Digital Commons Network^™

Whether They Return: Modeling Outdoor Recreation Behaviors, Decision-Making, And Intention-To-Return In Congressionally Designated Wilderness, Alexander Robert Caraynoff

Master's Theses and Capstones

Visitation to parks and protected areas (PPAs) has become increasingly widespread in the United States. This increased visitation is especially concerning within congressionally designated wilderness areas where federal agencies are dually tasked with preserving wilderness character while simultaneously providing high-quality outdoor recreation experiences. This study investigated the influence of social, situational, and ecological factors on outdoor recreation visitor behaviors and decision-making within the Lye Brook Wilderness (LBW) area in Vermont, USA. An on-site intercept survey (n=576) was employed to collect data from LBW visitors in the summer of 2021. Multi-variate statistics (e.g., binary logistic regression, structural equation modeling) indicate visitor …

The Grand Re-Opening Of The American Summer Camp: Determinants Of Camp Innovation During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Leslie Anne Doone

Master's Theses and Capstones

In 2020, COVID-19 shuttered 82% of summer camps in the United States leading to a loss of 16 billion dollars in revenue, 900,000 jobs within the camping industry, and left 19.5 million youth without a camp experience (ACA Research Team, 2021; Fernandez, 2020; Wycoff, 2021). Financial constraints, stakeholder interest, and increased knowledge of COVID-19 mitigation strategies led to 71% of residential and 56% of day camps re-opening nationally in 2021 (ACA Research Team, 2022). To open, camps had to employ a variety of innovations to mitigate risks and support amended programming and operations. This cross-sectional survey study, in partnership with …

Rna-Seq Analysis Of Transgenic Arabidopsis Thaliana With Conferred Overproduction Of Putrescene By A Mouse Ornithine Decarboxylase Gene, Eric English

Master's Theses and Capstones

Polyamines are a class of low molecular weight, nitrogenous bases that participate in many important functions in plants, from germination to senescence and many steps in between. These molecules have been shown to play key roles in various abiotic and biotic stress responses which makes their biosynthetic pathway a focal point for engineering plants to better adapt to rapidly changing local environments and global climate change. Previous work with plants capable of producing high polyamine titers shows that they have superior stress responses as compared to their wild type counterparts. This study investigated what broader impacts a genetic manipulations to …

Bridging The Gap Between Retrieval And Summarization, Connor Lennox

Master's Theses and Capstones

Information Retrieval is, at its core, a field focused on providing information to users to fulfill an information need. One of the most common use cases of Information Retrieval is document-level retrieval, which seeks to provide a collection of documents to the user that addresses their needs. In contrast to this, single document retrieval seeks to instead provide the user with a single document comprised of all required information. We seek to extend single document retrieval to single document generation, in which we use multiple source documents to create a new document which directly addresses the information need.

Characterization And Knockdown Of Tata-Binding Protein 1 In Toxoplasma Gondii, Malorie R. Nitz

Master's Theses and Capstones

Toxoplasma gondii is a single celled eukaryotic parasite that causes the disease toxoplasmosis, which infects approximately thirty to fifty percent of the world’s population. Current treatments for toxoplasmosis are lacking and immunocompromised individuals are at risk of a reactivation of acute infection. Tight control of transcription initiation is critical for maintaining proper infection for the parasite. TATA-binding proteins (TBPs) are critical transcription factors for recognizing and binding to the TATA-box and other motifs in eukaryotes to recruit the transcription preinitiation complex. Toxoplasma contains two TBPs, TgTBP1 and TgTBP2, but TATA-boxes or other conserved motifs have not yet been identified in …

Error Detection And Correction During Object Naming In Individuals With Aphasia, Anne O'Donnell

Master's Theses and Capstones

Aphasia is a neurogenic communication disorder that occurs following a left hemisphere stroke and commonly co-occurs with apraxia of speech (AOS). Individuals with aphasia typically make errors in their lexical retrieval and have difficulties detecting and correcting them. While there is ample research in how errors occur, few researchers go as far as to look at error detection and subsequent correction in this population. Given this need for research, we took a pre-existing data set of 23 individuals with aphasia grouped for presence of AOS (nine with comorbid AOS) and coded their spoken responses on the Object Naming subtest of …

Selective Grazing Of Indigenous Protists On Dechlorinating Bacteria In Groundwater, Jonathan Greenleaf Whaland

Master's Theses and Capstones

ABSTRACT

SELECTIVE GRAZING OF INDIGENOUS PROTISTS ON DECHLORINATING BACTERIA IN GROUNDWATER

ByJonathan G. Whaland University of New Hampshire, May 2022

Degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE) in contaminated groundwater can stall at cis-dichloroethylene (cDCE). One cause of the stall could be predation of indigenous protists on the bacteria responsible for cDCE degradation. This research evaluated the uptake and clearance rates of indigenous groundwater protists on KB-1, a bacterial consortium used for bioaugmentation at TCE contaminated sites. The experiments involved two wells, one contaminated with TCE located in Portsmouth, NH and one uncontaminated well located in Newington, NH, and the indigenous protists and …

Fungal Fruiting And Dispersal Following Timber Harvest, Benjamin William Borgmann-Winter

Master's Theses and Capstones

Forest-dwelling fungi are critical to ecosystem function in their roles as decomposers and nutrient cyclers, food sources, pathogens, and mycorrhizal symbionts. In northern New England, a region with a substantial timber industry, the degree to which fungal communities are resilient to timber harvest, as well as their ability to recolonize post-disturbance, may impact ecosystem function and forest regeneration. In this thesis, we investigate the impacts of (1) timber harvest on fungal fruiting, an important element of fungal reproduction, and (2) the dispersal mechanisms by which fungi may re-colonize harvested areas. In Chapter 1, we investigate the impact of timber harvest …

Improving Larval And Juvenile Lumpfish, Cyclopterus Lumpus, Aquaculture: Nutrition And Growing Conditions, Nathaniel Spada

Master's Theses and Capstones

Salmonids play a major role in aquaculture globally and their production is expected to increase as the human population rises and wild fish stocks decline. Sea lice infestation is the largest economic burdens to salmonid net pen aquaculture with hundreds-of-millions of dollars lost due to the treatment, labor, and loss of biomass associated with these parasitic copepods. Chemotherapeutics were originally used to treat these infestations, but their effects on nontarget species resulted in them being banned in many countries. Many salmonid farmers now utilize cleanerfish technology to resolve this financial stressor. Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) are efficient delousers in salmonid aquaculture …

Uv Sulfite Advanced Reduction Process For Pfos Transformation In Wastewater Treatment, Cassidy Rae Yates

Master's Theses and Capstones

Most nutrients and contaminants within municipal wastewaters are removed through physical, chemical, and biological treatment methods. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) that are concentrated in wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs) from municipal, industrial, and commercial sources in communities. PFAS are poorly removed in conventional municipal wastewater treatment because these facilities are generally not designed for treatment of low-level CECs. Some PFAS leave WWTFs through aqueous effluent, while others partition to solids and are handled in sludges due to properties based on the degree of fluorination, chain length, and headgroup. As the last …

Larval Assessment And Infection Etiology Of Cultivated And Wild Eastern Oysters, Crassostrea Virginica, Of Great Bay Estuary, Nh, Alyssa Stasse

Master's Theses and Capstones

Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, populations have been declining steadily over the past several decades across the North American east coast. Great Bay Estuary (GBE), located in New Hampshire, is experiencing this loss and restoration efforts have been put into effect. This work addresses restoration needs by characterizing abundances of settled spat and two early stages of C. virginica, D-hinge and veliger, in GBE from June 2020 through November 2020. Abundances are compared based on the collection site and the physicochemical data recorded on each sampling date. It was found that there were no differences in larval abundance at different sites …

Is Being A Social Media Influencer A Sustainable Career?, Mya Sanders

Comm-entary

Being a social media influencer in today’s world has its stereotypes: that it is not a real job which one can have for their whole lives, that it does nothing useful for society, or that people get paid to take videos of themselves and nothing more. While that argument has valid points for individual people, I discuss in this paper the idea that being a social media influencer can be a sustainable career path. I mention the positives of the career path: how influencers have the power to change their followers’ minds on a topic, how they can be a …

Shein: How Immaterial Labor Fuels The Capitalist Fast Fashion Industry, Sara Donatello

Comm-entary

This paper highlights the consumption of fast fashion products by consumers as immaterial labor. The industry runs not only on the production of goods, but the consumption and advertising done by influencers and everyday consumers alike. The research explores romantic individualism as a way to advertise products to followers and how the global apparel industry works. Research is supported by surveys completed by SHEIN consumers ages 18-25. The sustainability of the fast fashion industry is also a factor explored in this paper.

A Manufactured Culture: A Look Into How U.S. Imperialism Coerced The Philippine Economy Into A Culture Of Migration, Gio Ramos

Comm-entary

In this research paper, I investigate the origins of labor brokerages in the Philippines. The Philippine economy heavily relies on remittance which is when temporary overseas Filipino workers and emigrants send money back to their families in Philippines. This money is then flushed back into the local economy and keeps it running. Throughout this essay, I find that United States imperialism is a root cause for early labor systems in the archipelago. I analyze historic books and other expert studies on this topic to come to a final conclusion that illuminates my primary research question. How has US imperialism coerced …

How The Media Frames Mental Health And Social Media: A Case Study Of The Facebook Whistleblower, Meghan Switzgable

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

The Orgasm Gap: What Role Does The Patriarchy Play In The Bedroom?, Merrimac Moran

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

Comm-Entary, Spring 2021 - Full Issue

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

Studies Toward Synthesis Of A Protected Derivative Of L-Enduracididine Via C-H Activation, Iram Muzaffar

Master's Theses and Capstones

Over the years bacteria have developed resistance against antibiotics. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics is one of the main reasons of this increased bacterial resistance. A recently discovered peptide antibiotic known as teixobactin has shown potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus. aureus (MRSA), Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci, (VRE). The structure of teixobactin consists of several uncommon amino acids including D-amino-acids and L-allo-enduracididine. L-allo-Enduracididine is a unique amino acid residue consisting of a 5-membered guanidine ring, which offers a great challenge for its synthesis. Most of the reported syntheses of L-allo-enduracididine are lengthy and consist of a lack …

Understanding The Fate And Transport Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances In Wastewater Systems: A New England Perspective, Sydney Kathleen Adams

Master's Theses and Capstones

This thesis explores the story of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in New England wastewater systems. PFAS compounds, known for their environmental persistence, toxic nature, and heavy integration into our daily lives, has recently become an infamous topic in environmental engineering due to the discovery of contaminated agricultural lands, water resources, and food systems. In response to these daunting discoveries, regulators have begun looking to reduce point source pollution of PFAS, including that of wastewater systems and facilities. As conduits of PFAS, wastewater systems funnel PFAS from industrial, commercial, and residential sources and emit them into the environment via aqueous …

Seasonal Variability Of Phytoplankton Population Dynamics In Coastal New Hampshire, Molly Erickson

Master's Theses and Capstones

Phytoplankton population dynamics are significant indicators of ecosystem health and marine food web structure. Phytoplankton population dynamics are also highly variable, especially within complex coastal ocean systems. To capture temporal phytoplankton population dynamics, a weekly time series measuring temperature, salinity, tide height, chlorophyll a concentration, nutrients, and phytoplankton biodiversity was performed at two sites in New Hampshire over an annual cycle. Despite being geographically close in proximity, the coastal and estuarine locations were very different in terms of blooming periods, community composition, and ecological factors. Phytoplankton blooms occurred at least once each season on the coast, consisting of Rhizosolenia sp., …

Unh Health & Wellness Hosts Get Yourself Tested Month, Stefanie Kistler

Digital Edition

An independent student produced newspaper from the University of New Hampshire.

2021-2022 Faculty Senate Xxvi - April 25, 2022 Minutes Summary, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Agendas & Minutes

No abstract provided.

Conspiracy Vs. Science: A Survey Of U.S. Public Beliefs, Lawrence C. Hamilton

Carsey Publications

In this brief, author Lawrence Hamilton reports the results of a nationwide U.S. survey that asked respondents whether they agreed, disagreed, or were unsure about a series of statements that mixed pseudo-science con­spiracy claims with well-established scientific facts.

Around 10 percent of respondents agreed with conspiracy claims that the Earth is flat, NASA faked the Moon landings, or COVID-19 vaccinations implant tracking microchips. For comparison, 58 to 83 percent agreed with statements of basic scientific facts—such as the Earth is billions of years old, or revolves around the Sun. Although agreement with conspiracy claims was low overall, it was significantly …

Microbial Ecologist Honored With Career Award, Sarah Schaier

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Unh Community Reflects On Increase Of Mental Health Problems, Stefanie Kistler

Digital Edition

An independent student produced newspaper from the University of New Hampshire.

Unh Announces 2022 Granite State Award And Honorary Degree Recipients, Erika Mantz

Media Relations

No abstract provided.

A Powerful Team, Unh Communications And Public Affairs

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Soil Volatile Organic Compound Emissions In Response To Soil Warming And Nitrogen Deposition, A. L. Romero-Olivares, C. L. Davie-Martin, M. Kramshoj, R. Rinnan, Serita D. Frey

Faculty Publications

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play crucial roles in ecosystems at multiple scales, ranging from mediating soil microbial interactions to contributing to atmospheric chemistry. However, soil VOCs and how they respond to environmental change remains understudied. We aimed to assess how 2 abiotic global change drivers, soil warming and simulated nitrogen (N) deposition, impact soil VOC emissions over time in a temperate forest. We characterized the effect of warming, N deposition, and their interaction on the composition and emissions of soil VOCs during the growing season of 2 consecutive years. We found that chronic warming and N deposition enhanced total …

Office Of Research, Economic Engagement And Outreach Update, April 20, 2022, Office Of Research, Economic Engagement And Outreach

Office of Research, Economic Engagement and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Uav And Structure-From-Motion Photogrammetry Enhance River Restoration Monitoring: A Dam Removal Study, Alexandra D. Evans, Kevin H. Gardner, Scott Greenwood, Brett Still

New Hampshire EPSCoR

Dam removal is a river restoration technique that has complex landscape-level ecological impacts. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are emerging as tools that enable relatively affordable, repeatable, and objective ecological assessment approaches that provide a holistic perspective of restoration impacts and can inform future restoration efforts. In this work, we use a consumer-grade UAV, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and machine learning (ML) to evaluate geomorphic and vegetation changes pre-/post-dam removal, and discuss how the technology enhanced our monitoring of the restoration project. We compared UAV evaluation methods to conventional boots-on-ground methods throughout the Bellamy River Reservoir (Dover, NH, USA) pre-/post-dam removal. We …