Digital Commons Network^™

Evolution In A Tropical Archipelago: Comparisons Within And Among 50 Species Of Philippine Birds, Kyle Campbell

Biological Sciences

Tropical islands are hotspots for speciation and the generation of genetic diversity within species. The islands of the Philippines have experienced dynamic biogeographic histories, making them excellent for studying the processes affecting the generation and distribution of genetic diversity. I tested hypotheses about the distribution of population genetic diversity within species and examined levels of genetic and phenotypic divergence within 50 species of Philippine birds. The first study empirically tested two models for the distribution of population genetic diversity (increasing diversity with decreasing latitude and decreasing diversity approaching range edges) and found no support for either model. This was not …

Ataam Taikina: Traditional Knowledge And Conservation Ethics In The Yukon River Delta, Alaska, Chad M. Cook

Arctic and Northern Studies

This research was conducted in collaboration with rural Yup'ik residents of the Yukon River delta region of Alaska. The thesis explores traditional knowledge and conservation ethics among rural Yup'ik residents who continue to maintain active subsistence lifestyles. From the end of July through August of 2012, ethnographic field research was conducted primarily through participant observation and semi-structured interviews, documenting Yup'ik subsistence hunting and fishing practices. Research participants invited me beluga whale hunting, seal hunting, moose hunting, commercial and subsistence fishing, gathering berries, and a variety of other activities that highlights local Yup'ik environmental knowledge, practices, and ethics. Through firsthand examples …

The Phylogeography And Population Genetic Structure Of Least Cisco (Coregonus Sardinella) In Alaska, Veronica M. Padula

Fisheries

The least cisco (Coregonus sardinella) is a whitefish species broadly distributed across the Arctic regions of Russia, Alaska, and Canada, and little is known about the genetic relationships among groups within this species. We investigated the genetic relationships among least cisco on two landscape scales. On a broader landscape scale, we investigated the relationships among populations across the state of Alaska by comparing mitochondria) DNA (mtDNA) sequences. On a finer landscape scale, we investigated the relationships among least cisco populations in closely located lakes on the Arctic Coastal Plain by comparing microsatellite DNA haplotypes. Data from mtDNA suggest that least …

Growth Of Chum Salmon In Relation To Population Abundance And Climate In The Eastern North Pacific Ocean And The Recruitment Of Pollock In The Eastern Bering Sea, Ellen Martinson Yasumiishi

Fisheries

Global climate change is expected to change the distribution and growth of marine species. Therefore, understanding how climate, ocean productivity, and population abundance affect the dynamics of marine species will help predict how growth and recruitment of marine species will respond to future changes in climatic and oceanic conditions. Statistically significant intertemporal correlations have been observed between a variety of environmental factors and recruitment, growth, mortality, and abundance of fish populations. However, because these correlative relationships are not reflective of the actual biophysical processes, the relationships can break down, particularly when used for forecasting. Failure of these simple correlative relationships …

Book Reviews, Human Biology Editors

Human Biology

Reconstruction of Life from the Skeleton. Edited by Mehmet Yasar Iscan and Kenneth A.R. Kennedy. 315 pp. A.R. Liss, Inc., New York, 1989. $49.50. (Reviewd by Marc S. Micozzi, National Museum of Health and Medicine)

The Foundations of Human Genetics, By Krishna R. Dronamraju. 211 pp. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, 1989. $40.75. (Reviewed by Dennis O.Rourke, University of Utah)

The Fabric of Mind. By Richard Bergland. 202 pp. Penguin Books Australia, Victoria, Australia, 1985 (reprinted 1988). $9.95 (paper). (Reviewed by Ted A. Rathbun, University of South Carolina)

The Colonization of the Pacific: A Genetic Trail Research Monographs …

An Innovative Collective Parent Engagement Model For Families And Neighborhoods In Arrival Cities, Tania Alameda-Lawson, Michael A. Lawson, Hal A. Lawson

Journal of Family Strengths

Arrival Cities are special urban places. Amid the largest migration in human history, they provide homes for large numbers of mobile, low-income, immigrant families. These families need new human service and child welfare service models. Collective parent engagement (CPE) is one such model. CPE is designed to build on the strengths and meet the needs of immigrant families living in Arrival City neighborhoods. In contrast to interventions focused on individual parents, this CPE model mobilizes groups of parents; and with a dual agenda. CPE develops much-needed “anchoring supports” for mobile, vulnerable families, at the same time that it positions local …

Family Roots: Sustenance For Samoan And Tongan American Elders, Halaevalu F.O. Vakalahi, Emily S. Ihara, Moana P. Hafoka

Journal of Family Strengths

This article discusses the centrality of the family in supporting cultural responsibilities and in the well-being of Samoan and Tongan-American elders. Informed by the Ho’okele model, this grounded theory study was conducted in the State of Hawaii, the port of entry for most Pacific Islander-Americans migrating to the U.S. and the state in which a majority of Samoans and Tongans reside. Qualitative data was collected from 10 Samoan and 10 Tongan elders, and analysis was conducted by immersion in the data and reading for natural emergence of themes, patterns and categories. Cultural foundation of family relationships, expectations of the keepers …

Designing Critical Thinking Based Lesson In Social Studies Education, Kathleen Adelblue

Honors Projects

This paper explains the importance of integrating critical thinking and analysis skills into social studies curriculum. It is designed to show teachers how the process of planning and assessing are essential when considering how to implement the instruction of these skills. I start by explaining how to plan lessons so that they align with skills-based objectives and incorporates the state standards. Then, I outline ways to create lessons focused on developing critical thinking and analysis skills. Because assessment is such an important piece of lesson planning and implementation, the paper has a section dedicated strictly to this topic. It explains …

Modeling Fecal Bacteria In Oregon Coastal Streams Using Spatially Explicit Watershed Characteristics, Paul Bryce Pettus

Dissertations and Theses

Pathogens, such as Escherichia coli and fecal coliforms, are causing the majority of water quality impairments in U.S., making up ~87% of this grouping's violations. Predicting and characterizing source, transport processes, and microbial survival rates is extremely challenging, due to the dynamic nature of each of these components. This research built upon current analytical methods that are used as exploratory tools to predict pathogen indicator counts across regional scales. Using a series of non-parametric methodologies, with spatially explicit predictors, 6657 samples from non-estuarine lotic streams were analyzed to make generalized predictions of regional water quality. 532 frequently sampled sites in …

Impact Of Urea Price Change On The Economic Optimum Level Of N Fertilizer Use In Hyv Rice And Its Yield In Bangladesh, S Rahman, Mmh Kazal, St Hossain

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The study estimates the impact of change in urea price on the economic optimum level of N fertilizer use in HYV rice and its yield in Bangladesh using a large set of experimental data of BRRI from 15 regions covering an 11 year period (2001–2011). Results revealed that the level of N fertilizer used in experiments to increase HYV rice yield was far lower than the economic optimum level in Aman and Boro seasons but higher in Aus season. The discrepancy was highest for HYV Boro rice closely followed by HYV Aman rice. Simulation exercise revealed that an increase in …

Community-University Partnerships For Change In The Black Belt South, Rosalind Harris

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

This article explores issues related to community-university partnerships by examining

the unfolding of the Black Belt Initiative, a 21^st century mobilization within the Black Belt South to establish a Black Belt Regional Commission. The Black Belt Initiative provides an instructive and compelling case study. For instance, the very nature of the Black Belt Initiative’s beginnings through the provision of a grant by Senator Zell Miller of Georgia to the University of Georgia with the proviso that “poverty – not race be the guiding principle…” heightened the tension between historically black and white universities reflecting longstanding contestations around how problems …

Commencement Convocation Program, Sarasota - Manatee Campus, December 15, 2013, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

Golden Bull Service & Outstanding Leadership Award - Miriam Fleck; Outstanding Graduate Award - Justin Daniel (J.D.) Lotz; Outstanding Professor - Elaine Augustine and Tricia Hunsader

Commencement Convocation Program, St. Petersburg Campus, December 15, 2013, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

Regional Chancellor's Award for Civic Leadership - Honorable Rick Baker; Outstanding Graduate - Charles Matthew Hamm;

Inter-Annual Variability Of Carbon And Water Fluxes In Amazonian Forest, Cerrado And Pasture Sites, As Simulated By Terrestrial Biosphere Models, Celso Von Randow, Marcelo Zeri, Natalia Restrepo-Coupe, Michel N. Muza, Luis Gustavo G. De Gonçalves, Marcos H. Costa, Alessandro C. Araujo, Antonio O. Manzi, Humberto R. Da Rocha, Bradley O. Christoffersen

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

This study analyzes the inter-annual variability (IAV) of simulations of 21 different land surface model formulations, driven by meteorological conditions measured at 8 flux towers, located in rain forest, forest-savanna ecotone and pasture sites in Amazonia, and one in savanna site in Southeastern Brazil. Annual totals of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon and evapotranspiration (ET), measured and simulated by each model for each site-year, were compared in terms of year-to-year variability and possible relation to climate drivers. Results have shown that most of models simulations for annual totals of NEE and ET, and IAV of these fluxes, are frequently …

American Politics And The Jewish Community, Dan Schnur

The Jewish Role in American Life: An Annual Review

At its broadest level, politics is the practice of making a community a better, safer, and more tolerant place to live. So it should be of no surprise that America's Jews have devoted themselves to civic engagement and the democratic process. From before the Revolutionary War to the early 21st century, when America saw the first Jewish vice presidential nominee of a major party and the first Jewish Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Jewish community has always devoted itself to public service, issue advocacy, and involvement in politics and government at every level. While strong support for the …

Integrating Information Into The Engineering Design Process, Michael Fosmire, David Radcliffe

Purdue University Press Books

Engineering design is a fundamental problem-solving model used by the discipline. Effective problem-solving requires the ability to find and incorporate quality information sources. To teach courses in this area effectively, educators need to understand the information needs of engineers and engineering students and their information gathering habits. This book provides essential guidance for engineering faculty and librarians wishing to better integrate information competencies into their curricular offerings. The treatment of the subject matter is pragmatic, accessible, and engaging. Rather than focusing on specific resources or interfaces, the book adopts a process-driven approach that outlasts changing information technologies.

After several chapters …

Diamondoid Diacids ('O4' Species) In Oil Sands Process‐Affected Water, Sk Lengger, Ag Scarlett, Ce West, Sj Rowland

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

RATIONALE As a by-product of oil sands extraction, large volumes of oil sands process water (OSPW) are generated, which are contaminated with a large range of water-soluble organic compounds. The acids are thought to be derived from hydrocarbons via natural biodegradation pathways such as α- and β-oxidation of alkyl substituents, which could produce mono- and diacids, for example. However, while several monoacids (‘O2’ species) have been identified, the presence of diacids (i.e. 'O4' species) has only been deduced from results obtained via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance high-resolution mass spectrometry (FTICR-HRMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance …

Overview Of The Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment In Amazonia Data Model Intercomparison Project (Lba-Dmip), Luis Gustavo Gonçalves De Gonçalves, Jordan S. Borak, Marcos Heil Costa, Scott R. Saleska, Ian Baker, Natalia Restrepo-Coupe, Michel Nobre Muza, Benjamin Poulter, Hans Verbeeck, Bradley O. Christoffersen

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

A fundamental question connecting terrestrial ecology and global climate change is the sensitivity of key terrestrial biomes to climatic variability and change. The Amazon region is such a key biome: it contains unparalleled biological diversity, a globally significant store of organic carbon, and it is a potent engine driving global cycles of water and energy. The importance of understanding how land surface dynamics of the Amazon region respond to climatic variability and change is widely appreciated, but despite significant recent advances, large gaps in our understanding remain. Understanding of energy and carbon exchange between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere can …

Fall Commencement Program, December 14, 2013, Coastal Carolina University

Commencement Programs

Program of Commencement Exercises at Coastal Carolina University.

Commencement Program 2013 December, Gcsu Special Collections

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Commencement Convocation Program, Usf, Baccalaureates, December 14, 2013, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

President's Global Leadership Award - Marlene M. Johnson; Outstanding Graduate - Lianet Vazquez; King O'Neal Scholars - Jillianne Deal, Alyssa Dupere, Jessica Haggod, Ahad Khan, Rachel Powell, Emilio Ruiz-Linares, Mariam Saifee, Christopher Thomas Story, and Brandon Sweeting

Sustainable Management Of The Main Two Maltese Indigenous Grape Varieties For Winemaking, Jonathan Falzon

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Ġellewża and Girgentina, the main two Maltese indigenous grape varieties that are used for winemaking, are grown in small parcels of land with an average size just over 0.1 ha. Policies and regulations that influence the sector have been set up and this increased the need for studies to understand the current management practices and how can they be more sustainable. Through interviews with 30 growers of the indigenous grape varieties it was found that most vines are trained as bush vines and cane pruned with 2 or 3 canes with about 5 to 10 buds in each. Nutrition is …

Commencement Convocation Program, Usf, Graduate, December 14, 2013, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

Honorary Doctorate of Science - Richard N. Zare

Commencement Convocation Exercises - December 2013, Prairie View A&M University

Commencement and Convocation Exercises

No abstract provided.

Extending The Conversation: A Network Analysis Of Academic Associations In Workplace Spirituality, Monty Lynn, David J. Burns

Management Sciences

Examining academic networks provides insight into boundaries and boundary crossing as well as knowledge diffusion. We examine four academic networks focused on business, spirituality, and religion to identify network boundaries and boundary crossing. Scholars tend to align with networks consistent with the nature of their employing institution, both in its relative emphasis on research and its religious affiliation. Network and religious differences contribute to the relative isolation of research communities, despite shared topical interests and reliance on similar scholarly sources. The use of normative authorities may limit networking, but the relative absence of weak network links across networks may underestimate …

Analysis Of Morphology And Fauna Of Geometrinae (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) Of The Caribbean Region, David M. Plotkin

Theses and Dissertations

The Geometrinae, commonly known as emerald moths, are a diverse group of Lepidoptera with over 450 Neotropical species. However, Caribbean Geometrinae have received relatively little attention compared to the Geometrinae of mainland Central and South America. Using the method of Lee and Brown (2006), whole body mounts of descaled specimens of both Caribbean and mainland Neotropical Geometrinae were prepared. Morphological variation of exo- and endoskeletal characters among species, genera, and tribes of Neotropical Geometrinae is described. A faunistic study of Caribbean Geometrinae was also conducted using material from museums and private collections. The study includes definitions of species of Caribbean …

Population Genetics Of The Western Toad (Bufo Boreas) In The Central Valley Of California, Morgan Murrell

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

A worldwide decline in amphibian populations has intensified the need for data comparing the influence of habitats on population dynamics and the potential for local extinction. From a conservation perspective it is important to understand the connections between ecology, geography, and genetics across landscapes that are increasingly affected by human influences and other uncontrollable environmental events such as climate change. The purpose of this study is to examine the landscape-level genetic patterns of Western toads, Bufo (Anaxyrus) boreas, and to conclude if gene flow is occurring between ponds. This will allow conservation practitioners to understand geographic features that might impede …

Environmental Risk Perceptions, Attitudes, And Behaviors: A Study Of College Students Living In A Risk Society, Julia Spring Pei

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This present study examines the relationships between environmental risk perceptions and pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors within the theory of the risk society. This quantitative study was conducted online, with a sample size of 218 undergraduate college students from James Madison University. Environmental risks were measured at the societal and individual levels, as well as within five separate risk categories. As expected, I found positive relationships between these risks and pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors, however the relationships between individual and societal risk perceptions were different than I anticipated. Where I expected individual risk perceptions to drive both pro-environmental behaviors and attitudes, …

Public Perception On The State Of Air Quality In Malta, Nikolas Cassar

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Public perception on the state of air quality is an unclear and hazy concept whereby every individual has different opinions and views. In fact, the state of air quality is a major concern in many countries, including in Malta. This problem arises from the emissions of a number of pollutants to the atmosphere from a host of processes such as the combustion of fuel to generate electricity and the internal combustion engines to manoeuvre cars. Amongst these pollutants, there are benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which are very hazardous since they cause problems related to human health and contribute in the …

Assessment Of Seawater Quality: Do Public Perceptions Of Seawater Quality Match Indications Given By Macroalgae?, Angela Bartolo

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Determination of seawater quality is an essential activity in coastal areas especially in ones that attract bathers. This study aims to investigate whether the Ecological Quality Status (EQS) of seawater in bathing areas in the Maltese Islands differs across sites. The study also aims to investigate the correlation between public perceptions and objective measures of seawater quality as well as factors affecting perception of seawater quality. Another objective of this study is to investigate the public’s knowledge about macroalgae and opinion on macroalgae. The EQS of seawater in six coastal sites in the Maltese Islands is investigated using the EEI-c …