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2015

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Atmospheric Effects On Radar/Ladar Detection Of Seismic Activity, Michelle Frances Via Jan 2015

Atmospheric Effects On Radar/Ladar Detection Of Seismic Activity, Michelle Frances Via

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how well ground vibrations can be detected at ladar or radar wavelengths and how the atmosphere may impact the observation of such activity. First understanding atmospheric hindrances at each of these wavelengths is helpful to prioritize by those yielding best transmission results. A prerequisite to the outdoor field experiment performed for this study involves analyzing atmospheric effects characterization at six probable wavelengths using the Laser Environmental Effects Definition and Reference tool (LEEDR) developed by the Air Force Institute of Technology's (AFIT) Center for Directed Energy (CDE). These wavelengths, selected from the shortwave infrared and microwave portions of …

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Eco-Design Integration Into New Product Development Processes: Comparison Between Lca Software And Cad-Integrated Tools, Maria I. Hernandez Dalmau Jan 2015

Eco-Design Integration Into New Product Development Processes: Comparison Between Lca Software And Cad-Integrated Tools, Maria I. Hernandez Dalmau

Purdue Polytechnic Masters Theses

The constant growth of environmental concerns and in order to satisfy the increasing population demands, designers have started to integrate eco-design parameters in early design stages. The technological development that happened in the last decade has started to integrate LCA methods within CAD tools, allowing non-geometric data to be integrated in a typical geometrical model. The main research interest of this thesis is focused on the evaluation of the use of these emerging CAD tools, as tools capable to evaluate the futures environmental impacts of products and processes. This thesis studies through three comparative case studies if SolidWorks Sustainability as …

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The Effects Of Insecticide Dose And Herbivore Density On Tri-Trophic Effects Of Thiamethoxam In A System Involving Wheat, Aphids, And Ladybeetles, Michael M. Bredeson, R Neil Reese, Jonathan G. Lundgren Jan 2015

The Effects Of Insecticide Dose And Herbivore Density On Tri-Trophic Effects Of Thiamethoxam In A System Involving Wheat, Aphids, And Ladybeetles, Michael M. Bredeson, R Neil Reese, Jonathan G. Lundgren

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

We assess how herbivore density and insecticide dose affects the tri-trophic interactions among thiamethoxam-treated wheat (Triticum sp.), Rhophalosiphum padi and the predatory Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer. In the first experiment 2nd and 4th instar C. maculata were fed aphids reared for 24 h on wheat plants treated with sub-lethal thiamethoxam soil drenches to assess the effect of insecticidal dose on the predator. In the second experiment a constant, sub-lethal thiamethoxam soil drench was used on wheat plants, but the plants were infested with different densities of aphids. Aphids from each density treatment were then fed to C. maculata 2nd instars. Insecticide …

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Farm To Fork: A Culinary- And Farm-Enhanced Nutrition Education Program, Vivian Ray Jan 2015

Farm To Fork: A Culinary- And Farm-Enhanced Nutrition Education Program, Vivian Ray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With obesity in adolescents becoming a major health problem in the United States, there has been an expansion in the use of nutritional education programs as intervention. Effective nutrition education can decrease the incidence of obesity and other diet-related chronic diseases, type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. This dissertation in practice proposes to design a nutrition education program, integrating farm and culinary activities into a nutrition education curriculum. The program is designed as a stand-alone program, but for this practice, implementation integrates the nutrition education program into the Film @ 6 after-school program – a STEM-focused program designed to assist …

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The Effect Of Corruption On Carbon Dioxide Emissions In The Mena Region, Hoda Hassaballa Jan 2015

The Effect Of Corruption On Carbon Dioxide Emissions In The Mena Region, Hoda Hassaballa

Economics

Corruption has always been accused of having adverse effects on growth. This is because it decreases productivity, leads to accumulation of additional costs and discourages investment. Recently, high concerns are raised about the impact of corruption on the environment. Corruption plays a substantial role in increasing pollution emissions level. In spite of this, empirical investigation of such an issue is still incomplete. For that, this research work represents a step forward in understanding the relationship between corruption and the environment in general and in filling the gap present in the literature in analyzing this relationship in the Middle East and …

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The Damaging Effects Of Climate Change Denial, Richard Snow, Mary Snow Jan 2015

The Damaging Effects Of Climate Change Denial, Richard Snow, Mary Snow

Publications

It has been said that those who are denying climate change are like the ostrich that sticks her head in the sand, but is this analogy entirely accurate? By hiding from the threat, does the ostrich make the threat go away, mitigate it, or make it greater? Probably, she does not. However, denying the existence of climate change does exacerbate the problem and exponentially so. As the renowned British economist Nicholas Stern reports, the longer world leaders wait to take serious action to curtail climate change, the more it will cost. As the Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on …

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Characterization Of Contaminants On Firefighter"S Protective Equipment A Firefighter's Potential Exposure To Heavy Metals During A Structure Fire, Donald F. Gagas Jan 2015

Characterization Of Contaminants On Firefighter"S Protective Equipment A Firefighter's Potential Exposure To Heavy Metals During A Structure Fire, Donald F. Gagas

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research measured heavy metals, specifically cadmium, chromium, copper, and lead, on the surface of the firefighters bunker gear. Despite the fact that many studies have been conducted regarding the presence of organics in smoke emissions from structure fires, very few studies have investigated the extent of heavy metal emissions found during a structure fire. Using a wipe test procedure samples were collected from firefighters following a structure fire and analyzed for metals. Three locations on the bunker gear were used, the knee, elbow, and chest areas. The results showed that varying amounts of cadmium, chromium, copper and lead adhere …

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Camas, Winter 2015 Jan 2015

Camas, Winter 2015

Camas

The Sea Star’s Warning / Nina Finley -- Passages / AZ Andis -- Ever-moving World / Eva Saulitis -- Angel with a Horn / David James Duncan -- Things Left Behind / Ben Horan -- Interview / Diana Roffman -- Knot / Ellie Rogers -- Transit / Elizabeth O’Brien -- untitled / Jay Chervil -- H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald / Megan McInerney -- Form / Airica Parker

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May You Walk In Beauty: The Decline Of Navajo Land And Culture, Jocelyn Catterson Jan 2015

May You Walk In Beauty: The Decline Of Navajo Land And Culture, Jocelyn Catterson

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The Navajo homeland, Dinetah, is bordered by four mountains that are sacred to the Navajo people: two in Colorado, one in New Mexico, and one in Arizona. Historically, Navajo medicine men have traveled to these mountains to renew prayers and collect medicinal herbs. Today, the mountains, which exist outside of the reservation boundaries, are used for resource extraction and various recreational pursuits. While many Navajo are fighting for the protection of these sacred lands and their traditional culture, others are disinterested. Traditional practices and beliefs are slowly disappearing within the Navajo Nation. The land-use issues associated with these sacred mountains …

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Crop Swap Missoula: Food Waste And The Sharing Solution, Cathryn Raan Jan 2015

Crop Swap Missoula: Food Waste And The Sharing Solution, Cathryn Raan

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Rachel Botsman coined the term “collaborative consumption” to describe an economic model based on sharing, swapping, trading, or renting products and services, and enabling access rather than ownership1. Also referred to as the sharing economy, the mesh economy, or the peer-to-peer economy, collaborative consumption models offer a more efficient use of unused, or underutilized resources. Whereas previously peer-to-peer exchanges were only practical within small networks of friends, family, and neighbors, the Internet and mobile technology have allowed us to share almost anything at any time. While there are countless examples of community exchange platforms, and more springing up …

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Stability Of Monomethylmercury In Water, Sarah Elyse Harvey Jan 2015

Stability Of Monomethylmercury In Water, Sarah Elyse Harvey

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Monomethylmercury (MMHg) bioaccumulates in aquatic food webs, leading to concentrations in fish that increase health risks for humans who consume fish. As a result of processes that produce and decompose it, MMHg concentrations are notoriously unstable in many natural waters. I examined the stability of MMHg in both filter-sterilized (< 0.1 µm) reagent-grade water and 0.22-µm filtered sediment pore water from Grand Lake St. Marys, Auglaize and Mercer Counties, Ohio, each at three MMHg treatment concentrations (1, 5, and 50 ng/L). Reagent-grade water samples were incubated under both light and dark conditions at either 5 or 26 °C for 112 days. Pore water samples were incubated in the dark at 26 °C, mimicking environmental conditions, for a period of 98 days. Decay constants (± 95% CI) for solutions containing either 1 or 5 ng/L MMHg in reagent-grade water ranged from 0.0009 ± 0.0013 to 0.1225 ± 0.0150 d-1, with greater decay constants at higher temperature and no significant effect of light exposure. In contrast, decay constants for 50 ng/L MMHg in reagent-grade water were much less than those in more dilute solutions, ranging from 0.0018 ± 0.0015 to 0.0055 ± 0.0023 d-1, with both light and temperature influencing MMHg decomposition. Decay constants of MMHg in pore water were found to be independent of initial concentration of MMHg; however, decay constants in pore water samples were 3-fold higher than those in reagent-grade water amended with the same initial concentration (p = 0.007). These results suggest that natural constituents in pore water accelerate MMHg decay reactions.

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Retelling Ebola's "Outbreak Narrative" Through Media Coverage Of The 2014 West African Epidemic, Anoushka Millear Jan 2015

Retelling Ebola's "Outbreak Narrative" Through Media Coverage Of The 2014 West African Epidemic, Anoushka Millear

Geography Honors Projects

The 2014 Ebola Virus Disease epidemic, unprecedented in magnitude, has been the focus of worldwide media attention. How does media coverage of the epidemic seize on anxieties of an interconnected world to reinforce longstanding perceptions of Africa as dangerous and chaotic? I compare this media coverage to the model Ebola "outbreak narrative," using critical discourse analysis to contextualize representations of Africa within an increasingly interconnected world. I argue that media coverage reproduces a constructed Western understanding of Africa that will persist long after the epidemic is brought under control.

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Electricity Sector Adaptation To Heat Waves, Sofia Aivalioti Jan 2015

Electricity Sector Adaptation To Heat Waves, Sofia Aivalioti

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

Electricity is very important for human settlements and a key accelerator for development and prosperity. As heat waves become more frequent and intense the reliability and efficiency of the electricity systems is threatened. Increased temperatures have adverse effects on electricity generation, transmission, distribution and demand. The high temperatures cause intentional or unintentional brownouts and blackouts, which come at high costs for people and economies. The case studies in this analysis highlight the importance of heat wave impacts to the electricity sector and the need for adaptation. The electricity sector requires a holistic approach for adaptation that comprises technological, behavioral and …

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Influence Of Mycorrhizal Fungi On Soil Geochemistry And Plant Uptake Of Cadmium And Zinc: Greenhouse And Soil Studies Of Palmerton Zinc Superfund Site, Pennsylvania, U.S.A, Christian X. Figueroa Jan 2015

Influence Of Mycorrhizal Fungi On Soil Geochemistry And Plant Uptake Of Cadmium And Zinc: Greenhouse And Soil Studies Of Palmerton Zinc Superfund Site, Pennsylvania, U.S.A, Christian X. Figueroa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The application of bioremediation as a means to ameliorate potentially toxic metals from contaminated soils has been on the forefront of sustainable technologies in the field of environmental studies. Conventional methods available for soil remediation are employed in both in situ or ex situ and these are: soil flushing, solidification/stabilization, vitrification, electrokinetics, chemical reduction/oxidation, soil washing, and excavation. In general, these technologies are limited by their applicability to small areas and the high costs to execute. The use of biota, in particular fungi and trees, has been an emerging low-cost and "environmentally-friendly" alternative to conventional technologies. In this study, I …

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January 2015 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations Jan 2015

January 2015 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

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Problems And Prospects Of Grassland Development: Policy Issues, S. Ray Smith Jan 2015

Problems And Prospects Of Grassland Development: Policy Issues, S. Ray Smith

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

There are a range of government and non-government policies that affect grassland development around the world. The objective of this paper is to provide examples of successful policies which have been instrumental in the preservation and maintenance of grasslands and to highlight policies which have resulted in negative consequences. This paper will not attempt to provide a complete overview of policies, but instead will provide examples from representative countries. Policies which affect grasslands can be classified into two broad categories: government policies that cover comprehensive landscape issues like the Grassland Household Contract System (GHCS) in China or the Federal Land …

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Dissolved And Particulate Phosphorus Distributions And Elemental Stoichiometry Throughout The Chukchi Sea, Meryssa Piper Jan 2015

Dissolved And Particulate Phosphorus Distributions And Elemental Stoichiometry Throughout The Chukchi Sea, Meryssa Piper

Theses and Dissertations

As the only gateway of material, particularly nutrients, from the Pacific to the Arctic Ocean, the biological and chemical transformations that occur within the Chukchi Sea are critical for understanding Arctic ecosystems. This study examines the biogeochemical cycling of the macronutrient phosphorus (P) relative to carbon and nitrogen in the eastern Chukchi Sea during the ICESCAPE’s mission. Sea ice and water column dissolved and particulate phosphorus samples were collected during two summer expeditions in 2010 (n=593) and 2011 (n=989). Despite being a landlocked marginal sea, the P pool present within the Chukchi Sea was substantially modified by biological processes with …

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Globally, Functional Traits Are Weak Predictors Of Juvenile Tree Growth, And We Do Not Know Why, C. E. Timothy Paine, Lucy Amissah, Harald Auge, Christopher Baraloto, Martin Baruffol, Nils Bourland, Helge Bruelheide, Kasso Dainou, Roland C. De Gouvenain, Jean-Louis Doucet, Susan Doust, Paul V. A. Fine, Claire Fortunel, Josephine Haase, Karen D. Holl, Herve Jactel, Xuefei Li, Kaoru Kitajima, Julia Koricheva, Cristina Martinez-Garza, Christian Messier, Alain Paquette, Christopher Philipson, Daniel Piotto, Lourens Poorter, Juan M. Posada, Catherine Potvin, Kalle Rainio, Sabrina E. Russo, Mariacarmen Ruiz-Jaen, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Campbell O. Webb, S. Joseph Wright, Rakan A. Zahawi, Andy Hector Jan 2015

Globally, Functional Traits Are Weak Predictors Of Juvenile Tree Growth, And We Do Not Know Why, C. E. Timothy Paine, Lucy Amissah, Harald Auge, Christopher Baraloto, Martin Baruffol, Nils Bourland, Helge Bruelheide, Kasso Dainou, Roland C. De Gouvenain, Jean-Louis Doucet, Susan Doust, Paul V. A. Fine, Claire Fortunel, Josephine Haase, Karen D. Holl, Herve Jactel, Xuefei Li, Kaoru Kitajima, Julia Koricheva, Cristina Martinez-Garza, Christian Messier, Alain Paquette, Christopher Philipson, Daniel Piotto, Lourens Poorter, Juan M. Posada, Catherine Potvin, Kalle Rainio, Sabrina E. Russo, Mariacarmen Ruiz-Jaen, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Campbell O. Webb, S. Joseph Wright, Rakan A. Zahawi, Andy Hector

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

1. Plant functional traits, in particular specific leaf area (SLA), wood density and seed mass, are often good predictors of individual tree growth rates within communities. Individuals and species with high SLA, low wood density and small seeds tend to have faster growth rates. 2. If community-level relationships between traits and growth have general predictive value, then similar relationships should also be observed in analyses that integrate across taxa, biogeographic regions and environments. Such global consistency would imply that traits could serve as valuable proxies for the complex suite of factors that determine growth rate, and, therefore, could underpin a …

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Shortfalls And Solutions For Meeting National And Global Conservation Area Targets, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Martin Clarke, Robert J. Smith, Rachel E. Sykes, Jorn P. W. Scharlemann, Mike Harfoot, Graeme M. Buchanan, Ariadne Angulo, Andrew Balmford, Bastian Bertzky, Thomas M. Brooks, Kent E. Carpenter, 28 Others Jan 2015

Shortfalls And Solutions For Meeting National And Global Conservation Area Targets, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Martin Clarke, Robert J. Smith, Rachel E. Sykes, Jorn P. W. Scharlemann, Mike Harfoot, Graeme M. Buchanan, Ariadne Angulo, Andrew Balmford, Bastian Bertzky, Thomas M. Brooks, Kent E. Carpenter, 28 Others

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Governments have committed to conserving greater than or equal to 17% of terrestrial and greater than or equal to 10% of marine environments globally, especially "areas of particular importance for biodiversity" through "ecologically representative" Protected Area (PA) systems or other "area-based conservation measures", while individual countries have committed to conserve 3-50% of their land area. We estimate that PAs currently cover 14.6% of terrestrial and 2.8% of marine extent, but 59-68% of ecoregions, 77-78% of important sites for biodiversity, and 57% of 25,380 species have inadequate coverage. The existing 19.7 million km super(2) terrestrial PA network needs only 3.3 million …

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Dispersal: A Multidisciplinary Investigation Of Plant Life, Alexandra E. Arzt Jan 2015

Dispersal: A Multidisciplinary Investigation Of Plant Life, Alexandra E. Arzt

Theses and Dissertations

Using plants as a basis for exploring the interstices between the human and nonhuman, this thesis investigates ideas of awareness, intelligence, deep time, animism, and the fluctuating human perception of the agency of Nature. It outlines environmental art practices since the 1950s involving vegetal life. In addition, the paper provides a critical analysis of plant perception of Jakob von Uexküll’s work and theories of vital materialism and “critical plant studies” while noting recent studies in plant neurobiology. In my work, plants become active participants via their movement, seeding, and smell. This study takes the form of imitation, purposeful symbiosis, anthropomorphism, …

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Emergent Non-Consumptive Predator Effects Alter Habitat Colonization By Dipteran Prey, Ethan G. Staats Jan 2015

Emergent Non-Consumptive Predator Effects Alter Habitat Colonization By Dipteran Prey, Ethan G. Staats

Theses and Dissertations

When ovipositing, prey organisms avoid habitat patches containing predator cues because predators consume, and negatively affect the fitness of their prey. Richness of predator species often enhances the strength of consumptive predator effects, but little is known about how multiple predators combined affect prey non-consumptively. We quantified dipteran colonization in aquatic mesocosms in response to varied predator richness. Multiple predator species combined reduced oviposition by Culex mosquitoes, chironomid midges, and the general colonizing dipteran community more than predicted by the effects of the independent predator species. Previous research which quantifies effects of multiple predators on prey as prey abundance, but …

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Effects Of Constant Vs. Fluctuating Temperatures On Performance And Life History Of The Herbivorous Pest Lymantria Dispar (Lepidoptera: Eribidae), Brendan E. Sostak Jan 2015

Effects Of Constant Vs. Fluctuating Temperatures On Performance And Life History Of The Herbivorous Pest Lymantria Dispar (Lepidoptera: Eribidae), Brendan E. Sostak

Theses and Dissertations

The role of temperature variation in organismal performance is understudied, but is critically important for understanding the response of biodiversity to climate change. To address this issue in herbivorous insects, I studied the direct and interactive effects of thermal regime (constant vs. fluctuating temperatures) and nutrition (dietary nitrogen) on gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) performance under laboratory conditions. Predictions for differences between constant and fluctuating thermal conditions were derived from Jensen’s inequality, and artificial diets of differing nutritional quality were made by modifying nitrogen (casein) content. Larvae were reared in the laboratory under four temperature regimes (22°C constant, 22°C …

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Using Computer Simulations As A Pre-Training Activity In A Hands-On Lab To Help Community College Students Improve Their Understanding Of Physics, Blanca Pineda Jan 2015

Using Computer Simulations As A Pre-Training Activity In A Hands-On Lab To Help Community College Students Improve Their Understanding Of Physics, Blanca Pineda

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using computer simulations as a pre-training activity to a hands-on lab to improve students’ understanding of induction topics in physics. The computer simulation activity was compared to an overview presentation. Conceptual understanding and spatial ability were measured. A two-group descriptive repeated measures design was implemented with a convenience sample of 35 community college physics students in the Bay Area. Participants were randomly assigned to a simulation group (n = 17) or a presentation group (n = 18). A 30-item spatial ability assessment was given to all participants one week …

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Grass Management Regimes Affect Grasshopper Availability And Subsequently American Crow Activity At Airports, Laura A. Kennedy, Ken A. Otter Jan 2015

Grass Management Regimes Affect Grasshopper Availability And Subsequently American Crow Activity At Airports, Laura A. Kennedy, Ken A. Otter

Human–Wildlife Interactions

With large expanses of open vegetation, airports serve as major attractants for numerous bird species, such as the American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), which can lead to high risk of bird–aircraft collision. Previous observations of large influxes of crows at the Prince George Airport (British Columbia, Canada) in July and August suggested that crows were opportunistically foraging on grasshopper (Melanoplus sp.) population eruptions in mown grass during those months. We tested whether grasshoppers were more visible (i.e., easier for crows to detect) under different grass lengths, and whether crows were preferentially attracted to these same grass lengths. Employing …

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Activity Of Antioxidant Enzymes In The Liver Of Wild Boars (Sus Scrofa) From A Selenium-Deficient Area Depending On Sex, Age, And Season Of The Year, Dorota Jankowiak, Renata Pilarczyk, Radoslaw Drozd, Bogumila Pilarczyk, Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak, Gabriela Wysocka, Izabella Rzad, Arleta Drozd, Jaroslaw Kuba Jan 2015

Activity Of Antioxidant Enzymes In The Liver Of Wild Boars (Sus Scrofa) From A Selenium-Deficient Area Depending On Sex, Age, And Season Of The Year, Dorota Jankowiak, Renata Pilarczyk, Radoslaw Drozd, Bogumila Pilarczyk, Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak, Gabriela Wysocka, Izabella Rzad, Arleta Drozd, Jaroslaw Kuba

Turkish Journal of Biology

The aim of this study was to compare the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and total and selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (total GSH-Px and Se-GSH-Px) in the liver of wild boars (Sus scrofa) selected from a selenium-deficient area with respect to season of the year, sex, and age. Only season had a significant effect on liver Se content. Liver selenium concentration in the wild boars was highest in spring (0.292 µg/g wet weight) and lowest in winter (0.185 µg/g wet weight) (P < 0.05). The highest mean activity of total GSH-Px, Se-GSH-Px, and CAT (404.0, 309.9, and 1170.0 U/mg protein, respectively) was found in the spring season, and the respective highest mean activity of SOD was found during autumn (31.5 U/mg protein). Females showed markedly higher mean activities of total GSH-Px (388.2 and 314.7 U/mg protein) and CAT (1151.0 and 765.8 U/mg protein) compared to males. In comparison to other groups of animals, those aged between 1 and 1.5 years were characterized by higher mean activity of total GSH-Px and Se-GSH-Px, and those over 2 years of age showed higher activity of CAT and SOD. The analysis showed that the strongest oxidative stress and the greatest risk of peroxidative damage to the liver occurred during the winter.

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Estimating Surficial Seafloor Sediment Properties Using An Empirical Orthogonal Decomposition On Acoustic Backscatter Waveform Properties, Joshua Lincoln Humberston Jan 2015

Estimating Surficial Seafloor Sediment Properties Using An Empirical Orthogonal Decomposition On Acoustic Backscatter Waveform Properties, Joshua Lincoln Humberston

Master's Theses and Capstones

Seafloor classification and environmental assessment in shallow marine waters are crucial to habitat mapping, coastal management policies and maintaining navigational waterways. There are existing methods for remotely estimating some bottom properties, but the large variety of desired measured sediment properties frequently leads to insufficient quantifiable data to support marine policy decisions. This problem is exacerbated by the highly variable bottom composition of typical coastal and estuarine environments. In this work, field observations from an Odom Echotrac vertical-incidence echosounder with a 200 khz transducer were used to estimate seafloor sediment characteristics in regions with variable bottom types. Observations were obtained in …

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Non-Industrial Private Forest Landowner Engagement And Amenity- Driven Migration In Wildfire-Prone Landscapes Of The Inland Northwest, Morgan Ann Crowley Jan 2015

Non-Industrial Private Forest Landowner Engagement And Amenity- Driven Migration In Wildfire-Prone Landscapes Of The Inland Northwest, Morgan Ann Crowley

Master's Theses and Capstones

Rural counties in the Inland Northwest have a ‘working lands’ culture that supports livelihoods dependent on the health of wildfire-prone private and public forests. Wildfires threaten economic livelihoods and exacerbate the challenges of working landscapes impacted by changing economies, demographic trends, and forest conditions. The main objectives of this thesis are to investigate: 1) what comprises amenity-driven migration and how are amenity- driven migration and wildfire severity related?; 2) are amenity-driven migrants engaged in forest management activities in Wallowa County, Oregon and what is forest management engagement?; 3) how does landowner parcel proximity from WUI, USFS land relate to perspectives …

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Space Use And Habitat Affinities Of The Singing Vole On The Northern Foothills Of The Brooks Range, Alaska, Andrew Maguire Jan 2015

Space Use And Habitat Affinities Of The Singing Vole On The Northern Foothills Of The Brooks Range, Alaska, Andrew Maguire

Master's Theses and Capstones

Arctic tundra is being affected by a rapidly warming climate, which is accompanied by shifts in plant community composition and structure. Shrub expansion, a predominant consequence of this warming, is linked with changes in nutrient cycling and has direct implications to global change biology. Habitats are being altered across the landscape, with subsequent changes to arctic faunal communities. While herbivory has been noted as important in contributing to plant community composition in the arctic, with the potential to both exacerbate and mitigate shifts toward shrub-dominated tundra landscapes, little research has been conducted on herbivore dynamics. Microtine rodents (i.e., voles and …

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Growing The Urban Forest: Tree Performance In Response To Biotic And Abiotic Land Management, Emily E. Oldfield, Alexander J. Felson, D.S. Novem Auyeung, Thomas W. Crowther, Nancy F. Sonti, Yoshiki Harada, Daniel S. Maynard, Noah W. Sokol, Mark S. Ashton, Robert J. Warren Ii, Richard A. Hallett, Mark A. Bradford Jan 2015

Growing The Urban Forest: Tree Performance In Response To Biotic And Abiotic Land Management, Emily E. Oldfield, Alexander J. Felson, D.S. Novem Auyeung, Thomas W. Crowther, Nancy F. Sonti, Yoshiki Harada, Daniel S. Maynard, Noah W. Sokol, Mark S. Ashton, Robert J. Warren Ii, Richard A. Hallett, Mark A. Bradford

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Forests are vital components of the urban landscape because they provide ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, storm-water mitigation, and air-quality improvement. To enhance these services, cities are investing in programs to create urban forests. A major unknown, however, is whether planted trees will grow into the mature, closed-canopied forest on which ecosystem service provision depends. We assessed the influence of biotic and abiotic land management on planted tree performance as part of urban forest restoration in New York City, U.S.A. Biotic treatments were designed to improve tree growth, with the expectation that higher tree species composition (six vs. two) …

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Understanding Vulnerability In Alaska Fishing Communities: A Validation Methodology For Rapid Assessment Of Well-Being Indices, Conor M. Maguire Jan 2015

Understanding Vulnerability In Alaska Fishing Communities: A Validation Methodology For Rapid Assessment Of Well-Being Indices, Conor M. Maguire

All Master's Theses

Social well-being indices measure how fishing communities are likely to be affected by social-ecological perturbations, and are a significant tool to identify the primary issues influencing communities’ sustained participation in fishing activities. In an attempt to further our understanding of how communities are affected by such perturbations, we have developed a rapid assessment methodology to test the external validity of a set of well-being indices that measure community vulnerability. This methodology informs how well such indices reflect the communities they represent by measuring elements of well-being through field observations, and comparing them to corresponding index components created from secondary data …

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