Digital Commons Network^™

Dissertation Year Fellows Get To Work, Kristin Melamed

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Variation In Plant Water Use, Growth, And Water-Use Efficiency Of Planted Mixtures And Monocultures: Toward Proper Species Selection For Reforestation Efforts In The Seasonally Dry Tropics, Katherine Sinacore

Doctoral Dissertations

In recent years, there has been a trend towards reforesting previously degraded areas by planting trees. While plantations offer an opportunity to restore ecosystem functions and diversity, most reforested plantations currently consist of monocultures, or single-species systems. Originally planted to provide wood for both global and regional markets, monocultures provide only a few goods and services and reduce plant biodiversity in comparison to multi-species systems, like forests. An alternative to the current plantation design is planting mixed species systems. Beyond diversifying a plantation, mixed species stands provide an opportunity to enhance ecosystem services that include non-timber forest products, carbon sequestration, …

The Bioeconomics Of Shade-Grown Coffee Production Under Climate And Price Risks In Puerto Rico, Yixuan Gao

Master's Theses and Capstones

Coffee production is severely affected by global climate change. One of the important impacts comes from the increasing infestation and distribution of coffee berry borer (CBB), the most damaging coffee pest worldwide. Shade-grown coffee (SGC) systems can alleviate the impacts and increase the resilience of coffee farms by providing non-market and market ecosystem services.

From an ecological perspective, SGC systems can provide many non-market ecosystem services such as pest risk mitigation, soil water retention, soil fertility, and pollination, which are all critical factors affecting coffee yields. From a financial perspective, SGC systems can benefit farmers by increasing the prices through …

Lateral Marsh Edge Erosion As A Source Of Sediments For Vertical Marsh Accretion, Charles S. Hopkinson, James T. Morris, Sergio Fagherazzi, Wilfred M. Wollheim, Peter A. Raymond

Faculty Publications

With sea level rise accelerating and sediment inputs to the coast declining worldwide, there is concern that tidal wetlands will drown. To better understand this concern, sources of sediment contributing to marsh elevation gain were computed for Plum Island Sound estuary, MA, USA. We quantified input of sediment from rivers and erosion of marsh edges. Maintaining elevation relative to the recent sea level rise rate of 2.8 mm yr−1 requires input of 32,299 MT yr−1 of sediment. The input from watersheds is only 3,210 MT yr−1. Marsh edge erosion, based on a comparison of 2005 and 2011 LiDAR data, provides …

Salt And Streams: Assessing Ecological Stress In New Hampshire Watersheds At Community, Population, And Molecular Levels, Amy Marie Villamagna

NH Water Resources Research Center Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Measuring Student Mastery Of Sustainability Competencies, Vanessa R. Levesque

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Hot And Salty: Assessing Ecological Stress In New Hampshire Streams At Community, Population, And Molecular Levels, Amy Marie Villamagna

NH Water Resources Research Center Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Shipworms And The Making Of The American Coastline, Derek Lee Nelson

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation tells the forgotten history of the American teredo epidemic. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, an assortment of native and invasive wood-boring marine organisms, known collectively as “teredo,” swept through the ports and harbors of the United States. Teredo’s penchant for wood, both for shelter and sustenance, made wharves and wooden ships easy targets. Because teredo enters timber as tiny juveniles, and grows to maturity beyond view, it was often detectable only after a wharf had collapsed or a ship had sunk. Teredo’s unpredictability grated on people so much so that the borer was rarely mentioned …

Impacts And Management Of Foliar Pathogens Of Eastern White Pine (Pinus Strobus) In The Northeastern United States, Cameron Ducayet Mcintire

Doctoral Dissertations

White Pine Needle Damage (WPND) is a complex of foliar fungal pathogens currently impacting forests in the Northeastern US. Since ca. 2009, chlorosis and defoliation caused by WPND has been observed in stands of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L) throughout the region. A changing climate, notably warmer temperatures and higher than average spring precipitation in the region are thought to be exacerbating the establishment and spread of these native pathogens. The goals of this research are to enhance the understanding of the timing and magnitude of WPND-induced defoliations across infected stands, assess the physiological response of trees affected by …

A Change In The Wind? Us Public Views On Renewable Energy And Climate Compared, Lawrence C. Hamilton, Erin Bell, Joel Hartter, Jonathan D. Salerno

New Hampshire EPSCoR

Background: Renewable energy development is a necessary step toward climate change mitigation, so these topics have often been linked. In US public discourse, however, they have somewhat different profiles—climate change views are tied closely to partisan identity, whereas renewable energy exhibits more cross-cutting appeal, and sometimes more cross-cutting opposition as well. To what extent are such differences reflected in survey data tracking rates of change, respondent characteristics, and local or regional variations in public opinion on renewable energy and climate?

Methods: We explore similarities and differences in views of renewable energy and climate change using a unique collection of 18 …

Data Snapshot: Millennials And Climate Change, Lawrence Hamilton

Carsey Publications

From more frequent flooding to heat waves and drought, adverse impacts from climate change are already being experienced.Scientists warn of worse impacts within the lifetime of many people alive today, if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced. Although majorities in all age groups recognize the reality of climate change, awareness is highest among young adults.

Using The Fast-Food Model For Social Good, Jody Record

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

University Of New Hampshire Graduate Academic Catalog, 2018-2019, University Of New Hampshire

Graduate Catalog

No abstract provided.

Food Democracy: Public Participation In New England Food Policy Councils, Cathryn Porter

Master's Theses and Capstones

Food insecurity is a persistent issue in New England. In 2016, food insecurity levels in New England ranged between 9% in New Hampshire and 13.8% in Maine (Feeding America, 2018) . Food policy councils (FPCs) are one method to bring together community members and food systems stakeholders to address inequities in the food system, such as food access. However, implementing food democracy and, in particular, engaging under-represented groups in food systems decision-making remains challenging for FPCs. This research surveyed all 26 FPCs and networks in New England to identify how councils engage the public. Interviews and document analysis inform in …

2017 U.S. Globe Partner Yearbook, Globe U.S. Coordination Office

Partner Yearbooks

No abstract provided.

Four Years Of Unmanned Aerial System Imagery Reveals Vegetation Change In A Sub-Arctic Mire Due To Permafrost Thaw, Jessica Delgreco

Master's Theses and Capstones

Warming trends in sub-arctic regions have resulted in thawing of permafrost which in turn induces change in vegetation across peatlands both in areal extent and composition. Collapse of palsas (i.e. permafrost plateaus) has also been correlated with increases in methane (CH4) emission to the atmosphere. Vegetation change provides new microenvironments that promote CH4 production and emission, specifically through plant interactions and structure. By quantifying the changes in vegetation at the landscape scale, we will be able to scale the impact of thaw on CH4 emissions in these complex climate-sensitive northern ecosystems. We combine field-based measurements of vegetation composition and Unmanned …

Wine About It: How Climate Change Is Affecting International Wine Markets, Krysta Suzanne Gingue

Honors Theses and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to understand the social context surrounding wine and how consumers and producers will act within the existing market structures to physical changes to wine due to climate change. After defining the socially embedded structure of market values, this paper questions how they will survive with the visible and invisible changes being made to wines and wine regions. Through various case studies the paper uncovers climate events happening across the world and how they will potentially change the economic landscape of wine markets. The different lenses required to understand the market lead to competing conclusions. …

Using Contingent Valuation To Measure The Economic Impact Of Climate Change On Hiker Recreation During New England Peak Foliage, Marina J. Bowie

Honors Theses and Capstones

This paper seeks to define and develop an economic tool for measuring willingness to pay for hiking recreation in the face of climate change in New England during the peak foliage season. Potential climate change impacts to New England are defined, along with relevant economic tools for measuring the market value of non-marketed goods. Ultimately, contingent valuation is chosen as the most viable option, and a survey is developed, pretested, and ready for implementation at the trailhead of Mt. Major in New Hampshire.

Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (Nefi): Facing The Challenges And Pathways Of Global Change In The Twenty-First Century, Pavel Ya. Groisman, Herman Shugart, David Kicklighter, Geoffrey Henebry, Nadezhda Tchebakova, Shamil Maksyutov, Erwan Monier, Garik Gutman, Sergey Gulev, Jiaguo Qi, Alexander Prishchepov, Elena Kukavskaya, Boris Porfiriev, Alexander I. Shiklomanov, Tatiana Loboda, Nikolay Shiklomanov, Son Nghiem, Kathleen Bergen, Jana Albrechtova, Jiquan Chen, Maria Shahgedanova, Anatoly Shvidenko, Nina Speranskaya, Amber Soja

Faculty Publications

During the past several decades, the Earth system has changed significantly, especially across Northern Eurasia. Changes in the socio-economic conditions of the larger countries in the region have also resulted in a variety of regional environmental changes that can have global consequences. The Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI) has been designed as an essential continuation of the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), which was launched in 2004. NEESPI sought to elucidate all aspects of ongoing environmental change, to inform societies and, thus, to better prepare societies for future developments. A key principle of NEFI is that these developments …

Assessing The Impacts Of 1.5 °C Global Warming – Simulation Protocol Of The Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (Isimip2b), Katja Frieler, Stefan Lange, Franziska Piontek, Christopher P. O. Reyer, Jacob Schewe, Lila Warszawski, Fang Zhao, Louise Chini, Sebastien Denvil, Kerry Emanuel, Tobias Geiger, Kate Halladay, George Hurtt, Matthias Mengel, Daisuke Murakami, Sebastian Ostberg, Alexander Popp, Riccardo Riva, Miodrag Stevanovic, Tatsuo Suzuki, Jan Volkholz, Eleanor Burke, Philippe Ciais, Kristie Ebi, Tyler D. Eddy, Joshua Elliott, Eric Galbraith, Simon N. Gosling, Fred Hattermann, Thomas Hickler, Jochen Hinkel, Christian Hof, Veronkia Huber, Jonas Jagermeyr, Valentina Krysanova, Rafael Marce, Hannes Muller Schmied, Ioanna Mouratiadou, Don Pierson, Derek P. Tittensor, Robert Vautard, Michelle Van Vliet, Matthias F. Biber, Richard A. Betts, Benjamin Leon Bodirsky, Delphine Deryng, Stephen E. Frolking, Chris D. Jones, Heike K. Lotze, Hermann Lotze-Campen, Ritvik Sahajpal, Kirsten Thonicke, Hanqin Tian, Yoshiki Yamagata

All Materials

In Paris, France, December 2015, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) invited the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to provide a special report in 2018 on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways. In Nairobi, Kenya, April 2016, the IPCC panel accepted the invitation. Here we describe the response devised within the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP) to provide tailored, cross-sectorally consistent impact projections to broaden the scientific basis for the report. The simulation protocol is designed …

The Complexities Of Counting Fish: Engaging Citizen Scientists In Fish Monitoring, Karen H. Bieluch, Theodore Willis, Jason Smith, Karen A. Wilson

New Hampshire EPSCoR

Data gathered by citizen scientists can help ecologists understand long-term trends and can improve the quality and quantity of data about a resource. In Maine and Massa­chusetts, numerous citizen science programs collect data on river herring, anadromous fish that migrate each spring from the ocean to spawn in rivers and lakes. In collabora­tion with state and local resource managers and academic institutions, these programs aim to protect and restore river herring, improve local watersheds, and in some cases, support commercial harvesting. To better understand how programs are run and how data are used by managers, we interviewed program coordinators and …

Unh Stormwater Center Qapp For Wadoe Tape 2017, Unh Stormwater Center

UNH Stormwater Center

No abstract provided.

Drier Conditions, More Wildfire, And Heightened Concerns About Forest Management In Eastern Oregon, Joel Hartter, Lawrence Hamilton, Mark Ducey, Angela Boag, Nils Chistoffersen, Ethan Belair, Paul Oester, Michael Palace, Forrest Stevens

Carsey Publications

This brief examines climate change and forest conditions in eastern Oregon. Eastern Oregon is experiencing warmer, drier conditions and increased numbers of wildfires. Surveys of the Oregon public find that forest health and wildfire threats are widely shared concerns. The more knowledgeable residents say they are about forest management, the more likely they are to say that forests are becoming less healthy. Majorities support active forest management (forest thinning, surface fuel reduction) and restoration to reduce the likelihood of high-severity wildfires that would damage forest resources and threaten local communities. The authors conclude that forests continue to be an important …

Bacterial Community Profiles And Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Abundance In Individual Oysters And Their Association With Estuarine Ecology, Ashley L. Marcinkiewicz, Brian M. Schuster, Stephen H. Jones, Vaughn S. Cooper, Cheryl A. Whistler

New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station Publications

Oysters naturally harbor the human gastric pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus, but the nature of this association is unknown. Because microbial interactions could influence the accumulation of V. parahaemolyticus in oysters, we investigated the composition of the microbiome in water and oysters at two ecologically unique sites in the Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire using 16s rRNA profiling. We then evaluated correlations between bacteria inhabiting the oyster with V. parahaemolyticus abundance quantified using a most probable number (MPN) analysis. Even though oysters filter-feed, their microbiomes were not a direct snapshot of the bacterial community in overlaying water, suggesting they selectively accumulate some …

Eyes Off The Earth? Public Opinion Regarding Climate Science And Nasa, Lawrence C. Hamilton, Jessica Brunacini, Stephanie Pfirm

Carsey Publications

In this brief, authors Lawrence Hamilton, Jessica Brunacini, and Stephanie Pfirman report the results of two nationwide Polar, Environment, and Science surveys on climate change conducted in 2016, as well as a follow-up April 2017 Granite State Poll asking New Hampshire residents their thoughts on proposed cuts to the NASA program. Seventy-three percent of respondents in the nationwide survey said they trust science agencies such as NASA for information about climate change. The second-most-trusted source of information about climate change is family and friends. Despite political divisions, science agencies such as NASA are trusted by substantial majorities within every political …

Salt And Streams: Assessing Ecological Stress In New Hampshire Watersheds At Community, Population, And Molecular Levels, Amy Marie Villamagna

NH Water Resources Research Center Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Shannon Rogers Joins Community & Economic Development Team, Shannon Rogers

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

A Longer Vernal Window: The Role Of Winter Coldness And Snowpack In Driving Spring Thresholds And Lags, Alexandra R. Contosta, Alden Adolph, Denise Burchsted, Elizabeth A. Burakowski, Mark Green, David Guerra, Mary Albert, Jack E. Dibb, Mary E. Martin, William H. Mcdowell, Michael R. Routhier, Cameron P. Wake, Rachel Whitaker, Wilfred M. Wollheim

All Materials

Climate change is altering the timing and duration of the vernal window, a period that marks the end of winter and the start of the growing season when rapid transitions in ecosystem energy, water, nutrient, and carbon dynamics take place. Research on this period typically captures only a portion of the ecosystem in transition and focuses largely on the dates by which the system wakes up. Previous work has not addressed lags between transitions that represent delays in energy, water, nutrient, and carbon flows. The objectives of this study were to establish the sequence of physical and biogeochemical transitions and …

Carsey Perspectives: New Hampshire's Electricity Future; Cost, Reliability, And Risk, Cameron P. Wake, Matt Magnusson, Christine Foreman, Fiona Wilson

Carsey Publications

May 2017 update

PointLogic Energy, a source for natural gas pipeline flow and capacity in the original report, has recently updated its models for calculating natural gas flow in the Tennessee Gas Pipeline in New England. This model update has resulted in significant changes to their previous estimates. Most importantly, data obtained from PointLogic Energy in December 2016 supported the finding that overall net gas flow in the “Tennessee Gas Pipeline: NY to MA” was from Massachusetts to New York from 2013–2016; their revised models indicate a net flow during the same period from New York to Massachusetts. To be …

Public Support For Environmental Protection, Lawrence C. Hamilton

Carsey Publications

In this fact sheet, author Lawrence Hamilton discusses the results of a New Hampshire poll conducted January 31 to February 8, 2017, that asked residents whether they think environmental protection rules should be reduced, strengthened, or left as they are. He reports that, although President Trump and some Congressional supporters have proposed broad reductions in environmental protection, the New Hampshire survey--which has a record of mirroring national surveys on environmental issues--finds little support for such steps. Almost three-quarters think instead that environmental protection rules should be left as they are or strengthened. Large majorities in every category of age, education, …