Digital Commons Network^™

Modeling Affordable Housing In Moab And Spanish Valley, Matthew Starley

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The Colorado Plateau region of southeastern Utah is geographically unique. Iconic sandstone geological formations, such as the famous Delicate Arch, which adorns Utah license plates, dot the landscape. This beautiful environment has inspired the formation of national and state parks, as well as a multitude of diverse recreation areas.

Affordable housing in Moab and Spanish Valley is a key issue for the development of the valley. This has been well documented by the Moab Area Housing Task Force (MAHTF) in its 2017 Moab Area Affordable Housing Plan. This Plan B Thesis Project builds on the work of the task force, …

Economic Base In Emerging Economies: Estimating Regional Multipliers In Ecuador, Justin Perry

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

When a subnational input-output matrix is unavailable, a non-governmental organization (NGO) may turn to a shortcut method in order to project its indirect economic impact in a region. The location quotient is the most common choice in developed nations, but has serious theoretical flaws in a developing-nation context. We explore the minimum requirements method as a cost-effective yet robust method to project the impact of an NGO in the Imbabura province of Ecuador. We find that every $1 of exogenous local spending stimulates between $1.32 and $1.62 of indirect economic impact in the region.

Forcing Perspective: Selected Projects In Areas Of Scenic Design And Technical Direction, Dwight Camillucci

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Selected projects in areas of scenic design and technical direction.

The Value Of Farmland: Mapping Assessor Data To Understand Land Use Change, Lyndi Perry

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ideas developed by regional economists have potential applications within the urban planning field. One potential application is toward conserving farmland, and within this thesis this topic is examined for the study area of Utah County, Utah. Using assessor data, a land value map is created and further used to develop a regional economic model and spatial models that were analyzed for patterns of land use change.

Findings show that representing land value as continuous surface maps is a useful approach. The maps reveal that Utah County has densified as its population increased while farmland loss still occurred in agriculturally-important areas. …

A Case Study Of The Driven 2 Teach Program: Site-Based Experiential Professional Development For History Teachers, Hadyn Bowen Call

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Driven 2 Teach is a privately funded program for history teachers in the state of Utah. The program emphasizes the importance of teacher travel to educate history teachers in the places where history happened. This study investigated the program’s influence on participant gains in learning about history and how to best teach about the past, social studies professional development, teacher beliefs, and changes in instructional practices. This study utilized a case study methodology, autoethnography, and six interconnected frameworks: Professional development, experiential education, site-based learning, pedagogical content knowledge, teacher beliefs, and professional learning communities. This study helps demonstrate the effectiveness of …

Structural Control Of Thermal Fluid Circulation And Geochemistry In A Flat-Slab Subduction Zone, Peru, Brandt E. Scott

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Hot spring geochemistry from the Peruvian Andes provide insight on how faults, or fractures in the Earth's crust, are capable of influencing fluid circulation. Faults can either promote or inhibit fluid flow and the goal of this study is test the role of a major fault, such as the Cordillera Blanca detachment, as a channel for transporting deep fluids to the surface. Hot springs are abundant in the Cordillera Blanca and Huayhuash ranges in Peru, and several springs issue along the Cordillera Blanca detachment, making this region an ideal setting for our study. To test the role of the Cordillera …

Evaluating Michigan's Food, Agriculture, And Resources In Motion (Farm) Science Lab As A Modality For Agricultural Literacy, Amelia J. Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Michigan’s Food, Agriculture, and Resources in Motion (FARM) Science Lab is a 40-foot mobile classroom outfitted with 10 learning stations including scientific equipment and iPads. This quasi-experimental study analyzed preexisting data provided by Michigan Agriculture in the Classroom to evaluate the effectiveness of the FARM Science Lab mobile classroom as a method of teaching agriculture-themed, standards-based lessons to third- through fifth-grade students in order to increase their understanding of agriculture. From January through June 2018, more than 1,258 students participated in these lessons and completed the pretest and posttest and 72 teachers completed the post survey. Research questions not only …

An Examination Of Seasonal Shifts In Climate And Visitation, And Perspectives On Seasonal Shifts And Climate Adaptation Strategies In Tourism And Recreation Businesses For Moab, Utah, Elizabeth Cook

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The city of Moab, an outdoor recreation hub in eastern Utah, has been encountering both shifts in the seasonality of visitation, and increases in tourist visitation, even with summer temperatures above the normal high. Tourism research describing the effects of climate change on the outdoor recreation industry has focused on winter, snow-dependent activities, while studies in Moab city have focused on the economic value of outdoor recreational activities. Few studies have described the relationship between seasonal tourism and climate change for arid desert locations. The purpose of this study is to describe how the tourism and recreation industry in Moab, …

Increased Dust Deposition In New Zealand Related To Twentieth Century Australian Land Use, Janice Brahney, Ashley P. Ballantyne, Marcus Vandergoes, Troy Baisden, Jason C. Neff

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Mineral aerosols (dust) generated in the dryland regions of Australia have the potential to reach New Zealand through atmospheric transport. Although a large portion of dust in New Zealand originates in Australia, little is known about how dust deposition has varied over time in New Zealand or what may have caused this variation. We used geochemical dust proxies to examine the recent history of dust deposition to two alpine lakes in Kahurangi National Park, South Island, New Zealand. Geochemical indicators suggest that dust deposition began to increase around 1900, with the greatest deposition rates occurring from ~1920 to ~1990. In …

Documenting Disasters: A Focus On Floods, Patricia J. Rettig

Journal of Western Archives

A more thorough understanding of disasters can help archivists assemble and acquire collections of depth that will be of wide use to scholars, survivors, and others. To investigate the broader context of disasters, the focus of this article is on natural disasters, looking at floods in particular, with the hope that the information can be applied to other tragedies. The article includes an in-depth examination of disaster studies literature of assistance to archivists, along with accounts of experiences working with flood collections.

Genetic And Spatial Structuring Of Populus Tremuloides In A Mixed-Species Forest Of Southwestern Utah, Usa, Matthew Bishop, Tucker J. Furniss, Karen E. Mock, Jim A. Lutz

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Populus tremuloides Michx. (aspen) is an iconic species of the southwestern United States, where it is known for its extensive clonality. The size of clones and pattern of clonal distribution within and among stands can provide important clues to the species' evolution and ecology, but there are very few studies that have conducted the type of sampling necessary to define these features. We examined the genetic composition and habitat associations of aspen in a mixed-species forest in Cedar Breaks National Monument on the Markagunt Plateau, southwestern Utah. Genetic analysis of 94 stems ≥1 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) selected …

Climate And Lawn Management Interact To Control C4 Plant Distribution In Residential Lawns Across Seven U.S. Cities, Tara L. E. Trammell, Diane E. Pataki, Christopher J. Still, James R. Ehleringer, Meghan L. Avolio, Neil Bettez, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, Peter M. Groffman, Morgan Grove, Sharon J. Hall, James Heffernan, Sarah E. Hobbie, Kelli L. Larson, Jennifer L. Morse, Christopher Neill, Kristen C. Nelson, Jarlath O'Neil-Dunne, William D. Pearse, Et Al.

Ecology Center Publications

In natural grasslands, C₄ plant dominance increases with growing season temperatures and reflects distinct differences in plant growth rates and water use efficiencies of C₃ vs. C₄ photosynthetic pathways. However, in lawns, management decisions influence interactions between planted turfgrass and weed species, leading to some uncertainty about the degree of human vs. climatic controls on lawn species distributions. We measured herbaceous plant carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C, index of C₃/C₄ relative abundance) and C₄ cover in residential lawns across seven U.S. cities to determine how climate, lawn plant management, or interactions between …

How Virtual Reality Impacts The Landscape Architecture Design Process During The Phases Of Analysis And Concept Development At The Master Planning Scale, Todd Johnson, Benjamin H. George, Drew M. Hill

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

Virtual reality (VR) can offer many benefits for designers. In the field of landscape architecture, the technology is primarily being used as a tool for design review in the late stages of the design process, yet many of the benefits that make VR valuable in the later stages of the design process suggest that VR may be equally valuable when used in earlier stages such as analysis and concept development. This research examined incorporating VR into the design phases of analysis and concept development, and integrated its use with traditional landscape architecture methods to measure its impacts on a large …

Public Perceptions Of The Health Risks Of Extreme Heat Across Us States, Counties, And Neighborhoods, Peter D. Howe, Jennifer R. Marlon, Xinran Wang, Anthony Leiserowitz

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Extreme heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in the United States. Many individuals, however, fail to perceive this risk, which will be exacerbated by global warming. Given that awareness of one’s physical and social vulnerability is a critical precursor to preparedness for extreme weather events, understanding Americans’ perceptions of heat risk and their geographic variability is essential for promoting adaptive behaviors during heat waves. Using a large original survey dataset of 9,217 respondents, we create and validate a model of Americans’ perceived risk to their health from extreme heat in all 50 US states, 3,142 counties, and 72,429 …

Park And Neighborhood Attributes Associated With Park Use: An Observational Study Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Keunhyun Park

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

As the world becomes more urbanized, neighborhood parks are becoming an increasingly important venue where people engage in physical and social activities. Using park-use data collected by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the aim of this study is to account for park use in light of park attributes and neighborhood conditions. The role of the built environment near a park receives particular attention as it is understudied in the literature. A regression model shows that neighborhood park utilization is positively associated with park attributes (i.e., larger area, a playground, a creek/pond, quality maintenance, and organized activities) and neighborhood attributes (i.e., fewer …

Exploring Boarding Strategies For High-Speed Railway, Tie-Qiao Tang, Yi-Xiao Shao, Liang Chen, Hai-Jun Huang, Ziqi Song

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

In light of the increasing demand for passenger transportation on high-speed railway (HSR), the pedestrian flow at HSR stations has become quite crowded in many countries, which has attracted researchers to study the HSR boarding behavior. In this paper, we propose three boarding strategies based on the features of the boarding behavior at an origin HSR station; we then use a cellular automaton (CA) model to study the impacts of boarding strategies on each passenger’s motion during the boarding process at HSR station. The simulation results indicate that some of the three strategies can optimize some passengers’ boarding time and …

Dynamics Of Utah's Agricultural Landscapes In Response To Urbanization: A Comparison Between Irrigated And Non-Irrigated Agricultural Lands, Enjie Li, Joanna Endter-Wada, Shujuan Li

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

In the literature on how urbanization affects agricultural landscapes, little attention has been focused on differentiating and comparing the changes in irrigated agricultural landscapes to non-irrigated agricultural landscapes. Additionally, there have been few applications of landscape metrics for understanding agricultural landscape changes. The objectives of this study were to:(1) analyze and compare the changes of both irrigated and non-irrigated agricultural lands in a rapidly growing region; (2) identify the spatial patterns and hotspots of these changes; and,(3) examine the spatial relationships between changes in agricultural landscapes and urban development. We adopted landscape metrics and gradient analysis to assess where and …

When Building Namesakes Have Ties To White Supremacy: A Case Study Of Oregon State University’S Building Names Evaluation Process, Natalia M. Fernández

Journal of Western Archives

In recent years, more and more communities, including colleges and universities, across the United States are challenging the existence of memorials associated with the Confederacy and white supremacy. Archivists and special collections librarians are often called upon to provide historical context, and have the opportunity to engage their communities in productive and transformative discourses. As a case study, readers will learn about the Building and Places Names Evaluation process at Oregon State University; the process which included developing evaluation criteria, providing historical research assistance to scholars, designing a community engagement plan, and implementing a renaming process. Readers will be able …

Simulation Model For Collaborative Decision Making On Sediment Source Reduction In An Intensively Managed Watershed, Se Jong Cho, Peter Wilcock, Patrick Belmont, Karen B. Gran, Benjamin F. Hobbs

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

We developed a watershed sediment source and delivery model for use in evaluating conservation trade‐offs in southern Minnesota, where sediment loading has been identified as a priority and there is substantial public investment in cleaner water. The model was developed in a stakeholder process and links user‐specified management options to reductions in sediment loading at the outlet of a 2,880‐km2 intensively farmed watershed. The simulation model was formulated to allocate total sediment load among sources, which provides robustness to the model by constraining the relative magnitude of sediment loads and their reduction. A novel topographic filtering approach was used to …

Employing Plant Functional Groups To Advance Seed Dispersal Ecology And Conservation, Clare Aslan, Noelle G. Beckman, Haldre S. Rogers, Judie Bronstein, Damaris Zurell, Florian Hartig, Katriona Shea, Liba Pejchar, Mike Neubert, John Poulsen, Janneke Hillerislambers, Maria Miriti, Bette Loiselle, Edu Effiom, Jenny Zambrano, Eugene W. Schupp, Et Al.

Biology Faculty Publications

Seed dispersal enables plants to reach hospitable germination sites and escape natural enemies. Understanding when and how much seed dispersal matters to plant fitness is critical for understanding plant population and community dynamics. At the same time, the complexity of factors that determine if a seed will be successfully dispersed and subsequently develop into a reproductive plant is daunting. Quantifying all factors that may influence seed dispersal effectiveness for any potential seed-vector relationship would require an unrealistically large amount of time, materials and financial resources. On the other hand, being able to make dispersal predictions is critical for predicting whether …

Faculty Senate Agenda, February 4, 2019, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• EPC Monthly Report – January 10, 2019
• Academic Freedom and Tenure Annual Report
• Council on Teacher Education Annual Report
• 405.7.2 – External Reviewers
• Greenhouse Gas Resolution
• 403.3.1 – Standards of Conduct – Faculty Responsibilities to Students
• 403.3.2 – Standards of Conduct – Professional Obligations
• 405.2.1 – 405.3.2 – 405.5.1 – 405.10.1 Community Engagement Inclusion
• 407.1.1 – Non Punitive Measure
• 407.8.5(3) – Sexual Harassment
• 407.11.2(2) - Notification of Faculty Member
• 407.11.3(2) – Protection of Complainant and Others

Faculty Senate Minutes, February 4, 2019, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Academic Freedom and Tenure
• Council on Teacher Education
• Greenhouse Gas Resolution

Nutrient Acquisition Strategies Augment Growth In Tropical N2‐Fixing Trees In Nutrient‐Poor Soil And Under Elevated Co2, Megan K. Nasto, Klaus Winter, Benjamin L. Turner, Cory C. Cleveland

Ecology Center Publications

Tropical forests play a dominant role in the global carbon (C) cycle, and models predict increases in tropical net primary productivity (NPP) and C storage in response to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations. The extent to which increasing CO₂ will enhance NPP depends in part on the availability of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to support growth. Some tropical trees can potentially overcome nutrient limitation by acquiring N via symbiotic dinitrogen (N₂) fixation, which may provide a benefit in acquiring P via investment in N‐rich phosphatase enzymes or arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. We conducted …

Biogeochemical Recuperation Of Lowland Tropical Forest During Succession, Benjamin W. Sullivan, Rachel L. Nifong, Megan K. Nasto, Silvia Alvarez-Clare, Camie M. Dencker, Fiona M. Soper, Kevin T. Shoemaker, F. Yoko Ishida, Joana Zaragoza-Castells, Eric A. Davidson, Cory C. Cleveland

Biology Faculty Publications

High rates of land conversion and land use change have vastly increased the proportion of secondary forest in the lowland tropics relative to mature forest. As secondary forests recover following abandonment, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) must be present in sufficient quantities to sustain high rates of net primary production and to replenish the nutrients lost during land use prior to secondary forest establishment. Biogeochemical theory and results from individual studies suggest that N can recuperate during secondary forest recovery, especially relative to P. Here, we synthesized 23 metrics of N and P in soil and plants from 45 secondary …

Soil And Vegetation Survey Of Antelope Pasture, Curlew Grazing Allotment, Oneida County, Id, Merran Owen, Kari E. Veblen, Thomas A. Monaco, Janis Boettinger

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Antelope Pasture, located in the Black Pine Valley of Oneida County, Idaho, is a 1500-acre portion of the Curlew Grazing Allotment, managed by the Pocatello Field Office of the BLM (Figure 1). The pasture is heavily invaded with exotic annuals such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), halogeton (Halogeton glomeratus), and clasping pepperweed (Lepidium perfoliatum), and grazing is temporarily discontinued. Land-use history of the pasture includes livestock grazing, possible homesteading and cultivation of Agropyron cristatum (crested wheatgrass).

Exploring Mortality Rates For Major Causes Of Death In Korea, Hyo Jung Oh, Donng Min Yang, Chong Hyuck Kim, Jae Gyu Jeon, Nam Hyung Jung, Chan Young Kim, Jurgen Symanzik, Hyo Won Oh, Akugizibwe Edwin, Seong Ii Jo, Jeong Yong Ahn

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

Background: The trends and patterns of the mortality rates for causes of death are meaningful information. They can provide a basis for national demographic and health care policies by identifying the number, causes, and geographical distribution of deaths.

Objective: To explore and analyze the characteristics of the mortality rates for major causes of death in Korea.

Methods: Some common data analysis methods were used to describe the data. We also used some visualization techniques such as heat maps and line plots to present mortality rates by gender, age, and year.

Results: Our analysis shows the crude …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Minutes, January 22, 2019, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Academic Freedom and Tenure
• Council on Teacher Education
• Greenhouse Gas Resolution
• USUSA Annual Report
• Professional Responsibilities and Procedures Committee
• Scholarship Advisory Board
• USUSA Recommendations

Details On Gaussian Process Regression (Gpr) And Semi-Gpr Modeling, Mohammad Shekaramiz, Todd K. Moon, Jacob H. Gunther

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This report tends to provide details on how to perform predictions using Gaussian process regression (GPR) modeling. In this case, we represent proofs for prediction using non-parametric GPR modeling for noise-free predictions as well as prediction using semi-parametric GPR for noisy observations.

Self-Evaluation Report For Society Of American Foresters' Continued Accreditation Of Bachelor Of Science Degree In Forest Ecology And Management, Karen E. Mock, Department Of Wildland Resources, Utah State University

Faculty

This self-evaluation report has been produced for the purpose of reaccreditation of the Utah State University Forest Ecology and Management (FEMA) undergraduate degree program by the Society of American Foresters (SAF). Utah State University has maintained an SAF-accredited forestry program since 1936 and was most recently reaccredited by SAF in 2010.

Utah State University has a long and influential legacy in the forestry profession. Our faculty have led and shaped the profession, and our graduates have become leaders in a variety of state, federal, international, and academic organizations. Our institutional structure, degree program components, and enrollments have changed over time, …

La Heroica Alcahueta Dormía La Siesta: La Celestina’S Presence In La Regenta, Leyla Rouhi, Julie A. Cassiday

Decimonónica

Our epigraph comes from the closing scene of the opening chapter of Leopoldo Alas’s La Regenta (1885). Here Vetusta’s resident erudite, Saturnino Bermúdez, shows the local cathedral to a provincial couple visiting “la heroica ciudad” (I: 135) while he clumsily flirts with Obdulia Fandiño, the town’s most scandalous citizen. This first chapter of La Regenta famously begins with all of Vetusta taking its daily siesta while it “descansaba oyendo entre sueños” (I: 136), as Fermín de Pas, canon theologian and vicar general, ascends the cathedral bell tower to survey his drowsing domain. The multiple symbolic functions of Vetusta’s geography have …