Digital Commons Network^™

Tourism And Karst Areas, Volume 4, No. 1, 2011, Heros Augusto Santos Lobo

KIP Articles

Contents: Editorial -- Show cave development with special references to active caves -- Water as a focus of ecotourism in the karst of northern Puerto Rico -- Hongs of Phanga Nga Bay, Thailand -- Monitoring of water temperature of the Roncador river: Contributions to speleoclimate analysis and tourist management of the cave of Santana (Iporanga, Brazil) -- O registro fotográfico aplicado em estudos ambientais na Gruta do Lago Azul em Bonito/MS: retrospectiva de duas décadas – 1989 a 2010 -- Turismo e conservação de tufas ativas da Serra da Bodoquena, Mato Grosso do Sul

Amphibian Adaptability To Habitat Transformation And The Effect Of Rainfall During The Dry Season On Their Activity Pattern, May 2011, Amber Brossard

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Amphibians are being forced to change their habits and lifestyles to adapt to human transformations. Some species of amphibians are becoming dependent on man-made ecosystems to carry out their life cycles. Also, climate change is affecting the seasonality by changing the amount of precipitation and the phenology of amphibians. This study was conducted in San Luis Costa Rica in an area characterized by a pre-montane wet forest during the dry season (April 2011). Pitfall traps and drift fences were set up in a forest location and in a man-made pond location to compare the number species within each location. Rainfall …

Aquatic Macro-Invertebrate Community Composition Differences Between The Atlantic And Pacific Watersheds In Monteverde, Costa Rica, May 2011, Tim Curry

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

There are large differences between slope seasonality in Monteverde, Costa Rica. The Pacific slope receives less rainfall, and has a better-defined wet and dry season. This study looked at how these differences affect aquatic benthic macro-invertebrates composition. Five different rivers were sampled, three on the Atlantic slope, and two on the Pacific slope. There was no significant difference between the two slopes in species richness, evenness, or number of species. There were differences in species composition between the two slopes. This study exemplifies how areas in close proximity can have different species compositions. For conservation purposes, this study demonstrates how …

Food Resource Density And Territorial Behavior Of Monteverde Cloud Forest Hummingbirds, May 2011, Sarah Sawtelle

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

The determinants of territorial behavior patterns in aggressive organisms are not well understood. Hummingbirds provide an ideal model for studying territoriality as they exhibit obvious territorial behaviors that are likely to change in response to food resource manipulations. I studied trends in territorial behaviors of hummingbirds in response to varied food density. Observations were made on three different arrangements of hummingbird feeders: small: with twelve feeders in a 1m squared square, medium: with twelve feeders in a 25m squared square, and large: with six feeders in a 50m squared, 5x10m rectangle. There was no significant difference in the number of …

The Civil Engineering Balancing Act, Elena M. Rodriguez

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

The capstone design project for the civil engineering students at the University of South Florida involved designing a replacement bridge for the current Anna Maria Island Bridge in Anna Maria, Florida. The new bridge would replace the current low-level, two-lane drawbridge with a high-level fixed bridge. As part of a group of learning engineers, the task at hand was to develop an economically optimal design proposal and then carry this design to a refined stage. However, it is a common misconception among the members of society that designing is the civil engineer’s only obligation to a project. In order to …

Postcard, Sacred Forests Of India: Conservation Traditions At Studio@620 In St. Petersburg, Florida, Studio At 620

Postcard Collection

A promotional postcard for Sacred Forests of India: Conservation Traditions, a photography exhibition accompanied by a film screening and lecture by Alison Ormsby at Studio@620. The presentation highlighted the cultural and spiritual significance of sacred groves in India's Meghalaya and Karnataka states, emphasizing local conservation efforts. Ormsby, an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Eckerd College and a Fulbright-Nehru scholar, shared insights from her research conducted in India.

Spreadsheets Across The Curriculum, 2: Assessing Our Success With Students At Eckerd College, Laura Reiser Wetzel

Numeracy

The Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum (SSAC) library consists of activities to reinforce or teach quantitative literacy or mathematical concepts and skills in context. Each SSAC “module” consists of a PowerPoint presentation with embedded Excel spreadsheets. Each student works through a presentation, thinks about the in-context problem, figures out how to solve it mathematically, and builds spreadsheets to calculate and examine answers.

To assess the effectiveness of SSAC modules, I surveyed Eckerd College undergraduates in two separate studies. Two undergraduate research assistants and I generated pre- and post-tests for 10 SSAC modules. We hired 21 undergraduates who conducted 62 individual module …

Understanding Environmental Deficit Phenomenon: Influences Affecting Children's Connectedness To Nature, Lauren Bates

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

The contemporary generation of young people experiences a childhood unlike any other previous generation. Federal funding for high achievement on standardized tests in the areas of reading and math have resulted in a narrowed school curricula focusing predominantly on these two subjects, and leaving little instructional time and resources for hands-on learning and unstructured time outdoors. Furthermore, children report spending less time outdoors and note that their parents are too busy to take them out to play. These circumstances at school and at home may indicate a decreasing value for nature experiences held by the adults who supervise children, which …

The Race For Cheap Aluminum: Hall Versus Heroult, Dean F. Martin

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The factors that determine priority in inventions are illustrated in the development of a commercially acceptable process for preparation of aluminum in 1886 when it was achieved by two young (age 22) men (Hall and Héroult). At least three factors were involved in the parallel achievement. The specific success of Charles Martin Hall in obtaining the US patent was a consequence of a couple of factors. One was likely the assistance of his elder sister; the other was the rule of the United States Patent and Trademark Office concerning priority, viz., first to “reduce to practice” versus the standard in …

The Dirt On Prehispanic Water Management At Palmarejo, Honduras, Zaida Darley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water is an essential resource for human life. Even in the tropical environment of the Maya Lowlands, water scarcity is a concern, because the region cycles between abundant rainfall and seasonal droughts. To understand how societies flourished during periods of water scarcity, archaeologists have studied prehispanic water management in the Maya Lowlands. Yet, water management research has tended to focus predominantly on large urban Maya populations, excluding smaller-scale societies that face the same challenges associated with water scarcity. This study investigates the neighboring non-Maya society of Late Classic (A.D.650-900) Palmarejo in northwestern Honduras to explore how water management was organized …

Go Figure: Calculus Students' Use Of Figures And Graphs In Technical Report Writing, Thomas J. Pfaff, Michael Rogers, Ali Erkan, Jason G. Hamilton

Numeracy

Understanding how to read and use graphs to communicate scientific and mathematical information is critical for STEM majors, as well as an important part of quantitative literacy. Our study suggests that first-semester calculus students do not know how to use graphs in a technical report without explicit instruction. Although not a surprising result, it leaves us wondering about when such skills are developed, and if calculus I is a place to start. Our work is now exploring the potential benefit on students' use of graphs by having them formally evaluate other students' reports.

Calculus, Biology And Medicine: A Case Study In Quantitative Literacy For Science Students, Kim Rheinlander, Dorothy Wallace

Numeracy

This paper describes a course designed to enhance the numeracy of biology and pre-medical students. The course introduces students with the background of one semester of calculus to systems of nonlinear ordinary differential equations as they appear in the mathematical biology literature. Evaluation of the course showed increased enjoyment and confidence in doing mathematics, and an increased appreciation of the utility of mathematics to science. Students who complete this course are better able to read the research literature in mathematical biology and carry out research problems of their own.

Statistical Analysis And Modeling: Cancer, Clinical Trials, Environment And Epidemiology., Dimitrios Vovoras

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current thesis is structured in four parts. Vector smoothing methods are used to study environmental data, in particular records of extreme precipitation, the models utilized belong to the vector generalized additive class. In the statistical analysis of observational studies the identification and adjustment for prognostic factors is an important component of the analysis; employing flexible statistical methods to identify and characterize the effect of potential prognostic factors in a clinical trial, namely "generalized additive models", presents an alternative to the traditional linear statistical model. The classes of models for which the methodology gives generalized additive extensions include grouped survival …

Examining Reasons For Bottled Water Consumption: A Case Study In Pensacola, Florida, Marina Leigh Foote

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over-consumption in developed economies undoubtedly puts a large strain on the environment, and many would argue that the damage is irreversible. Current uses and rates of consumption of freshwater resources are also deemed to be unsustainable. A large contributor to the high demand for water is the shift in consumer preferences from tap to bottled water. In the last few decades, bottled water companies have set unprecedented records, surpassing all other types of non-alcoholic beverages to become the second largest beverage market next to soda. Bottled water has been on the rise due to its supposed safety, purity and convenience. …

Program, The Men, 2010, Studio At 620

Program Collection

No abstract provided.

Buttresses As Microhabitats For Leaf-Litter Macroinvertebrates, November 2010, Samuel C. Somerville

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

The functional properties of buttresses are still debated, but hypotheses include they may be a response to mechanical strain and a method to increase the surface area of the tree base; the increased surface area may provide increased structural support and a larger area of surface soil which may give a competitive advantage for nutrient uptake. The effects of the latter “nutrient hypothesis” and whether it supports a rich community of leaf-litter fauna has not been well-studied. A more abundant and species rich macroinvertebrate community in buttresses could be indicative of a more nutrient rich microhabitat. In this study I …

Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizae (Vam) Spore Abundance And Soil Characteristics Along A Neotropical Premontane Forest Successional Gradient, November 2010, Kristin Schroder

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Tropical soils are generally nutrient poor, though they support high biodiversity and productivity. Most tropical plants are able to thrive in these soils because they form a symbiosis with Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizae (VAM). VAM increase the nutrient-absorption capabilities, and therefore the fitness, of the host plant. Previous studies suggest that as a pasture is allowed to regenerate, the soil should become less compact, more nutrient-rich, and the pH should become more neutral. These soil characteristics, in conjunction with spore number, may drive the rate and direction of some successional communities following disturbance. This study examines how VAM spore abundance, macronutrient levels …

The Weekly Challenger, October 28, 2010, The Weekly Challenger, Et Al

Weekly Challenger Newspaper Collection

The October 28, 2010, issue of The Weekly Challenger.

Review Of Mpo Long Range Transportation Plans And Regional Mpo Planning Activities And Products: Final Technical Memorandum, Cutr

Transportation Planning, Policy, and Processes (TP3) Final Reports

No abstract provided.

Sfra Review, Fall 2010, Science Fiction Research Association

SFRA Newsletter (Science Fiction Research Association)

The Fall 2010 issue of the SFRA Review.

Crow's Nest, August 23, 2010, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The August 23, 2010, issue of the Crow's Nest.

An Emerging Disease Causes Regional Population Collapse Of A Common North American Bat Species, Winifred F. Frick, Jacob F. Pollock, Alan C. Hicks

KIP Articles

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging disease affecting hibernating bats in eastern North America that causes mass mortality and precipitous population declines in winter hibernacula. First discovered in 2006 in New York State, WNS is spreading rapidly across eastern North America and currently affects seven species. Mortality associated with WNS is causing a regional population collapse and is predicted to lead to regional extinction of the little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus), previously one of the most common bat species in North America. Novel diseases can have serious impacts on naïve wildlife populations, which in turn can have substantial impacts on …

The Use Of Macroinvertebrates As Water Quality Indicators Along Two Streams In A Disturbed Landscape In Cañitas, Costa Rica, August 2010, Emily Thorpe

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Human alteration of natural landscapes often has significant impacts on nearby aquatic ecosystems, affecting both abiotic and biotic factors. Water quality testing has primarily depended on the monitoring of abiotic factors; however, the use of biotic indicators has emerged as a valuable tool. This study looks at the water quality of two joined streams in Cañitas, Costa Rica, a region dominated by coffee and dairy production. The abiotic indicators measured included dissolved oxygen, temperature, nitrogen, phosphorous, pH, and turbidity. Macroinvertebrates were sampled as the biotic indicators. Principal Components Analysis was used to determine the similarity between sites. Based on BMWP’-CR …

Comparison Of Abundance Of Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi On Sun- And Shade-Grown Coffea Arabica Plants, August 2010, John A. Colantonio

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Large-scale coffee agriculture can have significantly detrimental effects on the environment. However, organic coffee production lowers these impacts and helps to conserve tropical diversity by reducing need for soil inputs. Natural, healthy soils contain beneficial vesicularmycorrhizal (VAM) fungi. These fungi help cycle nutrients, and support plant health and growth. Mycorrhizal mutualisms are abundant and effective in particular habitats, particularly those in which the fungi do not exhaust carbon resources for the plant. This study compares the abundance of VAM fungi vesicles on the roots of organic shade-grown coffee plants and those grown in the sun. Root samples were collected from …

Inflorescence Size And Butterfly Visitation In Lantana Camara (Verbenaceae), August 2010, Calli Thompson

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Pollinators greatly influence the fitness of most tropical plants, and how effective plants are at attracting pollinators is key to their success. This investigation focuses on how inflorescence size of Lantana camara affects butterfly visitation. Naturally occurring inflorescence size was determined by counting how many flowers per inflorescence and how many inflorescences were in bloom per branch. The average number of flowers per inflorescence is 37 and the average number of inflorescences in bloom per branch is 2. To assess the impact of inflorescence size on butterfly visitation, five different sizes of L. camara inflorescences were created by bundling from …

Emergent Morphogenetic Design Strategies, Dawn Gunter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Emergent morphogenetic designs provide a superior architectural response to programmatic, technical, structural, environmental and spatial requirements that conventional unit based architectural forms are too inflexible to fully address.

Architecture has reached an exciting stage in its development, where structures are attempting to behave more like nature, which does not function as a static state, but as a complex grouping of symbiotic processes which are constantly evolving to adapt to environmental changes.

Digital fabrication and materials engineering have promoted an explosion in formal architectural typologies. By utilizing these digital tools and enhanced materials to embrace a morphogenetic design strategy, architecture can …

Effect Of Ground Temperature And Nest Differences On Productivity And Worker Size In Atta Cephalotes (Hymenoptera Formicidae), May 2010, Hannah Fried-Petersen

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Atta cephalotes is one of the few species that does better in grassy pastures and secondary growth and their abundance, persistent foraging, and that they collect from a lot of different tree species has earned them the reputation of huge agricultural pests. A. cephalotes are poikilotherms meaning their internal body temperature fluctuates greatly with temperature. For this reason, it has been purported that these leaf-cutter ants will only collect leaf fragments at certain temperatures and that different sized workers have different temperature tolerances. The objective of this study was to look for relationships between temperature, productivity, and worker size in …

Crow's Nest, February 22, 2010, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The February 22, 2010, issue of the Crow's Nest.

Espeleo-Tema, Volume 21, No. 1, 2010, Heros Augusto Santos Lobo

KIP Articles

Contents: Mudanças recentes na circulação subterrânea do rio Quebra-Pedra (furna do Buraco do Padre, Ponta Grossa, Paraná) -- Expedição Jurassic Cave 2009 Akakor Geographical Exploring -- Inventário das paisagens cársticas do município de Paripiranga, Bahia, Brasil -- Mendoza: un programa provincial que busca superar los problemas estructurales de toda la espeleología argentina -- Legislação para a proteção do patrimônio espeleológico brasileiro: mudanças, conflitos e o papel da Sociedade Civil -- Instrução Normativa MMA 2/09 - método de classificação do grau relevância de cavernas aplicado ao licenciamento ambiental: uma prática possível? -- Relevância de cavernas: porque estudos ambientais espeleobiológicos não funcionam …

Effects Of Various Flavonoids On The Α-Synuclein Fibrillation Process, Xiaoyun Meng, Larissa A. Munishkina, Anthony L. Fink, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

α-Synuclein aggregation and fibrillation are closely associated with the formation of Lewy bodies in neurons and are implicated in the causative pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies. Currently, there is no approved therapeutic agent directed toward preventing the protein aggregation, which has been recently shown to have a key role in the cytotoxic nature of amyloidogenic proteins. Flavonoids, known as plant pigments, belong to a broad family of polyphenolic compounds. Over 4,000 flavonoids have been identified from various plants and foodstuffs derived from plants and have been demonstrated as potential neuroprotective agents. In this study 48 flavonoids belonging to …