Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Between Substrate Characteristics And Japanese Knotweed Invasion Along The Saco River, Maine And New Hampshire, Dacota F. Griffin

Standard Theses

Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) is an aggressive invasive plant that spreads via several mechanisms making it hard to control. Currently, little is known about Japanese knotweed invasion in riparian habitats. A total of 46 soil samples from both invaded and uninvaded sites (32 total locations) along the Saco River in Maine and New Hampshire were examined to see whether physical and chemical characteristics were similar among knotweed-invaded sites and what may lead to successful establishment by knotweed. The majority of sites were dominated by medium-grained sand, but there were no differences in the soil texture at invaded and uninvaded sites. …

Modeling Impacts Of Light Absorbing Particles On Glacial Melt And Albedo: Construction, Quantified Impacts, And Simulations From The Cordillera Blanca, Peru, Bria Riggs

Standard Theses

Glaciers act as important water storage units that supply both human and ecological communities. However, glacial systems are threatened by rising global temperatures as well as light absorbing particles (LAPs) on the surface and within the snowpack that increase energy absorption and decrease albedo. The majority of hydrological models used to examine glacial melt at the watershed level assume a constant albedo of 0.75 for all snow surfaces. This assumption neglects the impact that LAPs have on albedo, energy processes, and melt rates. Additionally, current models used to simulate changes in albedo due to LAPs do not separate the impacts …

Une Library Services Quarterly Report May 2018, Une Library Services

Quarterly Reports

Highlights of accomplishments of the University of New England's Library Services department.

Applying Place-Based Social-Ecological Research To Address Water Scarcity: Insights For Future Research, Jodi Brandt

Human-Environment Systems Research Center Faculty Publications and Presentations

Globally, environmental and social change in water-scarce regions challenge the sustainability of social-ecological systems. WaterSES, a sponsored working group within the Program for Ecosystem Change and Society, explores and compares the social-ecological dynamics related to water scarcity across placed-based international research sites with contrasting local and regional water needs and governance, including research sites in Spain and Sweden in Europe, South Africa, China, and Alabama, Idaho, Oklahoma, and Texas in the USA. This paper aims to provide a commentary on insights into conducting future solutions-oriented research on water scarcity based on the understanding of the social-ecological dynamics of water scarce …

Winter Bat Activity In A Landscape Without Traditional Hibernacula, Amy M. Hammesfahr, Rene E. Ohms

United States National Park Service: Publications

Abstract

Prior to 2014, bat research at Devils Tower National Monument (DETO) focused on bats present during the summer months. Biologists at DETO assumed local bats were strictly summer residents due to the presumed lack of typical habitat features associated with bat hibernation, such as caves and mines. This lack of traditional hibernacula features at DETO discouraged staff and research cooperators from studying winter bat populations. Despite the earlier assumption that bats were unlikely to hibernate on the monument, DETO documented significant winter bat activity through passive winter acoustic monitoring. This study is the first study at DETO that documents …

The Effect Of Steam And Glycerol Pretreatment On Chemical Contents Of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (Efb), Ornjira Choopakar, Chongchin Polprasert, Panagiotis Elefsiniotis, Supawadee Polprasert

Applied Environmental Research

This research aimed to evaluate the effect of the type of solvent, pH, substrate loading, and reaction time on the chemical components of palm empty fruit bunches (EFB). Steam pretreatment was set up at a temperature of 121 °C and pressure of 1.18 bar, using an autoclave with substrate loading of 5, 10, 15 and 20 % w/v at reaction times of 15 and 60 min. Distilled water, waste glycerol, alkaline glycerol and acidic glycerol were compared as solvents during steam pretreatment. The results showed that with distilled water, better pretreatment was achieved at 5 % and 10 % loading …

Understanding The Weathering Process Of Antimony Minerals: Case Study Sb-Mine Sulzburg, Black Forest, Germany, Sakonvan Chawchai, Raphael Bissen

Applied Environmental Research

Concerns about heavy metal and metalloid contamination from mine dumps is one of the most intensively discussed issues in society, politics, and academia, because of the levels of pollution, and its toxic properties. During the Middle Ages the Black Forest was one of the most successful mining areas in Southwestern Germany. Historical records show that Sulzburg was a mining town in the Black Forest since the 10th century, but was abandoned in the 19th century. Nowadays this town is considered as an important recreation area in the country. Therefore, soil and water quality and any contamination are of great concern. …

Effect Of Acid-Alkaline And Thermal Pre-Treatment To Cassava Pulp Feed For Batch Reactors In Optimization Of Bio-Methane Yield, Htay A. Pyae, Nittaya Boontian, Usa Yingchon, Chatlada Piasai

Applied Environmental Research

Cassava starch mills in Nakhon Ratchasimaprovince operate biogas plants to generate renewable energy from surplus cassava pulp using anaerobic digestion (AD) technologies. However, the biogas yields fluctuate and digestion failure occurs due to suboptimal digester configuration and lack of understanding of the specific properties of cassava pulp substrate. This study used acid-alkaline and thermal pre-treatment to modify the cassava pulp substrate to enhance biogas yields. Concentrated 36N sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and 20M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was chosen as an acid-alkaline pre-treatment to adjust to the required pH for the substrates, and 45 minat 200 °C for the thermal pre-treatment. Extreme …

Risk Management Of Lead And Arsenic Poisoning In Children Through Public Participation In Communities Near Abandoned Tin Mine, Southern Thailand, Anchalee Pongkaset, Banchong Witthayawirasak

Applied Environmental Research

Tamtalu Subdistrict, Bannangsta District in Yala Province, southern Thailand was the site of an abandoned tin mine, and was contaminated by lead and arsenic from the mine tailings. As children are a high risk group from these highly toxic contaminants, this study aimed to identify approaches to reduce children's exposure in the area. The study was conducted through participatory action research (PAR) to empower the community strengthen sustainable risk management. The participants were local public health officials, public health volunteers, parents of local children and local community leaders. The participants were engaged in activities relating to risk communication, training on …

Quantification Of Environmental Flow Requirement Of The Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam Using Hydrological-Hydraulic-Habitat Simulation Methods, Penpicha Nakvachara, Areeya Rittima, Yutthana Talaluxmana

Applied Environmental Research

With increased water demand, reservoir operation has become more complex with the need to quantify the exact amount of water needed for each demand sector. The environmental flow requirement, also known as instream flow is regarded as the first-prioritized objective of the multipurpose water resources projects in Thailand. The capability of reservoirs in Thailand to allocate water for environmental needs depends on available supply, strategies and operating policy. Therefore, this study aims to assess the environmental flow requirements of Khun Dan PrakanChon Dam using three methods; 1) the hydrological method (Tennant, Tessmann, 7Q10, FDC, and VMF), 2) hydraulic method (R2CROSS …

Soil Organic Carbon And Mineralization Rates At The Woolsey Wet Prairie Mitigation Site In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Zachary Tipton

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are higher than ever recorded, surpassing 400 ppm in 2013, from a pre-industrial revolution level of around 280 ppm. Researchers have been looking at methods to mitigate high CO2 levels in the atmosphere, including promoting carbon sequestration in soils. Carbon sequestration is the process where CO2 is naturally or artificially transferred out of the atmosphere and stored in the ocean, plant biomass, soils, and geologic formations. Seemingly contradictory to the notion of carbon sequestration, is the use of fire as a management treatment for the restoration of native prairie grass ecosystems. Fire combusts plant biomass …

An Analysis Of Litter Management Strategies In Olmos Basin Park: Evaluating Problems And Solutions, Willa M. Rubin

Environmental Studies

Olmos Basin Park is historically significant, biologically diverse and centrally located, yet it is decimated by trash. The park is predisposed to trash accumulation because of its geography and municipal setting. There are currently a few different litter management strategies active in the park. They include a contracted clean-up, the potential installation of a Bandalong Litter Trap^TM Device, various Volunteer-Led clean-up projects, education focused strategies, and legal strategies. None of these strategies have been effective in significantly reducing the trash problem in Olmos Basin Park. A plastic bag ban, especially on that works within the frame work of existing …

No Farms No Food? A Response To Baylen Linnekin, Joshua Ulan Galperin

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

You have likely seen the bumper sticker, bold white text on a green background, reading “No Farms No Food.” The sticker is a product of, and in fact a tagline for, the American Farmland Trust. On the one hand, the point is obvious: As American Farmland Trust puts it, “[e]very meal on our plates [c]ontains ingredients grown on a farm. We all need farms to survive.” On the other hand, what seems like a plain statement on its face, “no farms no food,” is not so simple. Farms produce affordable food, they produce vast quantities of food, they produce healthy …

Impact Of Disinfectant Type, Concentration, And Contact Time On Bactericidal Efficacy Against Healthcare-Associated Pathogens, Alyssa M. West

Open Access Theses

Transmission of healthcare-associated infections caused by antibiotic- and multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens, (e.g. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa) are a major concern in patient care facilities. Disinfectant usage is critical to control and prevent pathogen transmission, yet the relationships among strain, disinfectant type, contact time, and concentration are not well-characterized. Furthermore, many healthcare facilities use pre-wetted disinfectant towelettes for surface disinfection, as they are an easy-to-use solution. Yet, there is a limited consensus as to whether a surface needs to remain wet for the full label contact time after the disinfectant towelette has been used, in order for complete …

Spatial Dynamics And Mixing Of Bluefin Tuna In The Atlantic Ocean And Mediterranean Sea Revealed Using Next-Generation Sequencing, Gregory N. Puncher, Alessia Cariani, Gregory E. Maes, Jeroen Van Houdt, Koen Herten, Rita Cannas, Naiara Rodriguez-Ezpeleta, Aitor Albania, Andone Estonba, Molly Lutcavage, Alex Hanke, Jay Rooker, James S. Franks, Joseph M. Quattro, Gualtiero Basilone, Igaratza Fraile, Urtzi Laconcha, Nicolas Goñi, Ai Kimoto, David Macías, Francisco Alemany, Simeon Deguara, Salem W. Zgozi, Fulvio Garibaldi, Isik K. Oray, Firdes Saadet Karakulak, Noureddine Abid, Miguel N. Santos, Piero Addis, Haritz Arrizabalaga, Fausto Tinti

Faculty Publications

The Atlantic bluefin tuna is a highly migratory species emblematic of the challenges associated with shared fisheries management. In an effort to resolve the species’ stock dynamics, a genomewide search for spatially informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was undertaken, by way of sequencing reduced representation libraries. An allele frequency approach to SNP discovery was used, combining the data of 555 larvae and young‐of‐the‐year (LYOY) into pools representing major geographical areas and mapping against a newly assembled genomic reference. From a set of 184,895 candidate loci, 384 were selected for validation using 167 LYOY. A highly discriminatory genotyping panel of 95 …

Environmental Deterioration In Contemporary Appalachian Literature: A Biblical Ecocritical Analysis Of Serena And Strange As This Weather Has Been, Alexandria C. Craft

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ron Rash’s Serena and Ann Pancake’s Strange as This Weather Has Been are two contemporary Appalachian novels that have yet to be analyzed from a biblical ecocritical perspective. While some literary scholars acknowledge the environmental aspects of the novels, little of their research goes beyond examining the land and its resources as commodities or metaphorical extensions for the characters. In this thesis, I elaborate on those interpretations by scrutinizing the natural descriptions in both novels and comparing those findings to some of the landscapes and environmental verses located within the Bible. Unlike the pastoral ideal found in a portion of …

Plant Community Composition And Structure Monitoring At Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, 2017 Data Summary Report, Stephanie L. Rockwood

United States National Park Service: Publications

Abstract

This report presents the results of vegetation monitoring efforts in 2017 at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument (AGFO) by the Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network (NGPN) and the Northern Great Plains Fire Effects Program (NGPFire). This was the seventh year of field work conducted by NGPN at AGFO.

In 2017, crew members from NGPN visited six long-term plant community monitoring (PCM) plots and NGPFire visited eight additional PCM and fire plant community monitoring (FPCM) plots to collect data on the plant communities at AGFO. This collaborative effort is part of a long-term monitoring program established to better …

Food Localization: Empowering Community Food Systems Through The Farm Bill, Brian Albert Fink, Alexandra Oakley Schluntz, Joshua Ulan Galperin

Journal of Food Law & Policy

More diverse and value-driven public engagement has transformed the American food system. This engagement has changed the behavior of industries, consumers, policymakers, and communities. At the heart of this change is the drive among countless individuals and organizations to promote a wider variety of food choices and shape the food system in harmony with their values. Despite the local and sovereign nature of this engagement, federal food and agricultural policies have contributed substantially to this transformation of the American food system. In isolation, many of these policies support discrete programs and individuals. In the aggregate, these policies strengthen different facets …

Shipworms And The Making Of The American Coastline, Derek Lee Nelson

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation tells the forgotten history of the American teredo epidemic. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, an assortment of native and invasive wood-boring marine organisms, known collectively as “teredo,” swept through the ports and harbors of the United States. Teredo’s penchant for wood, both for shelter and sustenance, made wharves and wooden ships easy targets. Because teredo enters timber as tiny juveniles, and grows to maturity beyond view, it was often detectable only after a wharf had collapsed or a ship had sunk. Teredo’s unpredictability grated on people so much so that the borer was rarely mentioned …

Impacts And Management Of Foliar Pathogens Of Eastern White Pine (Pinus Strobus) In The Northeastern United States, Cameron Ducayet Mcintire

Doctoral Dissertations

White Pine Needle Damage (WPND) is a complex of foliar fungal pathogens currently impacting forests in the Northeastern US. Since ca. 2009, chlorosis and defoliation caused by WPND has been observed in stands of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L) throughout the region. A changing climate, notably warmer temperatures and higher than average spring precipitation in the region are thought to be exacerbating the establishment and spread of these native pathogens. The goals of this research are to enhance the understanding of the timing and magnitude of WPND-induced defoliations across infected stands, assess the physiological response of trees affected by …

Executive Summary_Feasibility Of Harbor-Wide Barrier Systems: Preliminary Analysis For Boston Harbor, Paul Kirshen

Sustainable Solutions Lab

This report presents a preliminary feasibility assessment of harbor-wide barrier systems designed to protect Boston Harbor from coastal flooding caused by sea level rise (SLR) and storm surges. Conducted by the Sustainable Solutions Lab at the University of Massachusetts Boston and supported by the Boston Green Ribbon Commission, the study evaluates two primary configurations: an Outer Harbor Barrier (OHB) and an Inner Harbor Barrier (IHB). Using hydrodynamic modeling, economic cost-benefit analysis, and social vulnerability assessments, the study finds that while both barrier systems may reduce risk from extreme storm events, they do not mitigate regular tidal flooding without frequent gate …

21st Century Stewardship: The Role Of Educational Equity In School Sustainability Programs, Marissa Page

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

In light of the increasingly devastating consequences of climate change and the generational inequity involved, there is an urgent need to educate our youth on environmental issues and empower them with opportunities to effect positive change. This research focuses on the problem of inconsistent sustainability programs on school campuses, investigates causal factors and identifies areas for transformation. While many prior studies address the significance of sustainability and the key components of successful school waste reduction, energy conservation and environmental education, this study builds on prior research by considering school sustainability programs through a lens of equity and organizational systems. This …

A Localized Sourcing Model For The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap), Claire H. Burrus

Environmental Studies

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally funded public food program that combats food insecurity by providing credits to SNAP recipients for the purchase of food products. SNAP is effective in addressing hunger, a symptom of poverty, but is ineffective at addressing nutritional inequity, another symptom of poverty, and is also ineffective at addressing the roots of poverty itself. I propose a localized sourcing model for SNAP which addresses both the symptoms and roots of poverty by improving the capacity of the policy to address nutritional inequity and economic injustices. The localized sourcing model benefits the communities in …

Irrigation Practice Adoption: Causes And Consequences In The Arkansas Delta, Kerr James Adams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Concerns about groundwater depletion from conventional irrigation agriculture in the Arkansas Delta region have led to the promotion of more efficient irrigation practices. With Arkansas being the largest producer of rice, the 10th largest producer of soybeans and the 16th largest producer of corn in the United States, the irrigation demand of these crops has put pressure on producers to find ways to irrigate more efficiently. Not only are the alternative technologies supposed to reduce water use, it is also believed that their adoption can also yield economic benefits for the producer. Despite these assumed benefits, adoption of alternative technologies …

The Positive Developments And Applications Of Geospatial Technologies In Archaeology On Fort Benning, Georgia, Jane Mader

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the advantages of using geospatial technologies in the field of archaeology. The purpose of this study, conducted on Site 9CE16 on Fort Benning, Georgia, was to examine the ways in which Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be used to more accurately depict artifacts and features present on archaeological sites. With the research I gathered, I constructed an updated site map which can be viewed in Figures 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3. The map produced includes more features than were initially mapped at Site 9CE16 and help paint a clearer picture of the structures which existed at the original …

The Relationship Between Science And Policy, Michaela Warren

Senior Honors Projects

Increased human development and its adverse effects on nature require that our society establish new environmental policies to address these. The implementation and/or modification of environmental policies and regulations comes with its challenges. Evidence-based scientific discoveries play a key part in making effective environmental policy. Without access to and transmission of scientific information, environmental mangers and politicians have no basis to support regulatory changes. Similarly, scientists that do not engage with environmental managers and politicians are restricted developing their scholarly findings into active reform. Growth of environmental protection relies on managers, policy makers, and scientists being aware of each other …

Environmental Injustice: A Public Health Problem In Chattanooga, Daimeshia Seay

Honors Theses

The concept of environmental injustice stems from the building of environmentally harmful infrastructure in minority communities. These communities are disproportionally subjected to increased environmental risk than other areas of society. As there is a large minority and impoverished population on the Southside of Chattanooga these issues are prevalent. Hamilton County was determined as a hotspot for childhood lead poisoning. The EPA began testing the soil for lead, but residents have not seen efforts to completely resolve the issue. In this study, a survey was used to assess community awareness of the lead contaminated soil and to highlight the aspects of …

Salve Regina Arboretum Ten Year Plan To Reach Level Iii Accreditation, Jameson Chace, Helen Papp, Allyson Gilbert, Madeline Lark, Kyle Mcguire, Krysta Tsangarides, Madisen Archibald, Meghan Beals, Mackenzie Begley, Meagan Clickner, Makayla B. Cormier, Erin H. Donovan, Paige Dostie, Luke A. Gagnon, Micaela Griffin, Dana Johnson, Kunsang C. Lama, Kyle A. Macleod, Shannon A. Miller, Megan Moschetti, Amanda Munoz, Jennifer O'Connell, Erin O'Neill, Emily A. Riley, Alejandro C. Rojas, Ryan T. Senecal, Delaney A. Smith, Nicholas J. Sousa, Karolyne N. Stimpson, Sabrina Vieira, Mckenzie R. Wood

BIO 255 Conservation Biology

The Salve Regina University Arboretum, located in Newport, Rhode Island is currently registered as a Level II arboretum and is intertwined with the city of Newport Arboretum. The university now has intentions to reach Level III status, as part of a ten-year plan. This plan was developed by the students of the Spring 2018 BIO 255: Conservation Biology course, instructed by Dr. Jameson Chace, Associate Professor of biology at Salve Regina University. As part of a curriculum geared towards civic engagement, the class focused on creating and optimizing strategies that can be applied to the ten-year plan. These strategies were …

What Is It Like To Become A Bat? Heterogeneities In An Age Of Extinction, Stephanie Erev

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

In his celebrated 1974 essay “What Is It Like to Be a Bat?,” Thomas Nagel stages a human-bat encounter to illustrate and support his claim that “subjective experience” is irreducible to “objective fact”: because Nagel cannot experience the world as a bat does, he will never know what it is like to be one. In Nagel’s account, heterogeneity is figured negatively— as a failure or lack of resemblance—and functions to constrain his knowledge of bats. Today, as white-nose syndrome threatens bat populations across North America, might figuring heterogeneity positively, as a condition of creativity, open up new modes of receptivity …

Feasibility Of Harbor-Wide Barrier Systems: Preliminary Analysis For Boston Harbor, Paul Kirshen

Sustainable Solutions Lab

This report presents a preliminary feasibility assessment of harbor-wide barrier systems designed to protect Boston Harbor from coastal flooding caused by sea level rise (SLR) and storm surges. Conducted by the Sustainable Solutions Lab at the University of Massachusetts Boston and supported by the Boston Green Ribbon Commission, the study evaluates two primary configurations: an Outer Harbor Barrier (OHB) and an Inner Harbor Barrier (IHB). Using hydrodynamic modeling, economic cost-benefit analysis, and social vulnerability assessments, the study finds that while both barrier systems may reduce risk from extreme storm events, they do not mitigate regular tidal flooding without frequent gate …