Digital Commons Network^™

Differential Plant Invasiveness Is Not Always Driven By Host Promiscuity With Bacterial Symbionts, Metha M. Klock, Luke G. Barrett, Peter H. Thrall, Kyle E. Harms

Faculty Publications, Environmental Studies

Identification of mechanisms that allow some species to outcompete others is a fundamental goal in ecology and invasive species management. One useful approach is to examine congeners varying in invasiveness in a comparative framework across native and invaded ranges. Acacia species have been widely introduced outside their native range of Australia, and a subset of these species have become invasive in multiple parts of the world. Within specific regions, the invasive status of these species varies. Our study examined whether a key mechanism in the life history of Acacia species, the legume-rhizobia symbiosis, influences acacia invasiveness on a regional scale. …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Polymer-Supported Cyclodextrin Nanoscaffolds For Use In Future Environmental Studies, James Adrian Mckee

Chemistry and Biochemistry

The toxicity of transitional and post-transitional metals in natural water systems is well known. Coordination of these metals by selected ligands is a common means of environmental remediation. Macrocyclic coordination complexes impart thermodynamic and kinetic stability beyond their corresponding chelation analogues due to the pre-organized physical constraints of the coordinating ligands. Cyclodextrins are biologically produced and well-studied cyclic glucose macrocycles that possess chemically distinct hydroxyls. Amphiphilic cyclodextrins used as polymer-supported macrocyclic nanoscaffolds that are capable of scavenging trace metal pollutants could offer exciting new avenues of remediation research. Amphiphilic sodium hexakis (2,3-O-dibenzyl-6-O-sulfobutyl) cyclomaltohexaose (DBSBA) and sodium heptakis (2,3-O-dibenzyl-6-O-sulfobutyl) cyclomaltoheptaose (DBSBB) …

Controls On Zooplankton Assemblages In The Northeastern Chukchi Sea, Jennifer Questel

Oceanography

The Chukchi Sea is a broad and shallow marginal sea of the western Arctic Ocean that lies between the Bering Sea and the deeper Amerasian basin. It plays a pivotal role as the only gateway for transporting heat, carbon, nutrients, and plankton from the North Pacific into the Arctic Ocean. I examined the seasonal and inter-annual variability of the zooplankton communities in the northeastern region of the Chukchi Sea as part of a high-resolution multidisciplinary ecosystem study. Specifically, I examined how the physical onset of each open water season influenced the composition, abundance, and biomass of zooplankton assemblages from the …

Environmental Education In A Dual Immersion Classroom, Annaka Marie Larson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, how can environmental education curricula be implemented in dual immersion classrooms? It describes how the author used a unit planning framework designed for dual immersion to adapt lessons from the environmental education curriculum Project WILD for her first grade Spanish immersion class. Both curriculum design and action research were incorporated into the project. She details the process of modifying the lessons, what happened when she implemented the lessons in her classroom, and how the lessons improved students’ content knowledge, language abilities, and appreciation for the environment. She concludes that environmental education can …

Industrial Ecology Analysis Of The Potential For An Eastern Nebraska Industrial Symbiosis Network (Enisn): A Comparative Study, Bradley A. Behne

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The area of Eastern Nebraska north of Omaha, including the municipality of Blair is host to a collection of unique companies and industries. These industries, driven by the agricultural and urban economy of the area, as well as the geographic proximity to each other, make it an advantageous area to study the potential for a network where individual entities utilize the concept of industrial symbiosis. This potential network is referred to as the Eastern Nebraska Industrial Symbiosis Network (ENISN). Industrial symbiosis, a sub-set of industrial ecology, engages separate industries in a collaborative and collective approach, concerning itself with the flow …

The Investigation Of Various Aspects Of Sustainable Environmental Behavior, Kadir Karatekin, Bahattin Aydınlı

AgroEnviron 2016: 10th International Symposium on Agriculture and the Environment - May 23-27, 2016

No abstract provided.

Cligen Database Update And Its Effects On Soil Erosion Estimations Using The Wepp Model, Josept D. Revuelta-Acosta

AgroEnviron 2016: 10th International Symposium on Agriculture and the Environment - May 23-27, 2016

No abstract provided.

The Soil Conditioning Index Model Service, Jack R. Carlson

AgroEnviron 2016: 10th International Symposium on Agriculture and the Environment - May 23-27, 2016

No abstract provided.

Can The Cohesive Strength Meter Be Used To Estimate Critical Shear Stress Of An Agricultural And Prairie Soil?, Edward P. Boswell, Anita M. Thompson, Nick J. Balster

AgroEnviron 2016: 10th International Symposium on Agriculture and the Environment - May 23-27, 2016

No abstract provided.

Automated Testing Of Wepp Web Services, Jim Frankenberger, Norm Widman, Joel Poore, Dennis C. Flanagan

AgroEnviron 2016: 10th International Symposium on Agriculture and the Environment - May 23-27, 2016

No abstract provided.

Velocity Of Simulated Raindrops In A Wind Tunnel Measured By Different Technologies, Pedro Luiz Terra Lima, Matheus De Figueiredo Braga Colares, Luiz Antonio Lima, Lis Lemos, Nick Riken, Ann Verdoodt

AgroEnviron 2016: 10th International Symposium on Agriculture and the Environment - May 23-27, 2016

No abstract provided.

Indirect Methods Of Estimating Leaf Area Index (Lai) In Broadcast-Seeded Paddy Rice Fields, Nebiye Musaoglu, Esra Erten

AgroEnviron 2016: 10th International Symposium on Agriculture and the Environment - May 23-27, 2016

No abstract provided.

Reducing Energy Costs For The Pasteurization Of Corn And Wheat Straw Bales For Producing Mushrooms In Mexico With A Solar Oven Made With Recycled Materials, Israel Ruiz-Gonzalez, Jonathan Dominguez-Aldana

AgroEnviron 2016: 10th International Symposium on Agriculture and the Environment - May 23-27, 2016

No abstract provided.

Addressing Questions Of Prehistoric Occupation Seasonality At Freshwater Mussel Shell Ring Sites In The Mississippi Delta: Applications In Carbonate Geochemistry And Zooarchaeology, Joseph Alan Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

Seasonality estimates based on archaeological shellfish remains have been an important component of settlement pattern reconstruction. Investigations of this nature allow researchers to place prehistoric people on the landscape at points in space at different times of the year. Many of the previous seasonality studies, however, have focused on marine species from coastal sites, with little attention given to freshwater locales, especially ones in the Mississippi Delta. To address that disparity, this study examines freshwater mussel “season of capture” via analysis of stable oxygen isotope ratios in specimens recovered from two Late Woodland sites located along the Yazoo River, Mississippi. …

Coastal Louisiana: Adaptive Capacity In The Face Of Climate Change, Tara Lambeth

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Extreme weather events can result in natural disasters, and climate change can cause these weather events to occur more often and with more intensity. Because of social and physical vulnerabilities, climate change and extreme weather often affect coastal communities. As climate change continues to be a factor for many coastal communities, and environmental hazards and vulnerability continue to increase, the need for adaptation may become a reality for many communities. However, very few studies have been done on the effect climate change and mitigation measures implemented in response to climate change have on a community’s adaptive capacity.

This single instrumental …

The Impact Of Environmental Education On Environmental Literacy And Motivation In Urban Communities, Amber Huston

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed is does environmental education increase environmental literacy and motivation in urban communities in the United States? The motivating factor for this capstone was from evidence that environmental education can not only improve motivation and literacy, but also help improve academic achievement. This capstone details both historical and current data to support full integration of structured environmental education programs into urban academics. The author documents the results of a survey based on observations made by various academic instructors of both their personal experiences, as well as their view of their students’ experiences, both inside and outside the …

Combustion, Catriona Sandilands

The Goose

Match, wood, flame. Pyrocultures, settler colonial pyrophobia. Internal combustion. Wildfire. Petrocapitalist immolation. This short photo essay reflects on fire as simultaneously a sensuous phenomenon of everyday life and an entity that, because of both its presence and its absence in particular formations, makes worlds. To be aware, both corporeally and politically, of our involvement in pyric practices and regimes allows us to begin to imagine what it might mean to understand and change our relations to fire as part of a larger project of energetic transformation: bodily, socially, politically.

In My Opinion: Life On The Editorial Page, Derek R. Larson

Headwaters

No abstract provided.

Hidden Costs And Deadweight Losses: Bundled Parking Andresidential Rents In The Metropolitan United States, C. J. Gabbe, Gregory Pierce

Environmental Studies and Sciences

There is a major housing affordability crisis in many American metropolitan areas, particularly for renters. Minimum parking requirements in municipal zoning codes drive up the price of housing, and thus represent an important potential for reform for local policymakers. The relationship between parking and housing prices, however, remains poorly understood. We use national American Housing Survey data and hedonic regression techniques to investigate this relationship. We find that the cost of garage parking to renter households is approximately $1,700 per year, or an additional 17% of a housing unit’s rent. In addition to the magnitude of this transport cost burden …

Increased Connection To Nature And Development Of Ecological Identity In The Illinois Master Naturalist Program, Laura Sjoquist

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine the ways in which the Illinois Master Naturalist program affected adult learners’ connection to local natural areas and the development of an ecological identity. Participants in the Illinois Master Naturalist Program were interviewed to determine their experience in the program. During the interview they were asked to describe their connections to nature and their ecological identity prior to and after participation in the program. While more research is needed, it was concluded from the data that the Master Naturalist program did enable adult learners to develop a greater connection to …

The Relationship Between Agriculture And The Environment, Elise Nicole Volz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Southern Minnesota is an agricultural hub, and there is a deeply rooted methodology when it comes to the techniques used to plant, grow, and harvest grain crops. These techniques have come under scrutiny as they are being accused of causing harm to the environment. As an alternative to these conventional agricultural techniques, sustainable agriculture provides an agricultural methodology that aims to grow crops in such a way that the environment is harmed a little as possible. This project was designed to determine awareness of sustainable agriculture among a group of students and develop a curriculum that allows students to explore …

Bulletin No. 42: The Mamacoke Conservation Area, Glenn Dreyer, Robert Askins, Scott Peterson

Bulletins

No abstract provided.

Why Was There A Harmful Algal Bloom In 2015: The Relative Growth Of Toxic And Non-Toxic Diatoms As A Function Of Temperature, Ariana M. Jensen, Meagan P. Beley-Finnemore, Christopher E. Ikeda, William P. Cochlan

STAR Program Research Presentations

A coastwide bloom of the toxigenic diatom Pseudo-nitzschia in 2015 resulted in the largest recorded outbreak and unprecedented levels of the neurotoxin, domoic acid (DA), along the North American west coast. The scientific community has suggested that warmer ocean temperatures were the main cause of this harmful algal bloom (HAB), but little scientific evidence to support the relationship between temperature, and the growth and toxicity of Pseudo-nitzschia has been provided for local isolates of these diatoms. To gain insight into bloom dynamics, a laboratory study was conducted to examine the growth of toxic and non-toxic phytoplankton species at a range …

2016-2017 Catalog, College Of The Holy Cross

Course Catalogs

This catalog lists available courses for the 2016-2017 term.

The College Catalog is a document of record issued in August 2016. The Catalog contains current information regarding the College calendar, admissions, degree requirements, fees, regulations and course offerings

Cloud-Based Land Change Modeler Application: Summer Internship With Clark Labs, Lei Rong

Sustainability and Social Justice

ABSTRACT

Cloud-based Land Change Modeler Application:

Summer Internship with Clark Labs, Worcester, MA

Lei Rong

This report provides a detailed illustration of my internship experience with Clark Labs in Worcester, MA, during the summer of 2015. The internship is about two Land Change Modeler projects which conducted by Esri. The first one is a cloud-based Land Change Model on ArcGIS online for professional change analysts. Another one is a free cloud-based App for land change analysts and the public to explore land change of 48 states in United State. This work mainly relied on TerrSet skills and Land Change Modeler …

Uah Humanities Center, 2016, University Of Alabama In Huntsville

Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Growing The Green Energy Economy: Workforce Development And Cluster Growth In The Pioneer Valley Of Massachusetts, Nicholas B. Altonaga

Sustainability and Social Justice

Workforce development programs have a positive effect on the formation of a cluster. Incorporating these programs into cluster theory is essential to creating more robust and dynamic local growth in the emerging green energy sector. Studying programs in the green energy sector in the Pioneer Valley has shown an increase in collaboration, local and regional connectivity, and industry communication. These aspects reinforce the comparative advantage of organizations within the cluster, while downplaying their challenges . Applying this focus on workforce development is important for cementing the green energy cluster into an enduring force in the domestic economy in the 21 …

The Feasibility Of Using Drones To Count Songbirds, Andrew M. Wilson, Janine M. Barr, Megan E. Zagorski

Environmental Studies Student Conference Presentations

Point and transect counts are the most common bird survey methods, but are subject to biases and accessibility issues. To eliminate some of these biases, we propose attaching a recorder to a consumer-grade quadcopter (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, or UAV) to estimate songbird populations from audio recordings. We conducted a blind experiment using broadcast recordings to estimate the detection radius of a compact recorder attached to a UAV, and found that the detection radius did not vary significantly when the UAV was flown at elevations of 20, 40 and 60m. We field tested our system by comparing UAV-based bird counts with …

Landscapes Of Environmental Justice: A Post-Structural Analysis Of Ecological Structures And Environmental Discourses, Sima Namin

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Although application of ecological concepts and looking at the city as an 'ecological space' or ecosystem is not new in planning (e.g. Chicago school), in the context of environmental justice research there is a need for a more integrated approach towards the complex interrelations between human aspects of urban landscapes and urban ecology. Consequently, the first starting point of my research is that studying environmental justice also requires an understanding of environmental health. The second defining point of this research is influenced by the notion of questioning science and research as a 'social construct.' Drawing on Foucault's legacy of discourse …

From Santa Barbara To Macondo To Sems, David M. Hunter, Kara Mcqueen-Borden

LSU Journal of Energy Law and Resources

No abstract provided.