Digital Commons Network^™

Environmental Variation, Stochastic Extinction, And Competitive Coexistence, Peter B. Adler, John M. Drake

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Understanding how environmental fluctuations affect population persistence is essential for predicting the ecological impacts of expected future increases in climate variability. However, two bodies of theory make opposite predictions about the effect of environmental variation on persistence. Single‐species theory, common in conservation biology and population viability analyses, suggests that environmental variation increases the risk of stochastic extinction. By contrast, coexistence theory has shown that environmental variation can buffer inferior competitors against competitive exclusion through a storage effect. We reconcile these two perspectives by showing that in the presence of demographic stochasticity, environmental variation can increase the chance of extinction while …

Season- And Herbivore-Dependent Competition And Facilitation In A Semi-Aridsavanna, Kari E. Veblen

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Empirical and theoretical evidence suggests that facilitation between plants, when it occurs, is more likely during periods of abiotic stress, while competition predominates under more moderate conditions. Therefore, one might expect the relative importance of competition vs. facilitation to vary seasonally in ecosystems characterized by pronounced dry (abiotically stressful) and wet (benign) seasons. Herbivory also varies seasonally and can affect the net outcome of plant-plant interactions, but the interactive effects of seasonality and herbivory on the competition-facilitation balance are not known. I experimentally manipulated neighboring plants and herbivory during wet and dry periods for two species of grass: Cynodon plectostachyus …

Population Density Estimates And Growth Rates Of Eleutherodactylus Coqui In Hawaii, Karen H. Beard, R. Al-Chokhacky, N. C. Tuttle, Eric M. O'Neill

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

The Puerto Rican terrestrial frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) has received considerable attention in Hawaii because of its rapid spread, loud mating calls, and its potential threat to native species. Thus far, its invasion potential on the Island of Hawaii remains poorly understood. Critical components for determining this potential are robust estimates of abundance and vital rates across habitat types. To address this lack of information, we used mark-recapture methods to estimate E. coqui survival and abundance, determine growth rates of adult male and female frogs, and relate densities to elevation, snout–vent length (SVL), habitat structure, and invertebrate abundance. Mean adult E. …

A Semiotics Framework For Analyzing Data Provenance Research, Jun Liu, Sudha Ram

Research & Publications

Data provenance is the background knowledge that enables a piece of data to be interpreted and used correctly within context. The importance of tracking provenance is widely recognized, as witnessed by significant research in various areas including e-science, homeland security, and data warehousing and business intelligence. In order to further advance the research on date and identity specific topics that merit further investigation. In this work, we develop a framework based on semiotics theory to assist in analyzing and comparing existing provenance research at the conceptual level. We provide a detailed review of data provenance research and compare and contrast …

Evaluating Community Participation In Health Care Decision-Making: The Case Of The Airdie/North Rocky View Health Needs Project, Aleisha Dawn Harrington

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Rising health care costs combined with limited health resources have made it essential for health agencies around the world to identify successful and affordable ways to prevent disease and promote health. Several national and international documents have proposed that increased community participation in health matters is one potential approach. While many of these reports detail the benefits of and need for community participation in health care decision-making, they provide little information as to how this should be achieved. The result has been a myriad of interpretations, interventions and practices of community participation. According to several scholars, evaluations are needed that …

Living Out: A Study Exploring The Experience Of Live Out Assistants In L’Arche, Jennifer Christine Elkins

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this research project was to qualitatively explore the experiences of live-out assistants in two L’Arche communities in order to better understand what these staff members perceived to be the benefits and challenges of community life in L’Arche. Live-out assistants support individuals with developmental disabilities in L’Arche communities, but do not live in a L’Arche home. This study incorporates theories related to the role of core values in uniting intentional communities and organizational change. Intentional communities face an ongoing challenge of adapting to internal and external changes, while retaining core values and a common purpose. An empowerment approach …

Paleohydrologic Reconstruction Of Three Shallow Basins, Slave River Delta, Nwt, Using Stable Isotope Methods, Cherie Mongeon

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

p>The long-term natural hydrological variability of the Slave River Delta (SRD), NWT, is not well documented and needs to be further developed to provide temporal context to understand and evaluate impacts of Slave River (SR) floodwater influence and climate variability and change on contemporary hydro-ecological doncidiotns of the SRD. The SRD has broad ecological and cultural significance, as it provides extensive habitate for wildlife and is important for local First Nations community who have an historical connection with the delta and its resources. Concners have been raised over recently reported drying trends in the SRD over the past few …

Assessment Of Unit Scale: An Innovative Counselling Tool For Assessing The Relationships Of Couples Facing Infertility, Reina Zatylny

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

No abstract provided.

What Can We Learn About White Privilege And Racism From The Experiences Of White Mothers Parenting Biracial Children?, Shannon Cushing

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Despite progress in the movement toward anti-racism, racism remains a problem in Canada. While the presence of racism and the problem of racism are recognized by Canadian society, there is still a long way to go before racism and white privilege are eliminated. In the present study, I apply Community Psychology values to the examination of an as-yet relatively unexamined minority population: white mothers of biracial children. Guided by epistemological views that place my research within the critical and social constructivist research paradigms, I explore my research question, “How can the experiences of white mothers parenting biracial children inform us …

The Human Activity-Travel Rescheduling Decision Process, Andrew F. Clark

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Over the past few decades the activity scheduling decision process has become an important topic for transportation researchers, including how people reschedule their daily activities and travel in reaction to change. Rescheduling decisions include modifications/updates to timing, location/route, involved persons, event/mode type, and other attributes of activities/trips, as well as addition and deletion of completely new events. Such decisions occur as part of an ongoing process over time, space and across individuals. This thesis developed and applied a new data collection methodology for exploring the rescheduling decision process. The methodology had four main stages: capturing preplanned schedules; Global Positioning System …

Opportunity, Tools And Support: Ngo Engagement In The Security And Disarmament Field, Sarah Estabrooks

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

NGOs have been consistently excluded from multilateral proceedings in the security and disarmament sector where states are concerned about their national security interests. And yet, they have found avenues to participate in the multilateral process through the negotiation of treaties, provision of expert research and testimony, systematic monitoring of state compliance, documentation of UN proceedings, and even as members of government delegations. This paper explores the conditions that enable NGOs to engage directly in the state-centric system of the United Nations, addressing political opportunity, enabling resources, and institutional support. I explore how NGOs contribute to international politics, using a constructivist …

Self-Reported Acceptance Of Social Anxiety Sypmtoms: Development And Validation Of The Social Anxiety-Acceptance And Action Questionnaire, Meagan B. Mackenzie

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Mindfulness-based interventions have been used in the treatment of social anxiety with initial success. Mindfulness is defined as an awareness and acceptance of the present moment. Acceptance when used as a coping strategy is related to reduced distress during anxiety-provoking tasks and increased willingness to experience unpleasant events. The purpose of this research was to examine acceptance, willingness and distress in the context of social anxiety and was threefold. The first study was designed to develop an instrument designed to assess acceptance specific to social anxiety. In Study 1, a sample of 352 undergraduates completed the initial 56-item pool of …

Personal Stories Of Empathy In Adolescence And Emerging Adulthood, Kendall M. Soucie

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Empathy, the ability to understand and experience the emotions of others, has yet to be investigated from a narrative or life story perspective. The purpose of the present study was, therefore, to examine the ways in which emerging adults and adolescents, through their self-defining stories, process and come to extract meaning from their personal empathic and non-empathic experiences. Twenty-nine adolescents (14–17, M=15.28, SD=.99), and 31 emerging adults (18–20, M=18.23, SD=.56) narrated stories about their empathic (times when they felt sad for someone, times when they put themselves in someone else’s shoes) and non-empathic experiences (times when …

Evaluation Of The Effects Of Various Exercise Interventions On Parkinson’S Disease, Michael D. Sage

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The overall purpose of the current thesis was to evaluate the influence of various exercise strategies on Parkinson’s disease (PD). While countless exercise interventions have been investigated by PD, results have been weak and inconclusive at best. As such, there are currently no scientifically-validated recommendations for an optimal exercise intervention. The four studies comprising this thesis have attempted to address the shortcomings of previous literature, namely, inconsistent use of outcome measures, lack of PD symptomatic measures, varying lengths of exercise interventions, absence of a non-exercise control group, continued assessment of participants after exercise has ended, and verifying replicabilty of findings. …

Hydrological Response Patterns And Solute Flux In Canadian Shield Basins: Role Of Different Physical Features And Antecedent Moisture Conditions, Jessica Mueller

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Patterns of stream flow in relatively undisturbed Canadian Shield basins are closely linked to their physical and vegetative characteristics and meteorological conditions. The physical characteristics include topography, soil-till composition, depth and structure, slope morphology and bedrock geology. Hydrological flowpaths through, and in-situ chemical processes in the soil-till matrix are influenced greatly by the composition of these features and by the antecedent hydrological conditions preceding a given storm or snowmelt event.

A long term data set, collected by the Dorset Environmental Science Centre, is used to examine eight forested basins within the Muskoka-Haliburton region of south-central Ontario. The basins have a …

Understanding Indigenous Canadian Traditional Health And Healing, (Gus) Louis Paul Hill

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This qualitative research study is situated within an Indigenous research methodology. The goal of the research was to develop an in-depth understanding of traditional healing from the perspectives of practitioners of traditional healing. It was important to explore the experiences of practitioners of traditional healing because there continues to be a lack of literature on this subject, as well as a significant lack of understanding and awareness about traditional healing and Indigenous Canadian people in mainstream society. The theoretical underpinnings of this research are holism and the four aspects of the self, visually represented in the Anishnaabe medicine wheel.

In-depth …

Groundwater Contamination In Caves: Four Case Studies In Spain, Monserrat Jiménez-Sánchez, Heather Stoll, Iñaki Vadillo, Manolo López-Chicano, María Domínguez-Cuesta, Wenceslao Martín-Rosales, Mónica Meléndez-Asensio

International Journal of Speleology

Groundwater quality was monitored in four Spanish caves using concentrations of nitrate, potassium, phosphorus and in some cases total organic carbon. Three of the caves are located in NW Spain and contain prehistoric cave paintings and hence have special conservation interest. Of these, two are open show caves (Tito Bustillo and Pindal Caves), while the other one (Herrerías Cave) is not managed for tours and is partially closed off to public access. The fourth cave (Las Maravillas Cave) is located in SW Spain and is opened to the public because of its geological features and natural beauty. In this paper, …

An Investigation Of Meromixis In Cave Pools, Lechuguilla Cave, New Mexico, David B. Levy

International Journal of Speleology

Chemical characteristics of permanent stratification in cave pools (meromixis) may provide insight into the geochemical origin and evolution of cave pool waters. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that some pools in Lechuguilla Cave may be subject to ectogenic meromixis, where permanent chemical stratification is induced by input of relatively saline or fresh water from an external source. However, because organic C concentrations in Lechuguilla waters are low (typically < 1 mg L^-1), biogenic meromixis resulting in O₂(g)-depleted subsurface waters is not expected. Four pools at various depths below ground surface (0 m) were studied: (1) …

The Role Of The Epikarst In Karst And Cave Hydrogeology: A Review, Paul W. Williams

International Journal of Speleology

The epikarst (also known as the subcutaneous zone) comprises highly weathered carbonate bedrock immediately beneath the surface or beneath the soil (when present) or exposed at the surface. Porosity and permeability are higher near the surface than at depth, consequently after recharge percolating rainwater is detained near the base of the epikarst, the detention ponding producing an epikarstic aquifer. Such an aquifer is found only where the uppermost part of the vadose zone is very weathered compared to the bedrock at depth. Sometimes this contrast in porosity and permeability does not occur either because the epikarst has been scraped off …

Monitoring Climatological, Hydrological And Geochemical Parameters In The Père Noël Cave (Belgium): Implication For The Interpretation Of Speleothem Isotopic And Geochemical Time-Series, Sophie Verheyden, Dominique Genty, Guy Deflandre, Yves Quinif, Eduard Keppens

International Journal of Speleology

Père Noël cave climatology (air and water temperature, P_CO2), hydrology (drip rate, conductivity) and geochemistry of water and calcite deposits (δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C, Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca) where studied to better interpret stable isotopic and trace element variations of speleothems. Results of an automated monitoring station and of manual sampling between 1991 and 1998 have demonstrated the highly seasonal signal of drip rate, its control by water excess and rainfall, and, at a shorter scale to air pressure changes. The modern calcite deposit study suggests a relationship between cave calcite isotopic composition (δ¹⁸O and …

Carbon Dioxide Concentration In Air Within The Nerja Cave (Malaga, Andalusia, Spain), Cristina Liñán, Iñaki Vadillo, Francisco Carrasco

International Journal of Speleology

From 2001 to 2005 the CO₂ concentration of the air in the interior and exterior of the Nerja Cave was studied and its relation with the air temperature and visitor number. The average annual CO₂ concentration outside of the cave is 320 ppmv, whilst inside, the mean concentration increases to 525 ppmv during autumn and winter, and in the order of 750 ppmv during spring and summer. The temporal variation of CO₂ content in the air of the cave is strongly influenced by its degree of natural ventilation which is, in turn, determined by the difference between …

Transition Experiences Of Selected Emerging Adults With Emotional And Behavioral Difficulties In Higher Education, Kathleen M. Fowler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Transitioning into adulthood is an exciting and challenging time for emerging adults, and is even more difficult for young adults with emotional and behavioral difficulties (EBD). Even though the number of transition-aged individuals with EBD is significant, few studies have explored the experiences of this population engaged in educational activities, and there is limited information regarding the personal experiences of emerging adults with EBD. The purpose of the study is to acquire a better understanding of the experiences of young adults diagnosed with an EBD who are working toward their academic goals. Further, this study may give voice to individuals …

Equipping Parents To Nurture Their Children In Christian Discipleship : A Family Discipleship Program For The Mcconnellsburg United Methodist Charge, John Albert Godissart

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Multiple-Objective Environmental Rationalization And Optimization For Material Substitution In The Production Of Stone-Washed Jeans- Garments, Marwa M.H. El-Sayed, Nabil A. Ibrahim, Nabil M. Abdel Moneim, Mohamed A. Ramadan

Publications

As the Textile Industry is the second largest industry in Egypt and as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up a great portion of this industry therein it is essential to apply the concept of Cleaner Production for the purpose of reducing pollution. In order to achieve this goal, a case study concerned with ecofriendly stone-washing of jeans-garments was investigated. A raw material-substitution option was adopted whereby the toxic potassium permanganate and sodium sulfide were replaced by the environmentally compatible hydrogen peroxide and glucose respectively where the concentrations of both replaced chemicals together with the operating time were optimized. In …

Object Detection And Classification With Applications To Skin Cancer Screening, Jonathan Blackledge, Dmitryi Dubovitskiy

Articles

This paper discusses a new approach to the processes of object detection, recognition and classification in a digital image. The classification method is based on the application of a set of features which include fractal parameters such as the Lacunarity and Fractal Dimension. Thus, the approach used, incorporates the characterisation of an object in terms of its texture.

The principal issues associated with object recognition are presented which includes two novel fast segmentation algorithms for which C++ code is provided. The self-learning procedure for designing a decision making engine using fuzzy logic and membership function theory is also presented and …

Relevance For Food Safety Of Applications Of Nanotechnology In The Food And Feed Industry, Iona Pratt, Catherine Adley, Gordon Chambers, Wayne Anderson

Articles

The application of nanotechnology in the food and feed industry offers many potential benefits for both consumers and manufacturers.The ultrafine dimensions of nanoparticles, and consequently their very large surface area, enable them to function more effectively than conventional macro-scale structures in many applications. Nanotechnology is however a relatively new area of science and the benefits and risks associated with its use in the food and feed industry are not fully understood at this time.This brings with it new challenges in ensuring the safety of food and feed that has been produced with the aid of nanotechnology. This report provides an …

Seqra And Climate Change, Michael B. Gerrard

Faculty Scholarship

New York's State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) is the centerpiece of environmental decision-making in the state. It requires state and local agencies to prepare environmental impact statements (EISs) for actions that could significantly affect the environment. SEQRA has become the principal framework for the identification and mitigation of environmental impacts.

The text of SEQRA provides that EISs should discuss the "effects of the proposed action on the use and conservation of energy resources, where applicable and significant." EISs under SEQRA are also required to consider, among many other things, a project's effects on air pollution. Since the main source …

Repairing Family Law, Clare Huntington

Faculty Scholarship

Scholars in the burgeoning field of law and emotion have paid surprisingly little attention to family law. This gap is unfortunate because law and emotion has the potential to bring great insights to family law. This Article begins to fill this void — and inaugurate a larger debate about the central role of emotion in family law — by exploring the intriguing and significant consequences for the regulation of families that flow from a theory of intimacy first articulated by psychoanalytic theorist Melanie Klein. According to Klein, individuals love others, inevitably transgress against those they love out of hate and …

International Standards For Detaining Terrorism Suspects: Moving Beyond The Armed Conflict-Criminal Divide, Monica Hakimi

Faculty Scholarship

Although sometimes described as war, the fight against transnational jihadi groups (referred to for shorthand as the "fight against terrorism") largely takes place away from any recognizable battlefield. Terrorism suspects are captured in houses, on street comers, and at border crossings around the globe. Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the high-level Qaeda operative who planned the September 11 attacks, was captured by the Pakistani government in a residence in Pakistan. Abu Omar, a radical Muslim imam, was apparently abducted by U.S. and Italian agents off the streets of Milan. And Abu Baker Bashir, the spiritual leader of the Qaeda-affiliated group responsible for …

Children, Kin, And Court: Designing Third Party Custody Policy To Protect Children, Third Parties And Parents, Joshua Gupta-Kagan

Faculty Scholarship

Millions of American children are raised primarily by people other than their parents, mostly by grandparents and other kin, and millions more are raised by third parties for some period of their childhood. In most such situations, informal arrangements negotiated by family members and kinship networks effectively provide care for these children. Many cases, however, require some formal legal arrangement; third party custody orders are needed to obtain necessary services and benefits for children whose parents are absent, and to protect children in the rare but still significant instances in which a parent is abusive or neglectful.

States currently have …