Digital Commons Network^™

Balancing The Local And The Global: Understanding Alternative Education In Modern Ladakh, Hannah Ryde

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For nearly thirty years, the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) has addressed the shortcomings of the education system in Ladakh (la dwags), a mountainous region under the rain-shadow of the Himalayan Range in Jammu and Kashmir State of Northern India, through education reform in government schools and the creation of alternative education programs. These programs attempt to support students who have failed in, and been failed by, the Ladakhi government education system and are designed to fill in gaps in the curricula of mainstream schools through supplemental academics and skill-based learning, while simultaneously building confidence …

Avifaunal Community Composition In A Tropical Forest Corridor: A Case Study From The Atherton Tableland, North Queensland, Don Jones

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Bird communities in tropical forest ecosystems are highly threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. Replanted corridors connecting isolated forest remnants are a popular method of ameliorating certain negative impacts of habitat fragmentation. Such linkages can theoretically facilitate greater dispersal, increase gene flow, and reduce the risk of local extinctions in forest birds. However, relatively few studies have examined the utilization of reforested corridors by birds, and little hard data exists to support claims that this type of resource and time intensive project is the best use of often scarce funding for conservation. This study examined the avifaunal community present in …

David Vs. Goliat: Políticas Y Prácticas Exitosas De La Decoin (Defensa Y Conservación Ecológica De Intag) Durante La Lucha Contra La Minería En Intag, Ecuador, Ana Teresa Colón García

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Este es un análisis cualitativo que se enfoca en la organización DECOIN(Defensa y Conservación Ecológica de Intag) y su influencia en la resistencia, con éxito hasta el presente, contra proyectos de extracción minera que podrían acarrear un grave y muy y negativo impacto ambiental en la zona de Intag, Ecuador. En base a entrevistas con líderes y aliados de la organización y residentes de varias comunidades de la zona de Intag, discuto y analizo estrategias que ha implementado la organización tales como la compra de tierras, creación de alternativas económicas, concientización ambiental y defensa de derechos humanos para lograr desincentivar …

Epigeal Fauna Of Bosque Protector Cerro Candelaria, Justine Albers

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Pitfall traps are commonly used to sample epigeal fauna, and are especially utilized for the collection of ground-dwelling arthropods; however, this sampling method has yet to be employed in Cerro Candelaria, a protected cloud forest reserve in Tungurahua, Ecuador. Pitfall trap systems were established at two different sites in the reserve that differed in elevation and forest type. Although individuals from 4 different phlya, 11 classes and 17 orders were encountered over the duration of the study, pitfalls were most effective at sampling Coleoptera, which comprised 40% of the total catch across both sites. The two communities of beetle …

La Minería En La Conciencia Urbana: Las Estrategias De Los Yasunidos De Cuenca Contra La Minería En El Azuay, Alexandra Golden

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En la provincia del Azuay, Ecuador, hay dos proyectos mineros a gran escala. Los proyectos Río Blanco y Loma Larga/Quimsacocha consisten en minas subterráneas de oro y plata, y ambos se acercan a la fase de explotación. Los proyectos están ubicados en la Reserva de Biosfera Macizo del Cajas en la zona de amortiguamiento del Parque Nacional el Cajas. La zona es un páramo de alto endemismo e importancia con respecto a la regulación hídrica. Los páramos suministran agua potable a los pueblos campesinos y a los habitantes de la ciudad de Cuenca. La minería consume muchísima agua y energía …

April 2016 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Sustainability Survey Report, Sarah Mittlefehldt, J L. Thompson, Rachel Headings, Ella Skrocki

Other

Although the idea of sustainability means different things to different people, one of the most common definitions comes from the UN’s 1987 Brundtland Report, which states that sustainability is that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In practice, sustainability means balancing environmental protection with economic vitality and social justice. Since the 1990s, sustainability has become a powerful framework for organizational transformation, particularly at institutions of higher education. Today over 1,350 colleges and universities offer degrees in sustainability and use sustainability as a guiding principle for administrative decisions …

Molecular Analysis Confirming The Introduction Of Nile Crocodiles, Crocodylus Niloticus Laurenti 1768 (Crocodylidae), In Southern Florida, With An Assessment Of Potential For Establishment, Spread, And Impacts., Michael R. Rochford, Kenneth L. Krysko, Frank J. Mazzotti, Matthew W. Shirley, Mark W. Parry, Joseph A. Wasilewski, Jeffrey S. Beauchamp, Christpher R. Gillette, Edward F. Metzger Iii, Michiko A. Squires, Louis A. Somma

Papers in Herpetology

The state of Florida, USA, has more introduced herpetofauna than any other governmental region on Earth. Four species of nonnative crocodilians have been introduced to Florida (all since 1960), one of which is established. Between 2000–2014 we field-collected three nonnative crocodilians in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and one in Hendry County, Florida. We used DNA barcoding and molecular phylogenetics to determine species identification and native range origin. Also, we described diet, movement, and growth for one crocodile. Our molecular analyses illustrated that two of the crocodiles we collected are most closely related to Nile Crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) from South Africa, suggesting …

Impacts Of Ecotourism In Costa Rica: A Sustainable Alternative To Conventional Tourism, Kimberly A. Kleszczynski

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

This ethnographic project examines the economic and social influences of tourism, specifically ecotourism, on the local communities of Costa Rica. The proposed research seeks to investigate the effects of ecotourism on the environment and quality of life for residents in Costa Rica while demonstrating the importance of sustainable development in relation to the ecotourism sector. The primary purpose of this research is to view the impact of ecotourism on Costa Rican society, with a particular focus on culture, economics, the environment, and specifically from the perspectives of local Costa Rican residents. Ultimately this paper will define what ecotourism is and …

Fracking In Pennsylvania: A Spatial Analysis Of Impacts On Land Cover And Land Use, The Viewshed, And The Audioshed, Kelly A. Collins

Student Publications

Hydraulic fracturing is the process of extracting natural gas from layers of shale rock beneath the surface of the Earth. The largest source of natural gas in the US is the Marcellus Shale, largely located in Pennsylvania, and it is believed to hold about 141 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in its shale deposits. My study examined the impacts of well sites on land cover and land use, the viewshed, and the audioshed. To study the effect of wellpads on land use and land cover, we overlaid a layer of wellpads over land cover data as well as a …

Long Live The King? A Gis Analysis Of Climate Change’S Impact On The Future Wintering Range And Economy Of The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus Plexippus) In Mexico, Megan E. Zagorski

Student Publications

The annual migration of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a natural phenomenon widely integrated into the popular and social imagination of North America. However, this migratory population has recently declined. I investigated the threat of climate change on the future distribution of suitable monarch habitat, using ArcGIS to create a model of current and future monarch habitat. I also analyzed municipal data for 5 communities in Mexico State in an examination of the social aspects of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve [MBBR]. According to my model, an estimated 38.6% to 69.8% of current monarch habitat may be lost within …

Lens On Habitat Destruction: A Photo Essay In Double Exposure, Bethany Holtz

Student Publications

Human greed and ignorance bulldoze through nature, leaving behind scarred landscapes and broken ecosystems. Within the world’s aquatic environments, human actions have irreversibly fragmented and shattered habitats of countless animals. Voiceless, these displaced animals suffer largely in silence—their stories untold and invisible. Using my lens to expose their cries, my photography uncovers the narrative of habitat destruction.

In this photo essay, I juxtapose the pristine and degraded habitats of five threatened aquatic species using double exposure techniques, a method where two disconnected images are merged to create one unified work. By balancing light, opacity, color, and transparency, I focus attention …

Crafting A Campus Sustainability Action Plan: A Grassroots Approach, Jolina A. Kenney

Student Publications

In recent decades, colleges and universities have taken a leadership role in developing institution-based Sustainability Action Plans (SAPs). A SAP includes a summation of past achievements, current initiatives, and the prioritized goals and implementation strategies for future action in terms of promoting environmental sustainability. These plans can also serve as pedagogical devices that teach students, staff and faculty important lessons of intentional living, global citizenship, and environmental responsibility. While many plans are adopted as top-down initiatives, there is great value in finding ways to engage the entire campus community in such endeavors at the grassroots level. This project documents a …

Julia Savich '16 Pursues Her Passions Across Disciplines, University Communications

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Environmental Factors On The Abundance Of Blacklegged Ticks, Jasmine L. Miller, Roger A. Lebrun, Howard S. Ginsberg

Senior Honors Projects

The nymphal stage of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the major vector of Lyme disease, the most common vector-borne disease in North America. Tick abundance has generally been estimated using either flag/drag samples or samples from hosts. However, the biases of these sampling methods have not been adequately studied. We compared samples using both methods from sites in Massachusetts and Wisconsin. Tick abundance was compared with variables related to weather (temperature, relative humidity, and tick adverse moisture events), vegetation (canopy cover, tree density, shrub density, ground vegetation, and leaf litter cover), and host abundance (mice, small mammals, medium …

The Mother Maria Kaupas Center - Strategic Plan, Jesse Klug, Carolina Elizalde, Kristin Cox, Elizabeth Semeraro, Liz Daniels

Coal Region Field Station Student Projects

This aim of this document is to outline the future vision for the Kaupas Center as a hub for spirituality, community development, and leadership opportunities in Mount Carmel, PA. The report analyzes data from over 200 completed community surveys, 30 door to door pilot surveys, 14 downtown business owner surveys, 27 individual interviews with town leaders and professionals, at least 11 site visits to Mount Carmel, and 10 community meetings attended.

This report was developed by a group of Bucknell University Managing for Sustainability student researchers in a senior capstone course MSUS 400 taught by Prof. Eric Martin.

Bacterial Diversity And Community Composition From Seasurface To Subseafloor, Emily A. Walsh, John B. Kirkpatrick, Scott Rutherford, David C. Smith, Mitchell Sogin, Steven D'Hondt

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

We investigated compositional relationships between bacterial communities in the water column and those in deep-sea sediment at three environmentally distinct Pacific sites (two in the Equatorial Pacific and one in the North Pacific Gyre). Through pyrosequencing of the v4-v6 hypervariable regions of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene, we characterized 450 104 pyrotags representing 29 814 operational taxonomic units (OTUs, 97% similarity). Hierarchical clustering and non-metric multidimensional scaling partition the samples into four broad groups, regardless of geographic location: a photic-zone community, a subphotic community, a shallow sedimentary community and a subseafloor sedimentary community (≥1.5 meters below seafloor). Abundance-weighted community compositions …

Libqual+ Survey- Institution Results, Acrl

Assessment Reports (2003-2023)

LibQual Survey report for Henderson Library at Georgia Southern University.

Artistic And Scholarly Sessions: Iwu On The Westside: A Partnership With The West Bloomington Revitalization Project, Deborah Halperin, Karen Schmidt, Kirsten Slaughter, Class Of 2016, Julie Lewis, Class Of 2016

Inauguration of Eric R. Jensen

April 1, 2016; 2:45–3:15 pm

Illinois Wesleyan plays an active role in neighborhood revitalization through a longtime partnership with the West Bloomington Revitalization Project. Successful results of this collaborative effort include the Book Bike, the Veggie Oasis, the Tool Library, the Allin Street mural, and the Porch Project. This partnership puts the IWU mission into action.

Presenters: Deborah Halperin, Director, Action Research Center
Karen Schmidt, University Librarian

Student Respondents: Kirsten Slaughter ’16, Environmental Studies major
Julie Lewis ’16, sociology and Hispanic studies double major

Artistic And Scholarly Sessions Program, Illinois Wesleyan University

Inauguration of Eric R. Jensen

The theme for these artistic and scholarly sessions was "The Liberal Arts in the 21st Century: A Spotlight on Collaborative Engagement."

These sessions focused on how the collaborative process adds value to an Illinois Wesleyan liberal arts experience.

The program for this two-day series of events is available for viewing below and may be downloaded above.

Flight Of Imagination, Tim Obermiller, Wil Frank '14, Robert Frank Iii '14

Illinois Wesleyan University Magazine, 2002-2017

Finding poetic inspiration on the quantum plane, physics major Julia Savich '16 expresses the power of the liberal arts experience.

The Measure Of Nematode Diversity In Response To Varying Management Practices And Features In Restored And Remnant Prairie Ecosystems, Heaven A. Hulshizer

UCARE: Research Products

"Tallgrass prairies are the most endangered ecosystem in North America” (Helen et al 2013). “Surveys suggest that since European settlement, declines in area of native prairie range as high as 99.9%”(Sampson, Fred and Fritz Knopf 1994). Prairie ecosystem services are abundant and range from mitigating floods to promoting biodiversity. (USDA Forest Service).Given these benefits, restoring prairies and maintaining native areas should be an important conservation priority. Nematodes, the most abundant animal species on earth, have been used as bio-indicators of soil quality (Neher; Todd). To better understand the dynamics of nematode diversity in native and restored prairies we examines whether …

A Relationship With Urban Farming, Tracey Adams

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

As the world’s population grows and cities expand into mega cities, so does poverty and the need for better food security. Barthel and Isendhal “define food security broadly as the situation when people have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs." (2013) Along with this growth, urban farming is gaining more and more interest. The drive behind the interest is a desire to know where food comes from as well as, a way to rekindle a relationship with our history, the land, and our health. “A consumer base is building for local …

Public Perception And Attitudes Associated With Climate Engineering, Mark Fowler

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Climate engineering has begun to enter the scientific mainstream as a potential agent of relief in the event that climate change threatens our food or water security. There has been little research conducted on the potential hazards of climate engineering, yet already has sparked controversy amongst the scientific community, as well as some of the public. The purpose of this research was to gauge current awareness and attitudes associated with climate engineering, and to measure if those attitudes were associated with political affiliation, as well as spirituality. This was done through administering a survey. The other portion of this research …

Wild Horse Management Of Carson City Nevada: What The Public Thinks, Katie Zuehlke

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

There are two types of management strategies that are used in Carson City, NV, which are the free roaming method and the immunocontraception method. Nevada is home to nearly half of the nation’s wild horses (7), and the Departments of Interior and Agriculture need to manage and protect the wild horses that reside on public land stated by the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971 (1). The objectives of this study are to obtain articles about the management of wild horses from previous studies, specifically look at Carson City and the community opinion about the wild horse management …

Identifying Change In Agricultural Practices In Relation To Ethanol Plant Location, Erik Doran

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This study was performed to identify changes in agricultural practices throughout Nebraska between 1997 and 2007, a period of large ethanol production growth. By identifying ethanol plant locations and using county level data for variables such as bushels of corn produced, fertilizer and chemical application, agricultural cropland, cattle population and Conservation Reserve Program enrollment, percent change was calculated, mapped and graphed. The results did not show any evidence of change that could be linked to the ethanol plant locations.

This study did not take into account advances in management practices or improvements in technology the study time period. These changes …

An Alternative Assessment Of Groundwater Level Changes: An Example Application In Clay And Adams County, Nebraska, Jordan Shields

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This study uses publicly available data (1934 to 2015) from several online sources relating to groundwater levels, bedrock depth, and annual precipitation from six wells located near Hastings, Nebraska. Traditionally, groundwater levels are presented in reports that show changes in terms of feet gained or lost. An alternative method employed in this study assesses variations in groundwater supply and availability using total saturated thickness of the groundwater system in terms of a percentage change in saturated thickness. This method represents groundwater resources in the context of the quantity available as opposed to the traditional method of changes in terms of …

Earth Systems Science As Civic Participation: An Approach To Youth Action Research For Social Change, Ciara Williams , '16

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

Just as environmental justice challenges dominant notions of "environment" that cannot account for connections between social and natural processes, earth systems science pursues connections between science and society, challenging a dominant discourse which asserts that both can be fully understood without the other. Grounding "environment" and "science" as socially situated concepts helps to foreground, in turn, the ways that race structures exposure to risk and the exercise of citizenship both nationally and globally. My thesis draws on these discourses while focusing on youth as citizens and civic participation through the creation of an elementary school science curriculum.

Protective Effect Of Resveratrol Against Aluminum Chloride Induced Nephrotoxicity In Rats

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To investigate the potential protective effect of resveratrol (RES) on aluminum chloride (AlCl3)-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Methods: This experimental study was conducted from April to June 2015 at the Medical College of King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The experiments were performed on 24 male Wistar rats. The rats were randomly allocated into 4 groups; 1) group A: control rats received only normal saline, 2) group B: received RES dissolved in normal saline, 3) group C: model group and received AlCl3 dissolved in normal saline and 4) group D: RES treated group and received concomitant doses of …

The Firece Green Fire: Vol. 6 Issue 21, Wofford College Environmental Studies Program

The Fierce Green Fire

No abstract provided.