Digital Commons Network^™

Space Use And Home-Range Size Of Barn Owls On Santa Barbara Island, Sarah K. Thomsen, Caitlin E. Kroeger, Peter H. Bloom, A. Laurie Harvey

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

Spatial overlap between predators and prey is often a key component of predator-prey interactions. Barn Owls (Tyto alba) are important predators of some species of conservation concern on the Channel Islands in southern California; therefore, understanding patterns of owl space use on these islands could provide insights on variations in predation risk that may be useful for conservation efforts of Barn Owl prey. In this study, our objectives were to investigate home-range size and space use by individual owls on Santa Barbara Island, which at 2.6 km² is the smallest island within the Channel Islands National Park. …

Surprising Commons, Carol M. Rose

BYU Law Review

No abstract provided.

What We Have Learned About Grassroots Philanthropy: Lessons From Mexico, Artemisa Castro Félix, A. Scott Dupree

The Foundation Review

Mexico is going through a transition from traditions of authoritarian, top-down social and political management that have tended to marginalize the efforts of community groups in addressing social and environmental challenges.

While there are many important questions about strengthening civil society organizations in general, grassroots groups in particular are challenged by the weak enabling environment for social action.

Despite this, the Action in Solidarity Fund has found that it is very possible for philanthropists to reach small grassroots groups with the support they need and to begin to strengthen the social fabric for communities to act on their own behalf. …

Agglomerama, Lee Anne Fennell

BYU Law Review

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Western Canons In A Changing East Asia, Simon C. Estok

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

No abstract provided.

Environmental Literature And The Change Of Its Canon In Korea, Won-Chung Kim

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In his article "Environmental Literature and the Change of Its Canon in Korea" Won-Chung Kim examines how US-American ecocritical writings were introduced and received in Korea and how the change of educational curricula in Korea is influenced by changes owing to globalization. Kim shows that the limited reception of US-American ecocritics' works led Korean scholars to reformulate the canon of works in Korean ecocriticism and how they reinvestigate their own cultural heritage and ecological ideas. Kim refers in particular to the thought of thirteenth-century Kyubo Lee and today's Chiha Kim and argues that Korean ecological discourse has the potential to …

No Waste: Nyc, Minda Smiley

Capstones

I produced three video pieces about people who are living zero-waste lifestyles or using zero-waste practices in their businesses. I also wrote a narrative piece about my experience living zero-waste for one week.

Wyoming's Big Horn General Stream Adjudication, Jason Anthony Robison

Faculty Articles

The State of Wyoming's general stream adjudication in the WindBig Horn Basin ÔÇ£Big HornÔÇØ adjudication effectively concluded in September 2014 after thirtyseven years Lengthy costly and often contentious this proceeding addressed diverse water rights claims submitted by over 20000 parties Perhaps most notable were claims for reserved rights asserted by the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes on the Wind River Indian Reservation ' claims that when considered by the US Supreme Court in Wyoming v United States raised salient issues regarding the practicably irrigable acreage PIA standard and related sensitivity doctrine then espoused by certain members of the Court …

The Economic And Tax Revenue Impact Of The Nebraska Wind Energy Industry, Eric Thompson

Bureau of Business Research Publications

This study by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bureau of Business Research (UNL-BBR) explores the economic impact from the construction and operation of wind farms in Nebraska, focusing on those farms with 10 or more wind turbines. The study estimates: 1) the statewide economic and tax revenue impact of the Nebraska wind industry as it is currently configured, 2) the local economic and tax revenue impact of the existing industry in the counties where it operates and 3) the potential statewide economic impact from expansion of the industry through the addition of new wind farms.

Table ES.1 summarizes the impacts. Operation …

Environmental Study Of The Release Of Btex From Asphalt Modified With Used Motor Oil And Crumb Rubber Modifier, Daniel Bergerson, Magdy Abdelrahman, Mohyeldin Ragab

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The need to be more environmentally conscious has recently shifted toward the forefront of society. With this new focus on environmentally responsible behavior comes the practice of using recycled materials in construction when possible. Therefore it is necessary to carefully evaluate the safety of any recycled materials being used in pavement materials. Under this study, a reference of testing is presented and implemented to test leachate of samples of two different asphalt binder types containing used motor oil (UMO) and/or crumb rubber modifier (CRM) for the presence of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX). Alongside batch leaching tests, air testing …

Enso Teleconnection Pattern Changes Over The Southeastern United States Under A Climate Change Scenario In Cmip5 Models, Ji-Hyun Oh, D.W. Shin, Steven D. Cocke, Guillermo A. Baigorria

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

A strong teleconnection exists between the sea surface temperature (SST) over the tropical Pacific and the winter precipitation in the southeastern United States (SE US).This feature is adopted to validate the fidelity of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) in this study. In addition, the authors examine whether the teleconnection pattern persists in the future under a global warming scenario. Generally, most of the eight selected models show a positive correlation between November SST over Ni˜no 3 region and December–February (DJF) mean daily precipitation anomalies over the SE US, consistent with the observation. However, the models with poor realization …

High Intralocus Variability And Interlocus Recombination Promote Immunological Diversity In A Minimal Major Histocompatibility System, Anthony B. Wilson, Camilla M. Whittington, Angela Bahr

Publications and Research

Background: The genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC/MH) have attracted considerable scientific interest due to their exceptional levels of variability and important function as part of the adaptive immune system. Despite a large number of studies on MH class II diversity of both model and non-model organisms, most research has focused on patterns of genetic variability at individual loci, failing to capture the functional diversity of the biologically active dimeric molecule. Here, we take a systematic approach to the study of MH variation, analyzing patterns of genetic variation at MH class IIα and IIβ loci of the seahorse, which …

Deep Reef Bioerosion And Deposition: Sedimentology Of Mesophotic Coral Reefs In The U.S. Virgin Islands, David Kurt Weinstein

Open Access Dissertations

The structural complexity and geomorphic diversity of coral reefs are vital foundational characteristics responsible for the many ecological and economic benefits these ecosystems provide. Shallow-water coral reef geomorphology and structural sustainability is mostly determined by varying reef sedimentary components including: (1) sediment production (matrix) and deposition, (2) framework production and secondary carbonate accretion; (3) bioerosion; and (4) cementation. However, little is known regarding the variability and influence of these sedimentary processes in mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs), deep reef communities 30-150 m below sea-level. Despite recent increases in biological and ecological MCE studies, many crucial sedimentological research questions remain unaddressed. These …

2014 Winter Boise State University Commencement Program, Boise State University Commencement Committee

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Kenny Receives Rotary Scholarship, University Communications, Illinois Wesleyan University

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Examining The Advocacy Coalition Framework For Insight Into Shale Gas Development In Us And Uk Political Systems, Kathryn Wolfley

Economics

The project considers the Advocacy Coalition Framework from the discipline of policymaking which is used to examine contentious and politically complex policy issues, particularly in energy and environmental development and planning. Shale gas development in the United States has been noted for its dramatic economic and political effects, leading some countries to pursue development of their own shale resources. The United Kingdom's tentative steps into the industry have engendered efforts to understand American experiences and conceptualize how their own country may or may not accommodate such development. The project attempts to highlight the current or potential issues or benefits entering …

Effect Of Allyl Isothiocyanate On Developmental Toxicity In Exposed Xenopus Laevis Embryos, John Russell Williams, James R. Rayburn, George R. Cline, Roger Sauterer, Mendel Friedman

Research, Publications & Creative Work

The pungent natural compound allyl isothiocyanate isolated from the seeds of Cru-ciferous (Brassica) plants such as mustard is reported to exhibit numerous beneficialhealth-promoting antimicrobial, antifungal, anticarcinogenic, cardioprotective, and neu-roprotective properties. Because it is also reported to damage DNA and is toxic to aquaticorganisms, the objective of the present study was to determine whether it possesses tera-togenic properties. The frog embryo teratogenesis assay-Xenopus (FETAX) was used todetermine the following measures of developmental toxicity of the allyl isothiocyanate:(a) 96-h LC50, defined as the median concentration causing 50% embryo lethality; (b) 96-h EC50, defined as the median concentration causing 50% malformations of the …

Annual Report: 2013, N/A N/A

Annual Reports

I submit herewith the annual reports from the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, for the period ending December 31, 2013. This is done in accordance with an act of Congress, approved March 2, 1887, entitled, “An act to establish agricultural experiment stations, in connection with the agricultural college established in the several states under the provisions of an act approved July 2, 1862, and under the acts supplementary thereto,” and also of the act of the Alaska Territorial Legislature, approved March 12, 1935, accepting the provisions of the act …

Nitrogen Fertilizer, Cropping Systems, And Iowa Groundwater, Robert Dehaan, Ronald Vos, Matt Schuiteman, Matt Van Schouwen, Harlan Kruid

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Summary presentation of research conducted over a 5 year period to determine which cropping systems best reduce nitrate leaching. Initial data was collected on nitrate concentration from individual wells in the Sioux Center, Iowa area which led to connections with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Source Water Protection Program. A community group was then formed comprised of city representatives, Dordt College faculty, local farmers, Source Water Protection Program staff, and others. The group applied for and received a Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture grant to fund field experiments to identify cropping systems that retain nitrate and are workable for …

Soundscape Evaluation On Mississippi State University Campus, Yalcin Yildirim

Theses and Dissertations

The term soundscape, used for the first time at the end of 1970s, refers to the sum of the sounds that can be heard and perceived by people in a specific environment. The concept of soundscape has recently received attention in planning and design disciplines. Recent studies on soundscape have shown that the acoustic environment plays an important role for the comfort of site users. Hence, this research investigates how objective measurement of soundscape might be different from subjective perceptions of users in the Mississippi State University Campus as a public open space due to demographic and climatic variations. The …

The Underlying Current: Climate Change And The Fall Of Rome, Matthew Thomas Finnie

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

Although historians have debated the various causes of the fall of the Roman Empire for centuries, scholars did not consider the impact of environmental change until the early twentieth century. Initially, environmental historians believed that agricultural decline resultant from soil erosion and deforestation played a dominant role; however, scientific and historical evidence can now be utilized to demonstrate that these two factors were much less prevalent during the third through fifth centuries than they had been during the prosperous Pax Romana. In contrast, recent climatological studies, most notably dendrochronological sequences, have established that a combination of cooling and desertification plagued …

Potential Effects Of Elevated Co2 On Pitcher Plant Nectar Composition, Prey Capture, And Inquiline Communities, Deirdre Courtney

Honors Theses

Human activities such as fossil fuel burning and deforestation have contributed significantly to the increasing levels of CO₂ in the atmosphere since the industrial revolution. Under the IPCC A1FI emission scenario, we are expected to reach levels as high as 1000 ppm by the end of the century. On average, C₃ plants experience a 27% increase in carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio under elevated CO₂. As a result, C₃ plants typically exhibit an increase in carbon-based secondary compounds. Carnivorous plants are a rare type of C₃ plant that has adapted to survive in low …

Otter Realm, December 11, 2014, California State University, Monterey Bay

The Otter Realm

International Students Protest: Their Fight For Fair Housing And Treatment -- World In Transition -- Fall 2014 Capstone Festival -- Excessive Restraint: CSUMB Officer Disciplined For Not Using Taser On Suicidal Student -- In Loving Memory: Remembering Edwin Galicia -- International Student Protest: Protests Result In Town Hall Meeting For Fair Housing -- Behind The Scenes: Capstone Tales And Advice From A Senior And Faculty -- A Holiday Back In Time: Christmas In The Adobes: Locals Light Up Downtown Monterey In A Historic Christmas Tradition -- Ringing In The New Year: New Year's Eve Sights And Sounds -- No Justice, …

Jany, Roman, Gallegos-Ruiz, Long, Leh, Kohout Flc 14, Carmen Jany, Alexandru V. Roman, Thomas Long, Maria Gallegos-Ruiz, Amy Leh, Michal Kohout

Faculty Learning Communities

No abstract provided.

Speleoclimate Dynamics In Santana Cave (Petar, São Paulo State, Brazil): General Characterization And Implications For Tourist Management, Heros Augusto Santos Lobo, Paulo Cesar Boggiani, José Alexandre De Jesus Perinotto

International Journal of Speleology

Show caves provide tourists with the opportunity to have close contact with natural underground spaces. However, visitation to these places also creates a need for management measures, mainly the definition of tourist carrying capacity. The present work describes the results of climate monitoring and atmospheric profiling performed in Santana Cave (Alto Ribeira State and Tourist Park – PETAR, Brazil) between 2008 and 2011. Based on the results, distinct preliminary zones with different levels of thermal variation were identified, which classify Santana Cave as a warm trap. Two critical points along the tourist route (Cristo and Encontro Halls) were identified where …

Climate Change And Stream Temperature Projections In The Columbia River Basin: Habitat Implications Of Spatial Variation In Hydrologic Drivers, Darren L. Ficklin, B. L. Barnhart, J. H. Knouft, Iris T. Stewart-Frey, Edwin P. Maurer, Sally L. Letsinger, G. W. Whittaker

Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering

Water temperature is a primary physical factor regulating the persistence and distribution of aquatic taxa. Considering projected increases in air temperature and changes in precipitation in the coming century, accurate assessment of suitable thermal habitats in freshwater systems is critical for predicting aquatic species' responses to changes in climate and for guiding adaptation strategies. We use a hydrologic model coupled with a stream temperature model and downscaled general circulation model outputs to explore the spatially and temporally varying changes in stream temperature for the late 21st century at the subbasin and ecological province scale for the Columbia River basin (CRB). …

Status, Distribution, And Conservation Of Scripps's Murrelet At Santa Catalina Island, California, Darrell L. Whitworth, Harry R. Carter, Tyler M. Dvorak, Linda S. Farley, Julie L. King

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

The small population of Scripps’s Murrelets (Synthliboramphus scrippsi) at Santa Catalina Island, California, has been restricted for at least several millennia to isolated pairs nesting in cliff and shoreline habitats that are mostly inaccessible to island fox (Urocyon littoralis catalinae). Prior to 1994, the only evidence of murrelets breeding at Catalina was a single nest reportedly found on Bird Rock in 1967. In 1994–1995, a larger and more widespread population estimated at 25–75 pairs was indicated through vocal detection surveys of murrelets attending nocturnal at-sea congregations in nearshore waters near breeding areas. Murrelets were heard at …

The Fierce Green Fire: Vol 5 Issue 11, Wofford College Environmental Studies Program

The Fierce Green Fire

No abstract provided.

The Grizzly, December 4, 2014, Rachel Brown, Mark Branca, Andrew Mackin, Andrew Simoncini, Lisa Abraham, Ayesha Contractor, Rayleen Rivera-Harbach, Jaime Bocanumenth, David Slade, Dana Feigenbaum

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

On-Campus Sexual Assault Investigated • Lights Installed on Roof of Pfahler • Main Street Freshmen to Move to Main Campus • Students Debut Independent Theater Production • Preparing for Final Exams in Myrin • Wallace Receives Award • UCARE Created by Three UC Students • UC Sorority Faces Extinction • Student Ambassadors Assist the Community • Opinion: Kim Kardashian Breaks the Internet; Ebola: A Controversial Clash to Prevent the Spread • Track Assistant is an Olympic Hopeful • Crossing Over • Women's Soccer had Season to Build On

Nocturnal Spotlight Surveys For Monitoring Scripps's Murrelets In At-Sea Congregations At Anacapa Island, California, Darrell L. Whitworth, Harry R. Carter

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

Concealed nest sites, mostly inaccessible breeding habitats, and nocturnal colony visitation have long hindered studies of Scripps’s Murrelets (Synthliboramphus scrippsi); but conspicuous and seasonally predictable at-sea congregations adjacent to nesting areas provide a valuable index for assessing murrelet colony size and population trends at all 12 breeding islands. We developed a boat-based nocturnal spotlight survey for counting murrelets in at-sea congregations at Anacapa Island, California. A high-intensity spotlight was used to count murrelets during standard surveys conducted on 2 parallel transects (1.9 km each) located 200 m (“inshore”) and 500 m (“offshore”) from shore. We conducted 130 standard …