Digital Commons Network^™

Survey Of Soilborne Pathogens Infecting Strawberry In Oxnard, California & Effect Of Planting Date And Chill Treatment On Yield Of Strawberry, Samantha Z. Simard

Master's Theses

Survey to quantify the frequency of the five main pathogens (Macrophomina phaseolina, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae races 1 and 2, Verticillium dahliae, and Phytophthora spp.) infecting strawberry in the Oxnard growing district of California. M. phaseolina was the most prevalent pathogen detected in diseased plants in the Oxnard growing district, present in 67.6% of samples positive for at least one pathogen. F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae race 1 (35.3%), V. dahlia (8.8%), F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae race 2 (5.9%) and Phytophthora spp. (2.9%) followed at lower prevalence. Associations were found between fewer drip irrigation lines …

Terrestrial Salinization Impacts On Growth And Behavior Of A Common Detritivore Armadillidium Vulgare (Isopoda), Danielle Harmoney Orcutt

Master's Theses

Climate change and human activities are changing the nutritional landscape by increasing the availability of some essential elements and decreasing others. Sodium (Na) is an essential element in heterotrophs, which is required for water regulation, nerve function, and muscle function. Heterotrophs can acquire Na through diet and environment, often experiencing limited availability of Na due to plants concentrating Na 10-100 times less than heterotrophs need. The Sodium Subsidy-Stress (SSS) hypothesis posits that organismal performance follows a hump-shaped curve of a physiological response, where Na acts as a subsidy, increasing organismal performance such as growth until an optimal threshold is reached, …

Assessing The Role Of Steam Explosivity In Shallow And Deep Marine Environments, Frederick Ede

Master's Theses

Volcaniclastic deposits formed in shallow and deep marine environments show strikingly different characteristics resulting from the ability of steam to assist in lava fragmentation. Deep marine deposits come from recent lava flows at Axial Seamount, formed around 1,500 m water depth, while shallow marine samples come from Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) lava flows that were emplaced in a shallow marine to subaerial environment and are now exposed on the Oregon coast. Volcaniclastic material from these two environments was compared using granulometry, componentry, and mapping. Lithofacies from the CRBG contained abundant ash and lapilli sized clasts with a high …

“Lovely Is The Hillside” An Ecocritical Analysis Of The Narrative Function Of Setting Elements In Njal’S Saga, Michelle Fae Jones

Master's Theses

This paper uses an ecocritical lens to examine the portrayal of Iceland’s physical environment in Njal’s Saga. Drawing on historical and scientific context, this paper applies the ecocritical lens using an interdisciplinary approach to explore how the author crafted a narrative that idealizes Iceland’s Saga Age, selectively highlighting aspects of the environment that align with a vision of the land’s fertility and the people’s honor. This paper seeks to uncover the nuances of the author’s portrayal through a comparative analysis of four English translations of the saga. Applying the ecocritical lens allows for a deeper discussion of the implications for …

Promoting Greater Granularity In Climate Research: A Case Study Analyzing Perceptions Of Anthropogenic Climate Change Among Students, Faculty, And Staff At The University Of Southern Mississippi, Kelly Wegmann

Master's Theses

Anthropogenic climate change is a global concern that has the possibility to become the next world-altering event. While there is a substantial amount of scientific evidence proving its existence and harmful repercussions, there is still a lack of belief in its occurrence within the United States. This research uses survey data obtained from the University of Southern Mississippi to provide an understanding at a local scale of how both physical and psychological aspects bridge a gap in perception research.

With the use of previous research done by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC) and George Mason University Center …

Understanding The Variability Of Circulation And Water Quality At Experimental Oyster Leases In The Mississippi Sound Using A High-Resolution Nested Modeling Approach, Shihab Hossain Saran

Master's Theses

Four 50-acre experimental oyster leases; two near Saint Louis Bay (StLB) and two near Pascagoula Bay (PB) were recommended to provide science-based guidance for oyster reef restoration efforts in response to continued limited productivity of oysters in the Mississippi Sound (MSS). Two-way nested simulations using ROMS within COAWST modeling framework have been run with improved forcings to analyze circulation, salinity and temperature variability within and around the lease areas under the extreme freshwater inflow from Bonnet Carré Spillway (BCS) openings and local rivers in 2019. High-resolution atmospheric forcing data is crucial because diurnal sea-land breeze affects salinity variability by increasing …

Remembering, Forgetting, And Artifact Deposition In Late Prehistoric Florida, Andrew Bowen

Master's Theses

Material culture plays a fundamental role in memory processes. Artifacts are an important means of both connecting with and cutting ties with a real or imagined past. They can be reminders or symbols of connection to other people, places, things, powers, or memories, making them key components within networks and relations. The way materials are deposited or destroyed often follows specific customs or responds to environmental factors. Specific situations, like interactions with outside groups or socio-political changes, prompt particular depositional events. During the Mississippi period, such circumstances were prevalent throughout the Southeast. By treating artifacts in specific ways during deposition, …

Spatial And Abiotic Effects Of Urbanization On Small Mammal Communities, Bri Casement

Master's Theses

Urbanization, the phenomenon of increasing human population density and artificial structures, is known to decrease the richness, abundance, and diversity of native wildlife populations, fragment natural areas, and increase human and human-commensal animal interactions with wildlife. Dynamics of species persistence in habitat fragments is often understood in the framework of island biogeography theory (IBT), with habitat fragments being analogous to oceanic islands. Despite the conceptual similarities between oceanic islands in IBT and urbanized habitat fragments (fragment size, fragment age, and distance to immigration sources), there are important differences. In urban fragments, the matrix is not completely impassible, habitats within fragments …

Assessment Of Georgia’S Royal Catchfly (Silene Regia) Along A Forest-Edge Gradient In A Remnant Prairie Community, Megan Brooks

Master's Theses

Royal catchfly (Silene regia) is a perennial prairie forb known to grow in rocky, alkaline soils within tallgrass prairies of the eastern United States. S. regia is recorded from twelve states, including Georgia, and is now confined to fragmented habitats due to the loss of 95% of its natural environment. The species is now listed as critically imperiled in the state of Georgia. Attempts at reintroduction via outplanting have only shown limited success, necessitating more research on the environmental conditions in which this plant survives in its southern-most distribution. This study investigated the local ecological factors influencing the …

Short Arc Initial Orbit Determination For Leo Objects And The Impact Of Observation Eelevation On Predictive Accuracy, Alexis Digregorio

Master's Theses

The expansion of space activities has led to an increase in congestion. With this increase, there has been a growing emphasis on the importance of space situational awareness. Without it, the space environment can become hazardous, with increasing threats of collision and debris generation. As the utilization of space continues to grow, effective methods for tracking objects to maintain situational awareness must also be considered. One approach to tracking objects in space involves a series of steps, including optical observations and orbit estimations using initial orbit determination methods, followed by additional observations and continuous tracking. However, a challenge with this …

Hydrologic Response Of Meadow Restoration Following The Removal Of Encroached Conifers, Oriana Ramirez

Master's Theses

Meadows are important within forest ecosystems because they provide diverse species habitats, facilitate water cycling, help with sediment capture, aid in carbon sequestration, and create natural fire breaks in forested regions. However, fire suppression, poor grazing practices, and climate change have accelerated the encroachment of conifers into historical meadow habitat. This has led to an extensive loss of meadow habitat within the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountain Ranges. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to quantify changes in percent soil moisture and groundwater levels following the removal of encroached lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) in a historic meadow habitat …

Unraveling The History Of Deforestation In The Amazon Rainforest With Statistical Modeling, Ryan Destefano

Master's Theses

The Amazon rainforest, a vital ecosystem of immense biodiversity and global climate significance, faces the ongoing threat of deforestation driven by agricultural expansion. This thesis employs remote sensing techniques, focusing on the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) derived from Landsat satellite imagery, to track land cover dynamics within the Amazon. The study examines historical land cover changes in current plantations in Peru and Brazil, regions where the exact timing of deforestation is uncertain. By analyzing EVI measurements dating back to 1984, inflection points indicative of deforestation events preceding plantation establishment are identified. Statistical modeling techniques, including spline fitting to analyze time …

Jorge Ricardo Masetti: Journalist, Guerrilla, Cold Warrior, Brooks C. Martin Mr.

Master's Theses

The following thesis describes the life and activities of Jorge Ricardo Masetti, an Argentinian journalist who was assigned to interview Fidel Castro, leader of the Cuban Revolution against dictator Fulgencio Batista. Masetti was responsible for broadcasting interviews with Fidel Castro and Ernesto “Che” Guevara to the rest of Latin America for the first time, allowing people to understand what was happening in Cuba through the words of the Revolution’s leaders. Masetti returned to Cuba to found the first international Latin American news agency, Prensa Latina, which still exists today. However, ideological factionalism within Prensa Latina drove Masetti to resign in …

Exploring Gender Disparities In Collaboration Networks: An Analysis Of H-Indices And Collaborator Proximity, Andrew R. Estrada

Master's Theses

Research is crucial for expanding the boundaries of what is known, driving innovation, and solving problems faced by communities. It is carried out across all sectors of society by all matter of institutions. Academic research is one such sector that contributes to a plethora of disciplines. Research often compels collaboration among researchers, and as with any team, the dynamics and outcomes are affected by the individuals who contribute to the research. For instance, researchers can be from different institutions; therefore research teams can differ in collaboration distance -- the geographic distance between the organizations of authors. In a similar vein, …

What Gives? Trust, Risk, Altruism, And Reciprocity Across 76 Countries, Sherwin Mosavat

Master's Theses

Abstract:

The decades-long literature pertaining to gender-specific preferences lies at the intersection of economics and psychology with a primary focus on the correlation between economic development and gender-specific preferences. Better understanding of this correlation has helped researchers understand how individuals make decisions for their education, finances, and occupation. Falk & Hermle (2018) assess the correlation between GDP and various gender-specific preferences including trust, risk, altruism, and reciprocity. In order to better understand the relationship between economic development and gender-specific preferences, I expand on the Falk & Hermle 2018 framework by introducing new macroeconomic, prosocial, and cultural variables as additional explanatory …

Reports Of Autosomal Recessive Disease And Consanguineous Mating Within The Human Population, Johnathon L. Schluter

Master's Theses

It is anecdotally evident when investigating published reports of autosomal recessive disease that a substantial number of cases are the result of related (consanguineous) mating. This research seeks to quantify the percent of manuscripts describing autosomal recessive diseases published between 2000 and 2020 in which consanguineous mating is indicated. We analyzed 602 peer-reviewed manuscripts to identify the percentage of cases presented in which consanguineous mating was indicated, the underlying genes (novel gene or new mutation) and geographical region. These papers were accessed through a specific set of parameters on the free access PubMed Central (PMC) database. A total of 552 …

“Bad Hombres”: Trump Era Politics And Media In Shaping The Perceptions Of The Mexican Diaspora In The United States, Angelica Soria

Master's Theses

My research delves into the anti-Mexican immigrant rhetoric spread throughout the United States under Donald Trump’s presidency by himself, mainstream media news outlet Fox News, and the U.S. government. Furthermore, examining the social identity of ethnic Mexicans in the United States in response to and as a consequence of the negative rhetoric. This thesis analyzes discourse including the harmful rhetoric and its impact on policy formulation, public perception, and the lived experiences of Mexican immigrants and ethnic Mexican communities. By looking at existing discourse, this research provides a critical discourse analysis of political speeches, media coverage, and ethnic Mexican testimonios. …

Lgbtqia+ Immigrant Healing: Ulysses Syndrome & Community-Based Organizing, Tay Villaseñor-Ingersoll

Master's Theses

The aim of this study is to validate that LGBTQIA+ migrants experience the Ulysses Syndrome, also referred to as the Immigrant Syndrome of Chronic and Multiple Stress, which was developed in 2002 by Psychiatrist and Professor of the University of Barcelona, Dr. Joseba Achotegui. This is an impermanent and complex grieving process which exposes one to symptoms such as depression, anxiety and dissociative somatic symptoms which result from extreme levels of stress from the processes of modern migration. This syndrome manifests as a natural reaction to intense migratory pressures for those who are otherwise healthy.

Furthermore, this project highlights how …

Impact Of Temperature On Children’S Nutrition: A Comparative Study Of Three Ecological Regions Of Nepal, Prakriti Shakya

Master's Theses

Nutrition obtained during the growth period of childhood significantly influences long-term well-being and overall productivity, ultimately contributing to the economy of a society. However, weather shocks can wreak havoc by damaging crops, changing yields of important crops and disrupting market access, which directly impacts the food intake of both adults and children. When these adverse events occur during childhood, short term and long term inadequacy in nutrition as well as disease incidence can cause malnutrition leading to stunted growth and cognitive impairment that may persist into adulthood, affecting the labor market and increasing health expenditure. To address this issue, we …

Queering The Care Chain & Migration Discourse, Duun O'Hara

Master's Theses

Abstract

This thesis seeks to fill the gaps between migration and domestic labor discourses that lack a queer, decolonial conception of the queer migrant community in the US. Dominant conceptualizations of care work exclude LGBTQ+ migrant individuals who are forced into the “informal” sector of labor as a by-product of the settler-colonial state, neoliberalism, and globalization. Centering queer migration approaches and decolonial practices will help to illuminate how gender, race, and sexuality are consistently excluded in discussions of migrant domestic workers. To investigate how migration discourse and understandings of care work continue to impose Western heteronormative perceptions of migrants, I …

The Impact Of Female Political Leadership On Intimate Partner Violence In India, Khushboo Patel

Master's Theses

Abstract:

This study employs an instrumental variable approach to examine the impact of female political leadership on women’s experiences of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). It finds that in rural areas with more female leaders, incidents of sexual and psychological IPV increase. The analysis investigates the drivers behind this impact, revealing that entrenched gender norms and expectations, such as a husband’s preference for more sons, may exacerbate IPV. Additionally, despite the increase in female leaders, attitudes toward violence remain largely unchanged. These findings highlight the need for research and policy initiatives that not only encourage female political participation but also specifically …

Evaluating Climate Migration Through Discourse Analysis Of International Policy Framework And “El Progreso” Community Blog, Olusola Akanni

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Environmental changes are driven by global warming, such as rising temperatures, melting ice, and increased natural disasters which directly affect the living conditions of huma thereby driving migration. This study highlights the inadequacies of current migration management policies as the United States is seeing a significant influx of migrants from Central America. The focus of this discourse analysis is on the role of inadequate policies and the failure of international efforts like the Paris Climate Agreement in addressing the issue of climate-induced migration effectively. Despite the goals set by such international agreements to mitigate the effects of climate change …

Differential Impacts Of Covid-19 Policy Enforcement On Food Security Dynamics, Shiv Gargé

Master's Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified food insecurity in the United States, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. This study examines the county-level impact of various COVID-19 policies on food insecurity using data from the U.S. COVID-19 County Policy (UCCP) Database and Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap study. Employing a Difference-in-Difference (DiD) approach and a Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) regression with two political instrumental variables to address potential endogeneity concerns, the findings reveal nuanced impacts. DiD estimates did not show significant effects on the rate of change in food insecurity but indicated promising signs for absolute population values. The 2SLS results suggest …

Taking The Bang Out Of The Gang: The Impact Of Catholic Schools On Gang Homicides In El Salvador, Ann Jillian Villanueva Adona

Master's Theses

This study explores the impact of Catholic presence on homicide rates in El Salvador, specifically focusing on the role of Catholic schools in reducing violence in gang-afflicted municipalities. Analyzing municipality-level data from various years, I used Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Instrumental Variable (IV) regressions to study the association between school enrollment and homicide rates. Results show that higher enrollment in Catholic schools is linked to a reduction in homicide rates in gang-affected areas, contrasting with an increase in homicides for non-religious schools. This research sheds light on the importance of investing in Catholic education as a strategy for violence …

Knowledge Production And The Unthinkable: Weaving Stories Of Art, Gender, And Land, Christin Huntsman

Master's Theses

Colonialism is deeply and violently embedded in Western knowledge formation—dominant power structures produce epistemes that uphold and perpetuate colonial narratives. This kind of knowledge production forecloses other possibilities. Western discourse of truth becomes universalized to the point that other worldviews, other knowledges that do not conform to hegemonic norms, are suppressed or silenced. This thesis examines three areas of hegemony and erasure: art, gender, and land. First, the history of art clearly marks a delineation between Western elitist artistic masterpieces and non-Western ethnographic artifacts. Eurocentrism of art in the academy determines what counts as art and how art is categorized. …

Using Virtual Power Plants To Advance Decarbonization And Energy Equity In California, Cheri Tsoi Yu Tse

Master's Theses

To achieve 60% renewable electricity generation by 2030 and 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2045, California must rapidly electrify and decarbonize all sectors while ensuring grid stability to avoid power outages. Virtual power plants (VPPs) are an emerging solution that can help increase the percentage of renewable energy on California’s electrical grid. This research examined how VPPs can advance decarbonization, grid stability, and energy equity in California. The report begins by clarifying the definitions and components of a VPP, finding the crucial interactions among distributed energy resources (DERs), management systems, and prosumers (energy consumers who both produce and consume electricity). Next, …

Reimagination And Placemaking In Cape Town: Navigating Apartheid's Legacy Through Community-Focused Placemaking Initiatives, Merhawit Mehzun

Master's Theses

This paper explores the concept of placemaking in Cape Town, South Africa, a city shaped by a complex history of displacement, segregation, and resilience. While urban planning has often prioritizes non-human factors, like economy and infrastructure, placemaking emphasizes the creation of meaningful spaces that foster a sense of "place" for people. Through examining the lived experiences of Capetonians, historical narratives at the District Six Museum, and contemporary efforts in Langa, this research aims to uncover how South Africans are reimagining their urban environment to cultivate authenticity and a sense of belonging. This leads to a larger discussion about gentrification. By …

Online Esl / Efl Instruction For Korean Children Under 7 Years Old: A Curricular Design, Seong Sun Kim

Master's Theses

Early bilingual education is currently implemented in many countries around the world. There has been much research on the effects of early second language learning on children's language development and school performance, and the results are positive.

Koreans focus on learning foreign languages to communicate with other people around the world and approach to lots of information and experience. For Koreans to become fluent English speakers, the best time to learn a foreign language is during early childhood. It is a critical period for mastering pronunciation and developing language skills, making it an ideal time to easily learn a foreign …

Reproductive (In)Justice In Contemporary Dystopian Fiction: A Critical White Feminist Analysis Of The Handmaid’S Tale (2017–) And Future Home Of The Living God (2017), Kaelyn Ireland

Master's Theses

This thesis employs a critical white feminist lens to analyze themes of human migration in two contemporary feminist dystopian texts: the TV adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel The Handmaid’s Tale and Louise Erdrich’s 2017 novel Future Home of the Living God. This work draws from fields and frameworks such as reproductive justice, migration studies, and Indigenous studies to create a nuanced critique of both texts and interrogate the ways whiteness impacts the feminist dystopian heroine’s story and, potentially, audience reception. I assert that HMT and FH can best be understood as a mirror for the current state of …

A Geospatial Analysis Of Patterns In Neighborhood Characteristics And United States Professional Sports Stadium Relocations From 1922-2022, Kara Logan

Master's Theses

In the United States of America, 135 stadiums for new or relocating teams have been constructed between 1970 and 2020 (Bradbury et al., 2022, p. 3). Within those years, researchers, journalists, and community members have examined the impact of those new stadiums on local communities, including economic, environmental, and residential impacts. However, the current scope of literature consists of a considerable number of case studies that examine a single stadium or mega-event, such as the Olympics.

This study will determine what patterns, if any, exist between the demographic and housing characteristics between the stadiums that major league United States professional …