J. Shea, Andy Kahle, Julie M. Vose, Kent M. Eskridge, Roy F. Spalding

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

A secondary analysis of 1999–2002 Nebraska case-control data was conducted to assess the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) associated with exposure to nitrate- and atrazine-contaminated drinking water. Water chemistry data were collected and weighted by well contribution and proximity of residence to water supply, followed by logistic regression to determine odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). We found no association between NHL risk and exposure to drinking water containing atrazine or nitrate alone. Risk associated with the interaction of nitrate and atrazine in drinking water was elevated (OR, 2.5; CI, 1.0–6.2). Risk of indolent B-cell lymphoma was higher …

Consequences Of Climate Change For The Soil Climate In Central Europe And The Central Plains Of The United States, Miroslav Trnka, Kurt Christian Kersebaum, Josef Eitzinger, Michael Hayes, Petr Hlavinka, Mark Svoboda, Martin Dubrovský, Daniela Semerádová, Brian D. Wardlow, Eduard Pokorný, Martin Možný, Donald A. Wilhite, Zdeněk Žalud

National Drought Mitigation Center: Faculty Publications

This study aims to evaluate soil climate quantitatively under present and projected climatic conditions across Central Europe (12.1°–18.9° E and 46.8°–51.1° N) and the U.S. Central Plains (90°–104° W and 37°–49° N), with a special focus on soil temperature, hydric regime, drought risk and potential productivity (assessed as a period suitable for crop growth). The analysis was completed for the baselines (1961–1990 for Europe and 1985–2005 for the U.S.) and time horizons of 2025, 2050 and 2100 based on the outputs of three global circulation models using two levels of climate sensitivity. The results indicate that the soil climate (soil …

Evaluation Of A Perpendicular Inlet For Airborne Sampling Of Interstitial Submicron Black-Carbon Aerosol, A. E. Perring, J. P. Schwarz, R. S. Gao, A. J. Heymsfield, C. G. Schmitt, M. Schnaiter, D. W. Fahey

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

The majority of airborne aerosol measurements employ forward-facing inlets with near-isokinetic sampling; these inlets have known artifacts when sampling in clouds such that data taken in cloud must typically be discarded. Here we report first results from a perpendicular inlet for sampling interstitial submicron black-carbon (BC) containing aerosol. The inlet, consisting of a flat plate to stabilize flow prior to perpendicular sampling, was evaluated using a single particle soot photometer (SP2) aboard the NASA WB-57F aircraft during the Midlatitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment (MACPEX) of 2011. The new inlet rejects large particles and is free of aerosol artifacts when sampling …

What Are The Toxicological Effects Of Mercury In Arctic Biota?, Rune Dietz, Christian Sonne, Niladri Basu, Birgit Braune, Todd O'Hara, Robert J. Letcher, Tony Scheuhammer, Magnus Andersen, Claus Andreasen, Dennis Andriashek, Gert Asmund, Aurore Aubail, Hans Baagøe, Erik W. Born, Hing M. Chan, Andrew E. Derocher, Philippe Grandjean, Katrina Knott, Maja Kirkegaard, Anke Krey, Nick Lunn, Francoise Messier, Marty Obbard, Morten T. Olsen, Sonja Ostertag, Elizabeth Peacock, Aristeo Renzoni, Frank F. Rigét, Janneche Utne Skaare, Gary Stern, Ian Stirling, Mitch Taylor, Øystein Wiig, Simon Wilson, Jon Aars

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

This review critically evaluates the available mercury (Hg) data in Arctic marine biota and the Inuit population against toxicity threshold values. In particular marine top predators exhibit concentrations of mercury in their tissues and organs that are believed to exceed thresholds for biological effects. Species whose concentrations exceed threshold values include the polar bears (Ursus maritimus), beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), pilot whale (Globicephala melas), hooded seal (Cystophora cristata), a few seabird species, and landlocked Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Toothed whales appear to be one of the most vulnerable groups, with …

North American Climate In Cmip5 Experiments. Part I: Evaluation Of Historical Simulations Of Continental And Regional Climatology, Justin Sheffield, Andrew P. Barrett, Brian Colle, D. Nelun Fernando, Rong Fu, Kerrie L. Geil, Q. Steven Hu, Jim Kinter, Sanjiv Kumar, Baird Langenbrunner, Kelly Lombardo, Lindsey N. Long, Eric Maloney, Annarita Mariotti, Joyce E. Meyerson, Kingtse C. Mo, J. David Neelin, Sumant Nigam, Zaitao Pan, Tong Ren, Alfredo Ruiz-Barradas, Yolande Serra, Anji Seth, Jeanne M. Thibeault, Julienne C. Stroeve, Ze Yang, Lei Yin

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

This is the first part of a three-part paper on North American climate in phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) that evaluates the historical simulations of continental and regional climatology with a focus on a core set of 17models. The authors evaluate the models for a set of basic surface climate and hydrological variables and their extremes for the continent. This is supplemented by evaluations for selected regional climate processes relevant to North American climate, including cool season western Atlantic cyclones, the North American monsoon, the U.S. Great Plains low-level jet, and Arctic sea ice. In general, …

Potential Climate Change Effects On Groundwater Recharge In The High Plains Aquifer, Usa, Russell S. Crosbie, Bridget R. Scanlon, Freddie S. Mpelasoka, Robert C. Reedy, John B. Gates, Lu Zhang

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Considering that past climate changes have significantly impacted groundwater resources, quantitative predictions of climate change effects on groundwater recharge may be valuable for effective management of future water resources. This study used 16 global climate models (GCMs) and three global warming scenarios to investigate changes in groundwater recharge rates for a 2050 climate relative to a 1990 climate in the U.S. High Plains region. Groundwater recharge was modeled using the Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere- Transfer model WAVES for a variety of soil and vegetation types representative of the High Plains. The median projection under a 2050 climate includes increased recharge in the Northern …

“In Landlessness Alone Resides The Highest Truth”; Or, At Sea With Honors, Don Dingledine

Honors in Practice Online Archive

The recent explosion on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico was a grim reminder of the BP disaster in 2010, from which Gulf Coast residents and workers are still trying to recover. We all must have responded to that disaster with a similar sense of outrage as we watched the live underwater video feed of millions of gallons of oil spewing into the ocean and saw images of oil-soaked wildlife, coastlines, and marshlands. Shared memories of Hurricane Katrina heighten our collective sympathy for the people whose livelihoods this disaster still threatens. At the same time, our individual responses …