Digital Commons Network^™

Bridging Functions And Values: Advancing Wetland Ecosystem Service Assessment Through Use Of A Service Capacity Index, William J. Kleindl, Sarah P. Church, Kai C. Rains, Mark C. Rains, Eric D. Stein, Morgan K. Suddreth

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Wetland service or values are often assumed to occur at a comparable level to wetland function (i.e., higher functioning wetlands provide more services). However, services are seldom directly evaluated because of the lack of structured assessment approaches. For wetland ecosystem service to be effectively incorporated in regulatory and monitoring programs, there needs to be parsimonious assessment tools that can be applied systematically, repeatably, and rapidly. This approach begins by disentangling existing terminology and clearly defining all the terms necessary to support the assessment of ecosystem services (ES). We provide context to illustrate how these terms have been variously employed in …

Relationship Between Foraminiferal Assemblages And Cassiopea Coverage Across A Gradient Of Human Influence In Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Puerto Rico, Nylah Barber, Angelique Rosa Marín, Natalia López-Figueroa, Darma Ramos-Negrón, Xiomara Cruz-De León, Andrea Acevedo Colón, Pamela Hallock

Making Waves REU

Ecological Relevance: Foraminifera and Cassiopea (upside down-jellyfish) are symbiont-bearing organisms that respond rapidly to environmental changes in tropical systems, hence potential candidates as bioindicators to support ecological monitoring at JBNERR. Purpose: By using foraminiferal assemblages and Cassiopea as potential bioindicators, we can assess environmental conditions and contribute to management needs in the reserve. Hypothesis: Foraminiferal assemblages and the percent coverage of Cassiopea will reflect the habitat conditions of sites with varying levels of human influence at JBNERR.

Designing For Engagement: A Comparison Of Canvas And A Visual Peer Review Dashboard, Alon Friedman, Md Dilshadur Rahman, Ly Dinh, Paul Rosen

School of Information Faculty Publications

Peer review is an underutilized yet potentially powerful strategy for fostering evaluative judgment and design literacy in visualization education. Critiquing visual work requires domain-specific competencies that extend beyond generic peer feedback; however, widely adopted platforms such as Canvas provide limited support for the cognitive and visual demands of visualization critique. We introduce VisPeerReview, a visualization-specific learning analytics dashboard (LAD) designed to scaffold peer feedback through an integrated visualization display, rubric-guided prompts, and inline annotation tools. We evaluated VisPeerReview through a three-phase mixed-methods study conducted in an undergraduate data visualization course, comparing it with Canvas’s default peer-review workflow. Drawing on interaction …

Implications Of Quantum Computing For Enterprise Cybersecurity And Data Integrity, Manikantha Varaprasad Inakollu

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

Quantum computing represents a paradigm shift in computational capabilities that poses both unprecedented threats and opportunities for enterprise cybersecurity. This research examines the implications of quantum computing advancement on current cryptographic systems, data protection mechanisms, and organizational security frameworks. Through analysis of quantum computing developments from 2019-2024 and surveys of 280 cybersecurity professionals across various industries, this study identifies critical vulnerabilities in existing encryption standards and explores emerging quantum-resistant solutions. The findings reveal that approximately 78% of enterprises remain unprepared for quantum threats, with current RSA and ECC encryption systems facing potential compromise within the next 10-15 years. The research …

No Groundwater, No Fish: The Critical Role Of Groundwater In Supporting Non-Glacial, Salmon-Bearing Rivers In South-Central Alaska, Tyelyn Brigino, Kai Rains, Edgar Guerron-Orejuela, Jacob Argueta, Syverine Bentz, Coowe Walker, Mark Rains

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Groundwater discharge plays an important role in the hydrologic and ecologic functioning of rivers including sustaining streamflow and related habitat year-round. Simultaneously, groundwater supports the increasing demands of people as the global population continues to grow. Balancing the needs of users becomes increasingly important as climate change introduces greater uncertainty in water resources and fisheries, especially for economically important anadromous species that depend on freshwater resources. We investigated the seasonal and regional variability of groundwater contributions to six non-glacial mainstem salmon-bearing rivers in south-central Alaska. We hypothesized that groundwater contributes more than half of the annual streamflow, and nearly all …

Non-Destructive Characterization Of Variously Colored Gypsum And Aragonite/Calcite Speleothems From The Cigalère Cave (Ariège, France), Martin Vlieghe, Johan Wouters, Gérald Fanuel, Jean-François Drion Du Chapois, Anne Gallez, Stéphane Pire-Stevenne, Gaëtan Rochez, Johan Yans

International Journal of Speleology

The Cigalère Cave is a 21 km-long karstic cave located in the Ariège Department, in the French Pyrenees, and underlies directly the Bentaillou Pb-Zn-Fe sulfide ores. The cave hosts abundant gypsum mineralizations, some of them exhibiting various colorations including blue, yellow, purple, orange and black. Due to strict preservation policies, these colored mineralizations have not been studied much. Here we propose a non-destructive characterization of five distinct gypsum or carbonate speleothem structures from the Cigalère, exhibiting different colorations. To comply with the preservation policies, no sample was taken from the cave, and all speleothems were analyzed in situ using portable …

Pluralism And Critique In A Renewed Environmental Anthropology, Helen Kopnina

Journal of Ecological Anthropology

Environmental anthropology has evolved from early ethnographic traditions that emphasized the interplay between culture and ecology to a field increasingly influenced by ideological perspectives across the political spectrum. Traditionally, anthropologists examined how human societies adapted to their environments through cultural practices, laying the groundwork for ecological anthropology. However, in recent decades, the field has increasingly been shaped by political and theoretical shifts that prioritize critiques of capitalism, colonialism, and environmental injustice—sometimes at the cost of empirical diversity and democratic debate. There are critiques of the broader trend in academia where intellectual discourse becomes dominated by elite-driven ideological conformity. Critics warn …

Hydrothermal Vents In Sulfuric Acid Speleogenesis Karst: Isolated Feeders With Pristine Hypogenic Water Or Interconnected Conduits With Rapid Flow And Recycled Water?, Jakub Mareš, Marek Audy, Serban M. Sarbu, Jan Kukačka, Romeo Eftimi, Jiří Bruthans

International Journal of Speleology

Underwater connectivity and flow paths in the saturated zone of hypogenic sulfuric acid speleogenesis (SAS) karst remain unclear, despite sustained research over the past 30 years. Being regarded as sources of pristine H₂S-charged water, narrow inflow conduits called "feeders" are typically considered primary sources of water and hotspots of speleogenesis. In southeastern Albania, there is a newly discovered active SAS karst system comprising numerous caves and springs. Tracer tests were conducted to investigate the connection of these caves to the surrounding springs and to characterize the flow paths. The results show that water flows from cave lakes to …

Table Of Contents

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Full Issue 19.2

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Arts & Literature: Cursed, Nadeem Zaman

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Arts & Literature: Hear Me Out: A Poem From Gaza, Gillian Genevieve

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

Poem on Gaza

Editors' Introduction

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Guiding Principles For Teaching About Genocide And Other Difficult Pasts, Kerry E. Whigham

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

This article outlines guiding principles for teaching “difficult pasts”—episodes of large-scale, identity-based violence such as genocide, crimes against humanity, colonialism, and enslavement—in ways that promote peace, human rights, and the prevention of future atrocities. Drawing from the fields of Holocaust and Genocide Education (HGE), Global Citizenship Education (GCED), Peace Education (PE), and Human Rights Education (HRE), it argues that instruction should move beyond the memorization of historical facts toward developing students’ socio-emotional and behavioral capacities to recognize and resist processes of othering, discrimination, and violence. The brief presents three main areas of guidance: curricular content, emphasizing conceptual understanding over rote …

Book Review: Victim-Centred Peacemaking: Colombia’S Santos–Farc-Ep Peace Process, Patricia M. Rodriguez

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Arts & Literature: Impotent Witness: A Tale Of Two Genocides, And Counting, Lisa M. Simeone

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

This essay draws on memory, ethnography, and theory to consider a scholar’s personal and political responsibility as witness.

Book Review: The Role Of Civil Society In Transitional Justice: The Case Of Russia, Myra Dahgaypaw

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

This book review evaluates Selbi Durdiyeva's The Role of Civil Society in Transitional Justice: The Case of Russia as a vital contribution to genocide prevention scholarship, which is particularly timely given Russia's mass atrocity crimes in Ukraine and their connection to domestic repression. The book's theoretical innovation in challenging state-centric transitional justice paradigms through rigorous analysis of Memorial NGO, Orthodox Church activities, and revisionist groups across three decades of post-Soviet Russia is critical for the transitional justice field. It is worth highlighting Durdiyeva's unique postcolonial perspective as someone from a former Soviet territory studying the metropole, and her demonstration that …

Book Review: Research Handbook On The Punishment Of Atrocity Crimes, Bryant Lyttle

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Death In Their Eyes: What Perpetrator Images Perpetrate, Libertad Gills

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

A Cave In Miocene Conglomerate: The Törökpince-Abaliget Cave System, Hungary, Krisztina Sebe, Piroska Pazonyi, Márton Bauer, Bálint Szappanos, Márton Szabó, Zoltán Szentesi, Mihály Gasparik, Ákos Juhász, Luca Pandolfi, Máté Gregorits, József Haász, Ágnes Novothny, Zsófia Ruszkiczay-Rüdiger

International Journal of Speleology

Conglomerate caves are rare, and only a few have been described in the scientific literature. Here, we present a newly discovered and significant cave system in SW Hungary, comprising over 500 m of upper passages and a shorter, lower section of a through-cave developed in Lower–Middle Miocene conglomerates. The formation of these cave passages was controlled chiefly by bedding and fractures. Dissolution has produced typical karstification morphologies, whereas corrasion, granular disintegration, and rock collapse have also played a role in shaping the cave. The cave is dominated by vadose-zone morphologies, but sediment infills indicating upward water flow, along with ceiling …

Psychiatric Symptom Severity And Performance Monitoring: Intraindividual Variability In Neural Responses And Behavioral Adjustments To Errors, Bohyun Park

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Performance monitoring is a cognitive process that involves evaluating one’s own performance and adjusting behavior accordingly. Atypical neural and behavioral indices of performance monitoring are commonly observed in individuals with psychopathology and have led to hypotheses that perturbed performance monitoring may contribute to functional impairment. However, neural and behavioral indices of performance monitoring are often examined in isolation, so it remains unclear how error-related neural activity relates to subsequent behavioral adaptation on a trial-by-trial basis, and whether this coupling varies across different levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. The present study examined trial-level relationships between error monitoring event-related brain potentials …

Measurements Of Water-Film Thickness On Cave Walls And Speleothems, Alexandre Honiat, Salaheddine Skali-Lami, François Bourges, Bruno Lartiges

International Journal of Speleology

The water-film that coats cave walls and speleothems is a key player for the regulation of cave microclimate and the control of speleothem growth. In this paper, we demonstrate the capability of a confocal optical sensor to quantitatively measure on-site the rapid variations of water-film thickness when dripping, active condensation, or dryness occur on walls of various caves. Results obtained from a sample of four prehistoric caves and one stalagmite cave from Southwest France, indicate that the measurable thickness of water-films is generally in the 25-70 µm range for cave walls and reaches 200-300 µm on the horizontal plane of …

Sharks On The Move: Investigating The Link Between Climate Change And Rising Shark-Human Encounters, Keira E.B. Blakey

USF St. Petersburg campus Honors Program Theses (Undergraduate)

Sharks have long captivated the public imagination, evoking fascination and fear through enduring myths and media portrayals of negative interactions with humans. In recent years, an increase in shark sightings and attacks along the U.S. coastline has prompted scientific inquiry and public concern. This literature review explores the relationship between rising global temperatures and the frequency of shark attacks, focusing on how climate change affects shark behavior, migration patterns, and habitat distribution. Sharks move into warmer waters as ocean temperatures rise, altering migration routes and prolonging active seasons. This increases the likelihood of shark-human encounters, particularly in coastal regions that …

A Predictive Model For Multi- Week Respiratory Risk From Red Tide On Florida’S Gulf Coast., Elmer S. Ochaeta

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

Florida’s Gulf Coast red tide (Karenia brevis) can put toxins into the air, making people cough, irritating the throat, and worsening asthma or other breathing problems especially when winds blow from the ocean toward the beach. Right now, most public updates don’t really help with the question people actually ask when planning a weekend or vacation: “Will going to or close to the beach be risky in the next few weeks?”.

In this project, I build a weekly early warning system that estimates respiratory risk for specific beaches and predicts that risk 2 to 4 weeks ahead. The study covers …

The Effects Of Grading Equity Professional Development On Student Outcomes, Sarah R. Morris, Sarah Mckenzie, Jonathan Wai, Robert A. Maranto

Journal of Global Education and Research

This study examines the impact of a 6-hour professional development (PD) program on grading equity and student outcomes. The PD aimed to enhance teachers’ grading practices to foster fairness and inclusivity, based on the growing advocacy for reform to address systemic inequities in traditional grading systems. Utilizing a randomized control trial, the study compared student perceptions of grading equity, academic achievement, and psychosocial outcomes between groups whose teachers either received or did not receive the training. Results indicated no significant improvements in student outcomes post-PD, suggesting the duration of the intervention may be insufficient for substantial changes in grading practices. …

Contracted Out Of Justice: The Role Of Arbitration Clauses In Undermining Consumer Rights, Brooke Shifflett

USF St. Petersburg campus Honors Program Theses (Undergraduate)

This thesis examines the growing use of mandatory arbitration clauses in adhesion contracts and argues that their widespread enforcement has undermined consumer and employee access to justice. Through an analysis of contract law, the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA), Supreme Court jurisprudence, empirical research, and ethical theory, the study explores how arbitration clauses have evolved from a voluntary dispute resolution mechanism into a tool frequently used by corporations to limit liability, suppress collective legal action, and avoid public accountability. The thesis evaluates the doctrine of unconscionability as a critical safeguard against unfair contractual provisions, highlighting how procedural and substantive inequalities often …

Exploring The Foundational Pillars Of The International Baccalaureate (Ib) Through Pre-Service Teacher Experiences During B.Ed. Practica, Cody Alderson, Mark Hirschkorn

Journal of Global Education and Research

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is experiencing rapid growth, resulting in demand for IB teachers in both public and independent schools. Since teaching IB requires specific knowledge of the language and pedagogy of the IB programmes, initial teacher education programs are well-positioned to prepare pre-service teachers to teach IB. This paper shares the results of a study conducted following the completion of an IB Educator Certificate by pre-service teachers attending a Canadian initial teacher education program, where their experiences during practica in mostly public IB schools were reflected upon and documented in relation to IB philosophy. Several themes were identified and …

Examining Grade 10 Students’ Ict Utilization In Bhutan, Gembo Tshering, Thinley Phuntsho

Journal of Global Education and Research

In today’s educational landscape, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) presents immense potential for reshaping pedagogical practices and equipping students with essential skills for the digital era. This study delves into assessing Grade 10 students’ ICT proficiency in Bhutan, a nation renowned for its dedication to Gross National Happiness (GNH) and sustainable development. The study also explores affective factors, including attitudes and confidence. Despite strides in promoting digital literacy and widening access to ICT resources, challenges persist in ensuring equitable access and meaningful utilization of technology, particularly at the secondary education level. Through a thorough analysis of survey data collected from …

Internationalization Of Indian Higher Education: Mapping The Origins And Academic Choices Of International Students, Sanjeev Kumar Jha

Journal of Global Education and Research

This study explores the geographical origins, academic preferences, and key factors influencing the enrollment of international students in Indian higher education institutions. Drawing on primary data from interviews with 25 international students and secondary data from All India Survey on Higher Education reports, it provides an in-depth analysis of student mobility trends and factors shaping their choices. The results indicate that the international student enrollment is significantly below the Indian government’s target of 500,000 by 2024. Students come from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan, and Nigeria, with Karnataka and Punjab emerging as the most preferred states within India. Engineering, particularly …

Shepherding In France: The Ambiguities Of Caring For Nonhuman Animals In The Roya Valley, France, Daina Pupkevičiūtė

Journal of Ecological Anthropology

F

For over half a century, wolves in France were extinct. In the absence of predators, the shepherds became accustomed to leaving the sheep roaming freely in the mountains in relative safety. However, at the end of the 1980s, wolves returned, resulting in many victims, conflicts, and a stark division between those either for or against the wolf or otherwise sometimes framed as those against or for the survival of the mountain pastoralism tradition. This text looks at the caring relationships humans, such as shepherds, villagers, and others, have towards sheep, wolves, and the landscape in the Roya Valley in …