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Wildfire Smoke: Trends, Challenges, Unknowns, And Human Response, Mariah Dawn Fowler

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Wildfire smoke is a growing threat to human livelihood in the Western United States. The economic and the health burden of smoke is accelerating in response to a growing fire season and escalating fire activity. This study first evaluates the trends in air quality over Boise, Idaho and the entire Northwest (and Montana) to assess the impacts of wildfire smoke in the region. The Mann-Kendall trend analysis shows that there is a statistically significant trend in the average and maximum air quality index (AQI) during the fire season (July-August-September) in the Boise area. The AQI shows a decreasing trend, although …

Service-Learning In An Introductory Environmental Science Course: How Participation Impacts Course Content Knowledge And Agency, Mari Rice

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Service-learning (SL) is a high-impact pedagogical strategy that has been shown to have both cognitive and affective benefits for students and has the potential to engage and involve a more demographically diverse spectrum of students into the field of STEM. However, research on the impacts of SL in STEM courses is limited, and therefore there is a great need to identify the specific outcomes linked to participation. In addition, faculty from STEM fields have been hesitant to incorporate SL into their curriculum due to perceptions that it lacks academic rigor. This purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to examine …

Comment On Rojas-Bracho And Colleagues (2019): Unsubstantiated Claims Can Lead To Tragic Conservation Outcomes, Karl W. Flessa, Luis Calderon-Aguilera, Carlos E. Cintra-Buenrostro, David L. Dettman, Gregory P. Dietl, David H. Goodwin, David K. Jacobs, Michal Kowalewski, Steven M. Nelson, Kirsten Rowell, Bernard R. Schone, Jansen A. Smith, Francisco Zamora-Arroyo

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The vaquita’s decline is a tragic story indeed. However, the lack of action to prevent the extinction of this species is not due to unsubstantiated claims and scientific uncertainty.

Environmental Law In The United States, Howard J. Bromberg, Joshua I. Barrett

Book Chapters

Environmental law in the United States comprises a complex patchwork of federal, state, and local statutes and regulations, along with the traditions of common law. Most statutory environmental programs emerged in the second half of the twentieth century. In the 1960s, writings such as Rachel Carson's Silent Spring (1962) fueled environmental awareness in the United States; the first Earth Day, celebrated on April 22, 1970, symbolized the birth of vironmental law entered a new era in 1970, when President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act and the 1970 Clean …

El Leñador, May 2019, El Leñador Staff

El Leñador Newspaper

El Leñador is an English and Spanish newspaper produced by Humboldt State University students. Our staff cover and provide news to Latinx and other diverse communities on campus and in Humboldt County. We are committed to providing relevant news and expanding the representations and stories told about people of color and other marginalized groups. Our work helps create more social, political and cultural diversity in local media.

El Leñador es un periodico en español y inglés producido por estudiantes de la Universidad Estatal de Humboldt. Nuestro personal cubre y provee noticias a la comunidad Latinx y otras comunidades diversas en …

Development And Sensitivity Of The West Antarctic Ice Sheet Tested From Drill Records Of The Amundsen Sea Embayment, Karsten Gohl, Julia S. Wellner, Adam Klaus, Thorsten Bauersachs, Steven M. Bohaty, Margot Courtillat, Ellen A. Cowan, Mariana S.R. Esteves, Marcelo A. De Lira Mota, John M. Fegyveresi, Thomas Frederichs, Liang Gao, Anna Ruth Halberstadt, Claus Dieter Hillenbrand, Keiji Horikawa, Masao Iwai, Ji Hoon Kim, Theresa M. King, Johann P. Klages, Sandra Passchier, Michelle L. Penkrot, Joseph G. Prebble, Waliur Rahaman, Benedict T.I. Reinardy, Johan Renaudie, Delaney E. Robinson, Reed P. Scherer, Christine S. Siddoway, Li Wu, Masako Yamane

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The Amundsen Sea sector of Antarctica has long been considered the most vulnerable part of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) because of the great water depth at the grounding line and the absence of substantial ice shelves. Glaciers in this configuration are thought to be susceptible to rapid or runaway retreat. Ice flowing into the Amundsen Sea Embayment is undergoing the most rapid changes of any sector of the Antarctic Ice Sheet outside the Antarctic Peninsula, including changes caused by substantial grounding-line retreat over recent decades, as observed from satellite data. Recent models suggest that a threshold leading to …

The Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group Reflections On The Building Blocks For An International Framework, Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.

Reimagining The Potential Of Earth Observations For Ecosystem Service Assessments, Frank Muller-Karger

Marine Science Faculty Publications

The benefits nature provides to people, called ecosystem services, are increasingly recognized and accounted for in assessments of infrastructure development, agricultural management, conservation prioritization, and sustainable sourcing. These assessments are often limited by data, however, a gap with tremendous potential to be filled through Earth observations (EO), which produce a variety of data across spatial and temporal extents and resolutions. Despite widespread recognition of this potential, in practice few ecosystem service studies use EO. Here, we identify challenges and opportunities to using EO in ecosystem service modeling and assessment. Some challenges are technical, related to data awareness, processing, and access. …

Developing Stem Identity Of Nez Perce Students: Identifying Entry-Level Competencies For Forestry And Fire Management, Raymond A. Dixon, Karla Eitel, Yudi Zhu

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The purpose of this study was to identify the competencies that are required for entry-level forestry and fire management technicians. The strategy is a part of a larger goal to develop the STEM identity of Nez Perce students through the integration of relevant competencies in middle and high school curriculums. The DACUM process was used. Through this groupware process, nine experts from the Nez Perce Natural Resources produced a competency profile consisting of 12 duties and 79 tasks, along with general knowledge and skills, attitudes, tools, and future trends. Findings indicate that the experts view relevant cultural competencies as central …

Reconstructing Barrier Island Behavior From Overstepped Deposits And Relict Onshore Morphology : Modeling And Field Approaches, Daniel James Ciarletta

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Barrier Islands comprise 10% of the Earth’s shorelines, fringing every continent except Antarctica. Despite their ubiquity, much about the medium to long-term evolution of these coastal systems remain poorly understood, mostly due to the destruction of the geologic record as barriers migrate landward under the influence of rising sea level. Even where modern barriers and related strandplain systems have prograded and regressed, leaving evidence of their former geometries in the form of relict shorelines, field investigations often require intensive labor and time commitments to interpret past evolution. In this work, several investigations are undertaken to use novel numerical modeling techniques …

Mount Carmel Community Garden: Developing Community Involvement, Andy Bayliss, Ainslie Eck, Kiran Grewal

Coal Region Field Station Student Projects

This report describes efforts to increase volunteer activity with the Mount Carmel Community garden. The 36 page report highlights needs and assets, benefits of community gardens, strategies for developing community involvement, and results from a community focus group and survey on increasing participation with the garden. The research and outreach was conducted in partnership with local stakeholders, a Master Gardener, as well as an Americorps VISTA hosted by the Place Studies program of the Bucknell Center for Sustainability and the Environment.

Students produced this report as part of Environmental Studies 411 (ENST 411), a senior capstone course taught by Prof. …

Green Stormwater Infrastructure Assessments In Santa Clara County, Ca: An In-Situ Analysis Of Select Bioretention Projects, Laura Bates

Master's Theses

Stormwater runoff, defined as rainwater that flows over impervious surfaces, is both an under-harnessed groundwater resource and the leading contributor to water body impairments due to the number of pollutants it can transport. One widely successful strategy to capture and treat stormwater runoff is to implement Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI): engineered green spaces to enhance the overall environmental quality of an urban landscape. GSI projects, particularly bioretention systems, capture and treat stormwater runoff through infiltration and plant absorption before it reaches receiving bodies of water. In order to operate efficiently, GSI systems require specific maintenance procedures. The purpose of this …

Avocado Root Rot: Steep, Rocky Terrain And Biodiversity Help Protect Small Farmers In Post-Conflict Colombia, Morgan Frankel

Master's Theses

In recent years, small avocado producers in coastal Colombia returned to their farms after decades of war to discover they must battle the pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi devastating their trees. While this disease is well-described in the U.S., Australia, and Europe, no previous research has examined environmental correlates of P. cinnamomi in avocado in the diverse tropical agroecosystem of the Colombian Montes de Maria. I used agroecosystem inventory, in-field diagnostics, and disease observations to describe avocado agroecosystem diversity and identify relationships among P. cinnamomi presence, root rot disease, slope, pH, soil compaction, elevation, and distance to the household in remote smallholder …

Photovoltaic Waste Management And Implementing Extended Producer Responsibility In The Solar Industry In California, Lee-Tan Lu

Master's Theses

Electronic waste issues impact humans and the environment, primarily because most industrial designs have not considered the impact of products when they reach their end-of-life (EOL) stage. This study focuses on photovoltaic (PV) modules that are widely installed in California residential properties. While PV modules do not generate waste while operating, they will become waste at the end of their expected lifespan of 25 to 40 years. Thus, it is important to identify PV waste management strategies before the materials in the modules become a discard problem. In California, despite hazardous materials that are used in the production of PV …

Pond Occupancy By Western Pond Turtles In The Diablo Range Of Santa Clara County, California, Billy Tu

Master's Theses

The loss of natural habitat is one the primary drivers for species decline worldwide. Artificially, created habitat in human-altered landscapes can help supplement or enhance habitat for threatened wildlife populations. The western pond turtle (Emys pallida), a species declining in California, depends on aquatic habitats for its survival, but can use human-created livestock ponds in lieu of natural aquatic habits. This study examined the extent to which western pond turtle used livestock ponds in Santa Clara County, CA, and the importance of key habitat features in the turtle occupancy of livestock ponds. From March 2017 to September 2017, I conducted …

Using The Forestry Reclamation Approach For Reclaimed Surface Mineland In The Western Gulf: Effects On Pinus Taeda Seedling Growth And Survival, Cassie Phillips, Jeremy Stovall, Hans Williams, Kenneth Farrish

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While land reclamation efforts of surface mines have considerably increased soil stability since the implementation of SMCRA (Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act), research suggests that resulting soil compaction hinders the productivity of forests post-mining. The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) was developed to improve forest health in the Appalachian region through a five-step process that minimizes soil compaction and establishes a productive forest. The FRA has not yet been tested in the western Gulf Coastal Plain (GCP). The higher clay content of some GCP soils and the dearth of coarse fragments (e.g. cobbles, stones and boulders) may affect reclamation practices …

The Value Of Farmland: Mapping Assessor Data To Understand Land Use Change, Lyndi Perry

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ideas developed by regional economists have potential applications within the urban planning field. One potential application is toward conserving farmland, and within this thesis this topic is examined for the study area of Utah County, Utah. Using assessor data, a land value map is created and further used to develop a regional economic model and spatial models that were analyzed for patterns of land use change.

Findings show that representing land value as continuous surface maps is a useful approach. The maps reveal that Utah County has densified as its population increased while farmland loss still occurred in agriculturally-important areas. …

Long-Term Monitoring Of Rare Gypsum Communities In The Eastern Mojave Desert: A Study In Science And Art, Tiffany Jane-Marie Pereira

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

For land managers, reliable estimates of soil seed banks, and more specifically, change in seed banks over time, provide insight into the restoration and regeneration potential of the landscape, site history and disturbance mapping, and, invasive and rare plant management. To understand the intricacies of desert soil seed banks in relation to aboveground vegetation change, my research evaluated long-term change in soil seed banks, fertile islands, and plant communities of conservation-priority gypsum rare plant habitat of the eastern Mojave Desert. Research found significant spatial and temporal differences in seed bank composition and density over an 11-year period; however, the gypsum …

Food Insecurity Among University Of Nebraska–Lincoln Students, Lindsey Bremer

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

A survey of 38 University of Nebraska-Lincoln students was conducted to determine the food insecurity levels of respondents. Food insecurity is defined as limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways (Bickel et al, 2000). A systematic review of 8 food security studies on college and university students found an average food insecurity level of 43.5%, (Nazmi et al, 2018) while the national level is 11.8% (Coleman-Jensen et al, 2017). The research was driven by the question, What is the food insecurity rate among University …

Student Perception Of Industrial Agriculture: Effects On Migrant Workers And The Environment, Brigitta Bogue, Emma Sorensen

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Companies such as Tyson Foods and Costco are creating problems through their use of industrial farming practices in Nebraska, such as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and monocropping, to generate profit at the cost of humans and the environment. Those most affected are migrant farmworkers from Mexico. The environment is threatened because CAFOs generate greenhouse gases, and pollute nearby waterways with nitrogen. This paper addresses the following research questions: Are students’ perceptions of industrial agricultural companies, such as Costco and Tyson, positive or negative? Are students aware of these issues? How do these perceptions affect issues of sustainability and environmental …

Exploring How Animals Are Viewed In Society Over The Past 150 Years Within Classic Children's Literary Works, Ambrosia Keefe

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

How Do Non-Formal Environmental Education Experiences Shape Pro-Environmental Behavior, Megan Petsch

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This paper attempts to define what behaviors are, what motivates behavior, and how environmental education programs can shape pro-environmental behavior using three factors: social interaction, program structure, and various teaching methods. Data was gathered using a systematic literature review that looked at the purpose and objectives of the paper, methods used for collecting data such as demographics (age, race, gender, location, etc.), the papers focused areas of research, and results. A thematic analysis was also used to code collected data into the themes. The themes that emerged while analyzing the data include social interactions, program structure, and teaching methods. Results …

Barriers Influencing The Success Of Green Teams, Jessica Van Buskirk

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This paper summarizes the barriers Green Teams in a variety of settings may face. A survey was sent to members of a Green Team project at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) to obtain information on barriers faced in order to compare these barriers to other organizations and businesses barriers. This comparison was done by conducting a thematic analysis, which grouped barriers into themes. The themes were compiled and recommendations on how to overcome those barriers were made. Green Teams have many benefits including waste reduction, increased employee satisfaction, and saving the planet from further damage. This study tries to maximize …

Consumer Response To Sustainable Practices Within The Fashion Industry, Gage Mruz

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This study was conducted online through an environmental company called Greenstain, a registered LLC who provides environmentally sustainable solutions and plants a tree for every item they sell. The purpose of the study is to analyze consumer response to the eco-friendly apparel and other sustainable solutions offered by Greenstain after educating consumers on the extent to which the fashion industry is impacting the natural environment and the practices they can utilize to reduce these negative impacts. The sample size included any person with access to Google, Facebook, and Instagram. Scientists in the world have reached an overwhelming consensus that climate …

The Role Of Dendrology In Analyzing Past Climatic And Historical, Anna Sonnenfeld

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The study of dendroclimatology uses tree growth responses to climate variables to reconstruct regional, national, and global chronologies from tree-rings (Speer, 2010). The species of focus was Q. macrocarpa (bur oak) located in Spring Creek Prairie because of its potential to hold a chronological history of environmental limitations and management practices in the area. The objective of this research is to: 1) determine the impact of available soil moisture on the annual growth of Q. macrocarpa in Wachiska Woods, 2) determine the effect of management practices on Q. macrocarpa annual growth in Wachiska Woods. Eight Q. macrocarpa specimens were identified; …

Age Structures And Growth Patterns Of Aplodinotus Grunniens In The Red River Of The North, Manitoba, Canada, Kaitlyn Elder

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

A fishery and its components are an integral part of society and contribute not only economically, but also socially and physically to the health and well-being of many countries. There are approximately 12.5 million people who are employed in fishery-related careers, and according to the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration, there were over 33.1 million people who fished recreationally. To successfully manage a fish population, one must have a well-rounded knowledge about the species and the environment it inhabits. There is very little previous research done on the growth of Aplodinotus grunniens, otherwise known as freshwater drum (FWD), making it …

The Shape Study : The Survey Of Health And The Perceived Environment Study., Colette Patrice Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Few studies have considered how an individual’s perception of their built environment may be a risk factor for being overweight or obese. Adolescents may be particularly vulnerable in the context of “impoverished environments”, which they may perceive to be difficult, dangerous, resource deficient, and unaesthetic. This study aids in clarifying how the built environment influences the risk of obesity among adolescents residing in a neighborhood in Louisville, KY. Objective: The overall objective was to conduct a cross-sectional epidemiologic pilot study among adolescents aged 12-17 years residing in West Louisville, Kentucky to evaluate the association between perceptions of …

Updated Basis Knowledge Of Climate Change Summarized From The First Part Of Thailand's Second Assessment Report On Climate Change, Atsamon Limsakul, Boonlue Kachenchart, Patama Singhruck, Suriyan Saramul, Jerasorn Santisirisomboon, Somkiat Apipattanavis

Applied Environmental Research

Recent evidence and key issues on climate change in Thailand have been presented in the first part of Thailand's Second Assessment Report on Climate Change (2ndTRAC). The report highlights key findings including 1) a significant country-wide warming of 1.30 oC over the past 48 years (1970-2017); b) significant changes in rainfall patterns at smaller spatial and finer temporal scales; c) significant changes in temperature and rainfall extreme events over the last four-five decades; d) a significant decrease in frequency of tropical cyclones entering Thailand; e) significant rise in sea level in the seas around Thailand at higher rates than the …

Preliminary Study Of Distribution And Quantity Of Plastic-Debris On Beaches Along The Coast At Phuket Province, Pensiri Akkajit, Sudarat Thongnonghin, Siriporn Sriraksa, Supissara Pumsri

Applied Environmental Research

The beach sediment samples from Kalim, Tri Trang, and Patong Beaches, Phuket Province, southern of Thailand were collected for preliminary investigation on coastal debris. A total of 9 samples were taken from a 1 x 1 m quadrat at the depth of 5 cm, parallel with the shore during the period of maximum low tides in November, 2018. Microplastics (particles size < 5 mm) were extracted using sodium chloride (1.15 g mL-1) and their characteristics- including abundance (items m-2), weight (g), density (itemsm-2), color and shape- were determined using a stereo microscope. The results showed that microplastic debris varied in abundance from 1 to 35 items m-2 at the three selected beaches, depending on sampling location. In comparison, abundance of macroplastic (> 2.5 cm) and mesoplastic debris (5 mm to 2.5 cm) varied from 1 item m-2 quadrat (Kalim Beach) to 38 items (Patong Beach), 9 items (Tri Trang Beach) and 68 items (Patong Beach) m-2. Blue fibers were predominant among …

Utilization Of Fruit Waste For Bioethanol Production By Co-Cultures Of Aspergillus Niger And Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Nutchanat Chamchoi

Applied Environmental Research

The purpose of this research was to study the effectiveness of simultaneous fermentation offruit waste with co-cultures of Aspergillus niger TISTR 3063 and Saccharomyces cerevisiaeTISTR 5606 in production of ethanol. The effect of fermentation temperature on ethanol yield was also observed. Pomelo and banana peels were selected as substrates and prepared by chopping into small rectangular pieces. Fermentation of batches of fruit waste was carriedout using a 250mL Erlenmeyer flask with glucose as a control. Analysis of the composition of the fruit waste included sugar, pH, TS, VS, ash, moisture, COD and TKN. From the results, it was found that …