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Impacts Of El Niño On The Florida Reef: A Case Study Of The 2016 El Niño Event, Evvie Yendra
Impacts Of El Niño On The Florida Reef: A Case Study Of The 2016 El Niño Event, Evvie Yendra
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Coral reefs are vital ecosystems to coastal communities and the world’s oceans. They support other organisms, protect shorelines, and benefit coastal economies through fishing and recreation. Today, coral reefs face many threats, including ocean acidification, bleaching due to increased ocean temperatures, and disease. These threats are typically heightened during El Niño events across the globe. With a focus on the Florida Reef, these data encompass three key regions (Southeastern Florida, The Florida Keys, and Dry Tortugas) over the years 2014, 2016 (an El Niño event), and 2018. As 2024 is interpreted to be an El Niño year, this study predicts …
America's Next Top Ej Model: Assessing The Role Of Food Access In Environmental Justice Models, Allyson Barry
America's Next Top Ej Model: Assessing The Role Of Food Access In Environmental Justice Models, Allyson Barry
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Disruptions to weather patterns and ecosystems due to climate change are a global challenge. However, previous research has found that communities of color, traditionally underprivileged communities, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities are disproportionately burdened with adverse health outcomes, higher propensities of exposure to weather disasters and pollution, and well-being inequalities. The field of environmental justice (EJ) seeks to eliminate such disparities through environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Published in 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) formulated the Environmental Justice Index (EJI) as a data tool to identify communities …
Strongly Stated And Loosely Held: Examining Stewart Brand's Role In The Ecomodernist Project, Liam J. Baker
Strongly Stated And Loosely Held: Examining Stewart Brand's Role In The Ecomodernist Project, Liam J. Baker
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
With the ecomodernist environmental perspective emerging in the wake of the 2015 publication of An Ecomodernist Manifesto, many researchers have sought to critique the ecomodernists and their theories of separating humanity from nature, intensifying agriculture, expanding energy production, and relying on technology to resolve the environmental challenges of the 21st century. In this paper, I add to these critiques by examining the history of Stewart Brand, one of the coauthors of An Ecomodernist Manifesto, to highlight connections between his personal environmental perspective, his material impacts, and the ecomodernist project as a whole. By analyzing the discourse produced by and about …
Impact Of Pollution On Marginalized Communities: Case Study Of Omaha, Nebraska, Miqaela Davis
Impact Of Pollution On Marginalized Communities: Case Study Of Omaha, Nebraska, Miqaela Davis
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Environmental justice has been a struggle within our country for years. The goal of Environmental justice is for the fair treatment and equal voice for every single individual regardless of race, income, gender, etc. There has been environmental injustice and racism in many cities, but this study focuses on Omaha, Nebraska. Key questions include: What are some specific pollutants that are prevalent in areas with differing racial majorities in Omaha? What are some of the health patterns in these areas and does it relate to environmental racism? How has Omaha reinforced environmental racism through city planning? Using the Climate and …
Framing Wildlife Conservation: Exploring Political Bias In States' Wildlife Action Plans, Ciara Nelson
Framing Wildlife Conservation: Exploring Political Bias In States' Wildlife Action Plans, Ciara Nelson
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Climate change affects regions of the United States differently due to factors such as the country's diverse physical landscapes, political environments, and population distributions. This variation leads to varying impacts on humans, wildlife, and ecosystems, with anthropogenic climate change—acknowledging humans as a significant contributor—being a point of contention, especially among some prominent politicians. The relationship between political party affiliation and climate change acknowledgment is evident, with recent political discourse highlighting differing views on the severity of climate change. This political framing influences how environmental policies are perceived and accepted, with the choice of language and framing playing a crucial role …
Eco-Anxiety Effects College Students, Alexa Edmundson
Eco-Anxiety Effects College Students, Alexa Edmundson
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
A survey was conducted on the UNL student population to evaluate whether college students, 18-25 year olds who are currently attending an accredited post-secondary school, are experiencing eco-anxiety and if eco-anxiety affects their pro-environmental behaviors. Climate change is taking a toll not only physically on us but also mentally. The mental health of people, especially college students, is not often studied in relation to climate change, but if we are to understand how to create change in this issue then we need to be looking at the whole picture. The hypothesis is that if college students are experiencing eco-anxiety, then …
Charging Forward: A Comparative Analysis Of Facilitators To Electric Vehicle Adoption In Three U.S. States, Abigail Schroeder
Charging Forward: A Comparative Analysis Of Facilitators To Electric Vehicle Adoption In Three U.S. States, Abigail Schroeder
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Electric vehicles (EVs) are a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, but low consumer adoption rates present a challenge. In order to understand what factors may facilitate EV adoption, a comparative analysis of three U.S. states was performed. These states have the highest rates of EV adoption in the country. Thus, studying them provided insights into what may make EV adoption successful. California, Hawaii, and Washington are the states with the highest EV adoption rates. Based on previous research, a list of 12 characteristics that may influence EV adoption was compiled and applied to each state, focusing on …
Educational Influences On Environmental Perception: A Semester Analysis Of The New Ecological Paradigm Scale In Undergraduates, Zoe Zingler
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
This study evaluated the impact of a geography course, GEOG 181: Global Environmental Issues, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on students’ endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) using a pre-course and post-course NEP scale survey. Analyzing paired responses (n = 40) through t-tests and z-scores, only four of 15 statements had statistically significant shifts observed for the entire sample. However, a targeted analysis of students initially possessing lower endorsement of the NEP—early deniers—revealed significant paradigm shifts post-course. While women initially showed stronger NEP endorsement, men demonstrated notable changes following the course towards endorsement of the NEP. Academic majors, whether …
Eco-Anxiety Effects College Students, Alexa Edmundson
Eco-Anxiety Effects College Students, Alexa Edmundson
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
A survey was conducted on the UNL student population to evaluate whether college students, 18-25 year olds who are currently attending an accredited post-secondary school, are experiencing eco-anxiety and if eco-anxiety affects their pro-environmental behaviors. Climate change is taking a toll not only physically on us but also mentally. The mental health of people, especially college students, is not often studied in relation to climate change, but if we are to understand how to create change in this issue then we need to be looking at the whole picture. The hypothesis is that if college students are experiencing eco-anxiety, then …
The Effects Of Partisanship On Legislative Support For Environmental Policies In The United States, Rachel Summers
The Effects Of Partisanship On Legislative Support For Environmental Policies In The United States, Rachel Summers
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
This study investigates the relationship between political partisanship and support for environmental policies at the state level in the United States from the years 2017-2022. To do this, the study focused on two policy areas, water and land, for the average proposed, enacted, and failed bills for all 50 states in the timeframe, with the states categorized as Democratic, swing, or Republican based on the 2016 and 2020 elections. While the study did find that Democratic states were more likely to introduce environmental bills than Republican states, the study also found that there was no statistical difference in the enactment …
Grading Climate Action Plans In The Midwest, Megan Baker
Grading Climate Action Plans In The Midwest, Megan Baker
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
As agreed upon by international climate scientists, decarbonization in the American Midwest is critical to keeping the planet below the 1.5C increase in global temperature from pre-industrial levels. However, most previous research that evaluates climate action plans (CAPs) to find their weaknesses and provide policy recommendations neglects this crucial region of the United States. To fill this gap, this paper replicates Deetjen et al.’s (2018) review of CAPs in 29 US cities by applying their CAP rubric to 11 Midwestern cities. The results of both quantitative analysis were used to analyze the differences in plans in the Midwest versus the …
Exploration Of The Mental Health Impacts Of Drought On Rural Nebraskans Via Remembered Perceptions, Grace Schleining
Exploration Of The Mental Health Impacts Of Drought On Rural Nebraskans Via Remembered Perceptions, Grace Schleining
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Drought is a sociological phenomenon. It is a well-known occurrence across the midwestern United States; the drying out of the soil, the failing of crops, and the constant dryness and heat… this is all drought. Inspired by my earliest memory of this climate phenomenon I sought to determine whether we can identify evidence of negative mental health impacts and/or well-being in rural Nebraskans due to drought, thus my research question: Can we identify negative effects of drought on rural Nebraskan mental health and/or wellbeing? In this study, rural Nebraska community members, who are involved with the agricultural sector, were interviewed. …
An Analysis Of Factors Affecting Municipal Biochar Implementation In Voluntary Carbon Markets, Jadon Basilevac
An Analysis Of Factors Affecting Municipal Biochar Implementation In Voluntary Carbon Markets, Jadon Basilevac
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
This paper serves as a review article and incorporates elements of survey research in order to identify and address factors inhibiting biochar availability from municipal sequestration projects in voluntary carbon marketplaces. In determining which barriers exist, and devising strategies for solving them, this study can help to expand the role of biochar in mitigating emissions contributing to climate change, and encourage project developers to support municipal biochar projects that provide various co-benefits. To do so, this study addresses how the pyrolysis production process might be made more efficient, economically viable, and see improved public image, the various urban sectors to …
Analyzing The Effects Of Cold Frontal Passage On The Feeding Habits Of Micropterus Salmoides (Largemouth Bass), Ethan Lang
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
For many decades, it has been theorized as to what happens to the feeding habits of largemouth bass (Micropterus Salmoides) when a significant short term weather change occurs. Here in the midwest and all throughout the United States cold front boundaries are a weather phenomenon that occur on a regular basis. They can occur on a very large or small scale and have a rapid effect on the weather locally. These cold front systems have been looked at as one of the main drivers to having an effect on the feeding habits of largemouth. However, up until this point, any …
Physiological Distancing Affects Climate Change Through Spatial Differences, Janette Williams
Physiological Distancing Affects Climate Change Through Spatial Differences, Janette Williams
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Psychological distancing is best described as the human ability to separate ourselves socially, temporally, and spatial and use it to manipulate our perspectives. It is the belief that in order to perceive or understand the information, you have to be within a spatial range(Harvard Business Review,2015). Psychological distancing has been linked to climate change perspectives based on spatial differences. People who are closely affected by climate change and experience more are going to have more ideas and be proactive. The reduced distance by spatial differences correlated with perceptions of climate change. People who are farther from the coast and experience …
Roots Of Passion In Environmental Unl Students, Shane Vrbicky
Roots Of Passion In Environmental Unl Students, Shane Vrbicky
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
“Passion” is an elusive idea - a simple word invented by man - able to depict vastly different realities and meanings dependent entirely on the user. Highly influential in nature, the simple thought of a passion within human beings can evoke a wide spectrum of strong emotions from pure joy and satisfaction to utter desperation and dread. Sometimes people have never known a life without their passion, guided by a headstrong feeling towards a path they have always dreamed of. Sometimes people can never seem to find passion, not knowing where to look and yet constantly chasing after it. Sometimes …
Analyzing The Effect Of Guided Nature Walks On Human Behavior, Jake Duffy
Analyzing The Effect Of Guided Nature Walks On Human Behavior, Jake Duffy
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Several studies have identified a gap in the understanding of what guided nature walks does for the individual person, and the extent to which guided nature walks and interpretive signs improves individual pro-environmental behavior and attitudes. This study surveyed over 300 people on their reactions to certain types of signs and the influence that those signs had on the individuals’ desire to return outdoors. Our results showed an overwhelmingly positive reaction to signs with ecological or systems-based information that could be utilized on their walk, while signs that taught an environmental or historical feature of that area were not appreciated …
Perception Of Nature Based On Childhood Experiences, Kaitlyn Richards
Perception Of Nature Based On Childhood Experiences, Kaitlyn Richards
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
It is essential that humans view themselves as a part of nature rather than viewing themselves as separate from it. Especially with issues on the rise such as climate change, habitat destruction, and the degradation of natural resources. Childhood experiences with nature are critical in developing pro-environmental behaviors (Duzenli, 2019). Pro-environmental behaviors are defined as attitudes and actions that focus on the improvement of environmental conditions, while also being vigilant of ways to reduce negative impacts on the environment (Tian, 2022).
Gender And Environmental Sustainability: A Cross-National Analysis On Political Representation Of Women And Subsequent State Sustainability, Erin O'Sullivan
Gender And Environmental Sustainability: A Cross-National Analysis On Political Representation Of Women And Subsequent State Sustainability, Erin O'Sullivan
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
The literature focusing on the relationship between gender and environmental sustainability is vast. Research has focused on how gender relates to pro-sustainable behavior but fails to analyze this beyond individual action. Research has also found positive correlations between women’s representation at a state’s political level and different factors of state sustainability. However, literature has fallen short on analyzing if there is a causal effect between these factors. This study aimed to fill this gap in the literature and analyzes how the ratio of women in parliament in a state affects the state’s environmental sustainability. Although the results showed no statistically …
Examining The Psychology And Human Behavior Of Sustainable Living: The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Climate Change Education, Samantha Nielsen
Examining The Psychology And Human Behavior Of Sustainable Living: The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Climate Change Education, Samantha Nielsen
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Climate change education has become increasingly important as the world faces the challenges of a rapidly changing environment. However, not all individuals have equal access to this education, and socioeconomic status has been identified as a barrier to climate change knowledge. This thesis explores the impact of socioeconomic status on climate change education through a survey-based approach, using the Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey to investigate the relationship between income and degree of education with climate change concern and community interaction. The study finds a significant correlation between higher levels of education and climate change concern, as well as greater …
Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Nebraska State Park Visitation, Bailey Mullins
Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Nebraska State Park Visitation, Bailey Mullins
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
The Covid-19 virus was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020 by the World Health Organization. Since then the outdoor recreation habits of the general public have changed due to the constraints and risks of the virus. The first case of Covid-19 in Nebraska was reported in March of 2020. One of the most popular places for recreation in the state of Nebraska is to visit our state parks and recreation areas. The purpose of this research is to determine how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted visitation at Nebraska state parks and recreation areas. To do this, the Nebraska Game …
Rails To Trails Program: Neighborhood Dynamics In Lincoln, Nebraska, Emma Mccormick
Rails To Trails Program: Neighborhood Dynamics In Lincoln, Nebraska, Emma Mccormick
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
As cities increasingly move towards creating sustainable, equitable, climate-forward communities, city planners, advocates, and policymakers have begun to focus increasingly on improving access to greenspaces. Studies around the globe have documented the importance of greenspace for multiple individual, group, and community level outcomes. Simultaneously, extant research suggests that access to greenspaces frequently reflects social inequality in urban spaces, stratifying such access by race and socioeconomic composition of neighborhoods. However, few research projects have examined potential unintended consequences, such as contemporary housing issues like gentrification, that greenspaces can create for community infrastructure here in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Evaluating Ecosystem Health Of The Salt Creek Basin Through Two-Eyed Seeing, Shelby Serritella
Evaluating Ecosystem Health Of The Salt Creek Basin Through Two-Eyed Seeing, Shelby Serritella
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Few instances of prior research into socio-ecological health have brought together both Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Western science, especially in Nebraska. This study attempts to fill this gap in Lancaster County, Nebraska by using “Two-Eyed Seeing”. This equitably combines both Indigenous Knowledge Systems (qualitative data), obtained through oral interviews with Indigenous community members, and Western science (quantitative data), obtained through USGS, UNL, and U.S. Drought Monitor databases, to assess ecosystem health. Changes to the Salt Creek Basin were collected and analyzed through this Two-Eyed Seeing framework. Results found that there are high levels of consensus between both knowledge systems regarding …
The Decline Of Upland Birds In Nebraska: Maximizing Limited Habitat, Hunter Tesarek
The Decline Of Upland Birds In Nebraska: Maximizing Limited Habitat, Hunter Tesarek
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Ring-necked Pheasants were introduced into the United States around 150 years ago and since then have become an important species both culturally and economically. There population health is of growing concern as upland bird populations in much of the United States have been declining rapidly throughout the latter half of the last century. In Nebraska millions of acres have been transformed from habitat that benefits upland birds into row crop agriculture, mostly in the form of corn and soybeans. Rural Mail Carrier Surveys conducted for pheasants from 1960 through 2020 in comparison to change in acres harvested depict the relationship …
Identifying A Consumer–Producer Agricultural Knowledge Gap, Aspen Rittgarn
Identifying A Consumer–Producer Agricultural Knowledge Gap, Aspen Rittgarn
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
The purpose of this paper and online survey was to see if an agricultural knowledge gap between consumers and producers be found. Low agricultural literacy rates can lead to misconceptions of the agriculture industry, unhealthy food choices, environmentally unfriendly product choices, food waste, etc. The hypothesis for this thesis is that those born in the mid1960s to early 1980s (Generation X) will be the start of an increased knowledge gap. The survey was compiled of both qualitative and quantitative questions and questions were inspired by American Farm Bureau’s AITC Benchmarks. Responses were analyzed and the results revealed that my participants …
Correlation Between Fire And Preservation In The Pacific Northwest And Most Cost-Efficient Mitigation Tactics, Liam Doherty-Herwitz
Correlation Between Fire And Preservation In The Pacific Northwest And Most Cost-Efficient Mitigation Tactics, Liam Doherty-Herwitz
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
This study was conducted entirely online with occasional help from advisors and editors on zoom meetings. I completed the research in Lincoln, Nebraska. A meta analysis of online data has been conducted to form the answers to my hypotheses and research questions. I used specific keywords and phrases in research databases, and search engines such as google scholar to point me towards the answers I was looking for. The keywords and phrases were split up into four different categories which are mitigation techniques, ecosystems, fire severity: PNW, and fire season: PNW. The reason the topics land preservation and fire science …
Spatiotemporal Activity Patterns Of Red Foxes And Coyotes In Wilderness Park, Lincoln, Nebraska, Adam Carlson
Spatiotemporal Activity Patterns Of Red Foxes And Coyotes In Wilderness Park, Lincoln, Nebraska, Adam Carlson
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Wildlife species that share a landscape may vary their use of time, space, and resources, thereby enabling sympatry between species. Interspecific relationships among sympatric canids are often inferred through temporal and spatial activity patterns. Body size is an important influence on interspecific relationships, as it affects competition, access to prey, resources, and vulnerability to predation. Coyotes and red foxes are canids that differ in body size and occur sympatrically in Wilderness Park, which suggests that they interact and could imply competition. In and around Lincoln, the number of coyote sightings has increased in recent years, Although the ecology of both …
Observing Wildlife In Different Urban Environments, Colleen Ballinger
Observing Wildlife In Different Urban Environments, Colleen Ballinger
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
My project was about comparing ecological communities in different locations. As many of us Natural Resource studiers know, urbanization has become a prime factor in ecosystems and landscapes of the modern world. Numerous studies from the Urban Ecology field have shown us that urbanization is on an unstable trajectory for the future (Wu 2014). My research will be to find out where and what species of wildlife live in varying levels of urbanization. This topic is important to me because of how impactful habitat loss is to wildlife. Habitat loss is the number one cause of wildlife death here in …
Solar Energy Implementation In Rural Communities, Corie Gleason
Solar Energy Implementation In Rural Communities, Corie Gleason
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
This thematic analysis was completed in Nebraska, as it looked at how the state’s rural communities react to solar energy projects. Due to their strong sense of social and community identity, members of rural communities are often resistant to change and may have difficulty supporting new projects such as solar farms in their communities. However, these rural communities provide the necessary space for solar farms while still being in close proximity to the users of the energy that the farms produce. This study aims to explore what factors have made past solar projects successful and the ways in which those …
Student Perspectives Of Sustainable Transportation Use On A College Campus, Brynn Fuelberth
Student Perspectives Of Sustainable Transportation Use On A College Campus, Brynn Fuelberth
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
As climate change grows in relevance in society, attention has often been turned to large universities to look at what solutions can help minimize the impacts contributing to the devastation. Sustainable transportation is an alternative that can help combat these issues. This study specifically focuses on what sustainable transportation looks like at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), and what barriers and motivations are present in the undergraduate students’ eyes. This was investigated through an open-ended qualitative survey administered to the undergraduate population of the UNL. This study asks how students make their mode decisions in relation to sustainable transportation methods, …