Digital Commons Network^™

Genetic And Environmental Drivers Of Migratory Behavior In Western Burrowing Owls And Implications For Conservation And Management, Kelly Barr, Christen M. Bossu, Rachael A. Bay, Eric C. Anderson, Jim Belthoff, Lynne A. Trulio, Debra Chromczak, Colleen L. Wisinski, Thomas B. Smith, Kristen C. Ruegg

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Migration is driven by a combination of environmental and genetic factors, but many questions remain about those drivers. Potential interactions between genetic and environmental variants associated with different migratory phenotypes are rarely the focus of study. We pair low coverage whole genome resequencing with a de novo genome assembly to examine population structure, inbreeding, and the environmental factors associated with genetic differentiation between migratory and resident breeding phenotypes in a species of conservation concern, the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea). Our analyses reveal a dichotomy in gene flow depending on whether the population is resident or migratory, with the …

Removing Toxic Dyes From Aqueous Medium By Trichoderma-Graphain Oxide Aerogel, Shaimaa Satae M Ali, Rana Hadi Hameed Al-Shammari, Ayad M.J. Al-Mamoori

Baghdad Science Journal

Toxic dyes are commonly discharged into waste waters and dyes are extensively used in the textile industry so it is necessary to find out efficient and eco-friendly method for treating waste waters resulting from industrial effluences. To achieve this aim the fungus Trichoderma sp. is employed into two lines: first line was self – immobilized fungal pellets in (Czapek – Dox medium) to adsorbs two dyes crystal violet, congo red by concentrations 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, 0.06 mg/L to both dyes, PH 2, room temperature with shaker in ( hrs.2,hrs.4,hrs.24) , by Uv- Visible spectrum . the removal efficiency …

Security Challenges And The Survival Of Democracy In Nigeria: An Assessment Of Niger East Senatorial District, Niger State, Yahuza Danjuma Izom

Journal of Terrorism Studies

The study assessed security challenges in relation to survival of democracy in Nigeria with focus on Niger East Senatorial District. The methodology adopted for the study is descriptive research. The population of the study was drawn from nine local government areas that constituted the district with a population of 1,513,469 (NPC, 2006). Sample size of 380 was used and the sampling technique was simple random sampling technique. Questionnaire was used as the research instrument which was well structured in two parts. Part (A) is the biodata of the respondent and part (B) was on the subject matter of the research …

Power Projection And Counter-Terrorism: Strategies For Small States Like Brunei Darussalam, Brice Tseen Fu Lee, Gulshan Bibi Ms

Journal of Terrorism Studies

This study delves into the intricacies of power projection strategies and counter-terrorism measures, emphasizing their relevance to small states, with a specific focus on Brunei Darussalam. Using a dual matrix model, the research categorizes various strategies based on risk-reward parameters, offering a structured insight into potential approaches these states can employ against potential aggressors. The counter-terrorism matrix is the initial focal point, recognizing the contemporary significance of terror threats and their unique challenges for small nations. Subsequently, the power projection matrix offers a broader view of defense tactics beyond counter-terrorism. By synthesizing information from primary academic sources, the study aims …

Impact Of Copper-Containing Products And Irrigation On Hybrid Bermudagrass (Cynodon Dactylon (L.) Pers X C. Transvaalensis Burtt-Davy), Adam Gore

All Dissertations

Copper (Cu) is an often-seen component in various turf industry products including fungicides, algaecides, and colorants. Though an essential micronutrient in plants, excessive levels of Cu has been shown in various plant commodities to cause phytotoxicity and plant death. With the increasing use of pigments on hybrid bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers x. C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy] putting greens to replace overseeding practices during traditional dormant periods combined with regular applications of fungicide, algaecide and spray additives containing Cu, the objective of this study was to investigate the potential impact of individual and combined copper-containing treatments on hybrid bermudagrass and …

Occurrence Of Emerging Contaminants In Greater Houston Watersheds, Risk Assessment, And Toxicological Effects, Sekinat Oluwakemi Atobiloye

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Rapid industrialization and urbanization within the Greater Houston area have driven a surge in anthropogenic activities that affects the burgeoning population. This region stands as one of the most densely inhabited metropolises in the United States, experiencing a substantial population growth of 9.8% from 2010 to 2020, with the population expanding from 5.92 million to 7.14 million. This population boom has been accompanied by an increased reliance on modern conveniences, leading to escalated production and utilization of chemicals such as personal care products, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and heavy metals, all of which pose potential threats to the environment. Although these products …

Understanding The Interaction Of Environmental Contaminants With Polystyrene Nanoparticles And Dna Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy And Density Functional Theory, Saduni Arachchi

All Dissertations

The objective of the thesis is to study the effect of environmental pollutants on polystyrene nanoparticles and biomolecules. This is done in two different techniques, particularly NMR and density functional theory. In this thesis, we use a combination of 1H NMR, Saturation-Transfer Difference (STD) NMR and relaxation experiments to study the interactions, kinetics and dynamics of antibiotics with polystyrene nanoparticles. (PS NPs) Density functional theory (DFT) is used to study the binding of commonly used non-oxidative hair dyes to biomolecules (DNA and amino acids) and PS particles.

Identifying The Disproportionate Impacts Of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Katrina, And Covid-19 On African Americans: A Pandemic Within A Pandemic, Daniella Plaza

Dissertations (2016-Present)

African Americans have endured a disproportionately high amount of exposure to natural and man-made calamities. The racial inequities against African Americans following the hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, and the Coronavirus were examined in this study. Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Harvey took place in two different states, but the low-income vulnerable populations encountered the same outcome which manifested as deteriorating health, lack of rapid assistance from the government, and, the exacerbation of pre-existing conditions. Literature reviews have uncovered political apathy and systemic racism. These people have lost faith in the government as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Harvey, and COVID-19. The results …

The Cluster Analysis By Using Nonparametric Cubic B-Spline Modeling For Longitudinal Data, Noor Nawzat Ahmed, Suhail Najm Abdulla

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Longitudinal data is becoming increasingly common, especially in the medical and economic fields, and various methods have been analyzed and developed to analyze this type of data. In this research, the focus was on compiling and analyzing this data, as cluster analysis plays an important role in identifying and grouping co-expressed subfiles over time and employing them on the nonparametric smoothing cubic B-spline model, which is characterized by providing continuous first and second derivatives, resulting in a smoother curve with fewer abrupt changes in slope. It is also more flexible and can pick up on more complex patterns and fluctuations …

Bridging The Gap: Analyzing The Relationship Between Environmental Justice Awareness On Twitter And Socio-Environmental Factors Using Remote Sensing And Big Data, Charles Knoble, Danlin Yu

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Mounting awareness of the discriminatory distribution of environmental factors has increasingly placed environmental justice at the forefront of discussions on sustainable development, but responses to these disparities are often too little, too late. Remote sensing has emerged as a potential solution to this problem, capitalizing on the ability to capture high-resolution, spatially explicit data in near-real time. However, a conventional reliance on physical measurements and surface-level analyses risks overlooking the experiences and perceptions of affected communities. It is against this backdrop that the potential integration of remote sensing imagery and socially sensed big data such as social media data assumes …

Navigating Roadblocks In Utah's Path Towards Curbing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Emily K. Fletcher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In places where discussions about climate change have become highly political and divided, community groups have attempted to connect rival political parties by focusing on improving air quality. This topic is often less politically charged. The effects of climate change have been disproportionately felt by marginalized communities around the world. In the west side of the Salt Lake Valley, many communities are more likely to experience the negative consequences of a drying lake, a problem that Utah and other regions are currently facing, compared to others in the valley. This research focuses on the individuals who have signed the Utah …

Exploring Social Hierarchy Computationally To Further Our Understanding Of Social Organizations Within Their Environments, Stanley L. Rhodes Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Hierarchy is ever-present across countless human societies, a seemingly inescapable reality of small organizations and national governments. However, there is a lot about hierarchy we don’t understand, and if we want to make better organizations and better society, it is crucial we learn more about it. This dissertation investigates three questions: 1) “What is hierarchy?” 2) “How is hierarchy useful?” 3) “How does hierarchy vary?” I find that social scientists do not all mean the same thing by hierarchy, even within the same fields; yet, they do consistently write of hierarchy as control (like boss-employee relations), hierarchy as rank (like …

Post-War Restitution In The Republic Of Croatia: Awareness Of The Komza And Reconciliation Of Moveable Property Through Public Sculpture, Anita Govic

Theses

This project is a public sculpture prototype focused on the need for post-war art restitution in the Republic of Croatia: it will have an impact by enhancing public knowledge of the KOMZA list, which offers legal proof for families to retrieve heirlooms taken during WWII and the wars of secession from Yugoslavia.

The sculpture design includes three pillars, two etched with the 1529 names from the KOMZA list and a third that will be progressively built, brick-by-brick, as artworks are restituted. The nature of viewers’ interaction includes access to QR codes that offer links to the KOMZA list, information about …

Food Sovereignty In Indigenous Communities: Extension Programs For Health, Culture, And Resilience, Katherine Hartmann

Journal of Extension

Extension is not equitably serving Indigenous communities due to the effects of colonization in the Land Grant System, a lack of funding, and a lack of understanding of the needs of Indigenous communities. The concept of food sovereignty offers a way to create meaningful educational programming and, despite the inequitable access to services, there are some Extension educators that collaborate with Indigenous communities. To understand these collaborations, I investigated the Western Region of Extension through an interview study. The interviews revealed that educators are facilitating programs having to do with food sovereignty that meet communities’ goals and respect Indigenous sovereignty.

Large-Scale, Collaborative Imagery Survey In Archaeology: The Geospatial Platform For Andean Culture, History And Archaeology (Geopacha), Steven A. Wernke, Parker Van Valkenburgh, James Zimmer-Dauphinee, Bethany Whitlock, Giles Spence Morrow, Ryan Smith, Douglas Smit, Daniel Plekhov, Multiple Additional Authors

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Imagery-based survey is capable of producing archaeological datasets that complement those collected through field-based survey methods, widening the scope of analysis beyond regions. The Geospatial Platform for Andean Culture, History and Archaeology (GeoPACHA) enables systematic registry of imagery survey data through a ‘federated’ approach. Using GeoPACHA, teams pursue problem-specific research questions through a common data schema and interface that allows for inter-project comparisons, analyses and syntheses. The authors present an overview of the platform's rationale and functionality, as well as a summary of results from the first survey campaign, which was carried out by six projects distributed across the central …

Investigation On Mechanical, Tribological And Corrosion Resistance Properties Of Nano Sized Tio2/ Corrosion Resistance Properties Of Nano Sized Tio2/ B4c / Graphene Reinforced Aa 7075 Surface Composites B4c / Graphene Reinforced Aa 7075 Surface Composites Fabricated By Frictional Stir Processing Fabricated By Frictional Stir Processing, Majed Mohammed Hotami

Theses and Dissertations

Today, significant research efforts in the field of manufacturing engineering are focused on developing new lightweight, fuel-efficient and high-performance materials. The evolution of composite materials and related technologies has brought great advantages to material development throughout history. Composites are versatile materials with unique mechanical and physical properties tailored to specific application needs. Composites allow engineers to make design choices that traditional monolithic (unreinforced) materials cannot offer. Particle Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) offer a variety of advantages, including increased stiffness, improved fatigue resistance, increased wear resistance, and a low coefficient of thermal expansion. Aluminum MMC (AMMC) material systems outperform monolithic …

Analysis And Assessment Of Land Use / Land Cover Impact On Human And Natural Ecosystems In The Salton Sea Watershed, 2013 - 2021, Diego Ramirez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study represents an interdisciplinary analysis of the changing landscape of the Salton Sea Watershed from 2013 to 2021, focusing on land use land cover (LULC) category changes, climatic variations, and socioeconomic factors. The findings of this research show a shift in land cover categories, portrayed by the changes of natural landscapes and vegetative areas into rapidly increasing urbanized expansion and increased impervious surfaces. These changes pose concerns about increased temperature in the region, a decrease in overall water availability and groundwater infiltration, and an increase in pollution. The study explores 10 sub-watersheds within the Salton Sea Watershed basin, focusing …

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda December 7, 2023, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews
• Other Business
• Adjourn

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Carbon Emissions: Empirical Evidence From China, Yanwei Lyu, You Wu, Wenqiang Wang, Jinning Zhang

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

As the global COVID-19 rages around and world, economic uncertainty increases, and green and sustainable development is facing tough challenges. Based on a panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from January to December 2020, we investigate the short-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on China’s carbon emissions. The results indicate that carbon emissions in China decreased considerably during the COVID-19 outbreak. This finding remains robust after replacing the core variables. The negative impact of COVID-19 on China’s carbon emissions is not sustainable in the long run though. This study provides valuable recommendations for China and other countries to achieve green …

Looking Down, Up, Forwards And Backwards: Telling The Story Of The Menominee Sustainable Forest, Kate Van Haren

Occasional Paper Series

The common narratives of history focus often focus on settlement and colonization. These stories often focus on the destruction of natural resources and the historic trauma of Indigenous who used and preserved them for thousands of years. The story of the Menominee, a Native nation, in southeast Wisconsin, offers a counternarrative of success. Using primary sources and the scholarship of Wisconsin-based activists, historians, and educators, this article explores the civic actions Menominee needed to protect their sustainable forest and how these lessons can be used to teach environmental stewardship in elementary classrooms.

Singing In Dark Times: Improvisational Singing With Children Amidst Ecological Crisis, Stephanie Schuurman-Olson

Occasional Paper Series

Through this research-creation project -- which is represented by a process-driven ten-minute video -- the author asks what ways of knowing emerge when children and adults, more-than-human, and inhuman engage in improvised singing together in an urban park? This project recognizes our current "dark times" within ecological collapse and operates from a space that hopes to build relationality with sonic ecologies through listening-and-singing experiences, while centering the voices of children and other singers within the ecologies we sing in-and-with.

Liberal Education As A Catalyst In Shaping The Future Of Design, Amit Kundal, Mritunjay Kumar, Suniti Vadalkar, Tina Mangwani

Learn X Design Conference Series

No abstract provided.

Sustainable Energy Distribution Methods At The Azraq And Za’Atari Refugee Camps In Jordan: A Refugee Perspective, Lucie Lagodich

Capstone Collection

The looming climate change crisis requires research and development of mitigation strategies to protect those most vulnerable. This study uses semi-structured interviews to capture the refugee perspective of the successes and shortcomings of large-scale solar farm projects installed at the Azraq and Za’atari Syrian refugee camps in the west and north of Jordan, respectively. These perspectives may be utilized to improve each camp's current renewable energy distribution system. Results suggest that at both camps the current renewable energy systems are deeply flawed with limited hours with rampant distrust among camp residents in the management of the solar farms. Most refugees …

The Lumberjack, November 29, 2023

Cal Poly Humboldt's Student Newspaper

The student newspaper of Humboldt State University.

Stakeholder Perceptions Of Community Garden Features, Samantha Trajcevski

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

The presentation discusses the study currently being conducted on stakeholder perceptions and attitudes towards greenspaces. This is completed through the identification of different uses and features to maximize use of the space and stakeholder engagement in the community garden. To better understand stakeholder opinions, we utilized a creative qualitative research method combining photovoice and interviews/focus groups. We conducted eight in-depth semi-structured interviews and four focus groups. Multiple interviewees agreed that the Dayton View Triangle lacks access to a green space. Most believed that a garden would offer social cohesion. Understandably, most participants were concerned about who would manage the garden …

Spartan Daily, November 28, 2023, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2023

Volume 161, Issue 40

Exploring The Impact Of Metal-Based Nanofertilizers: A Case Study On Sunflower Pollen Morphology And Yield In Field Conditions, Ľuba Ďurišová, Hana Ďúranová, Samuel Kšiňan, Dávid Ernst, Martin Šebesta, Veronika Žitniak Čurná, Pavol Eliáš, Yu Qian, Viktor Straka, Huan Feng, Lenka Tomovičová, Nikola Kratošová, Gabriela Kratošová, Marek Kolenčík

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

On a daily basis, a wide range of materials including inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) inadvertently find their way into the environment. Meanwhile, intentionally used NPs, such as the new generation of nanofertilizers (NFs) are designed to enhance agronomic production. However, their physicochemical properties and not-so-well understood effects raise potential risks to the plant reproductive cycle, specifically pollen development, a subject largely absent in academic research. Even slight contamination, deformation, or aberration of pollen could have enormous impacts on the ecosystem. Thus, our objective was to evaluate the influence of various metal-based NPs on sunflower pollen morphology and its yield. Nano-formulations were …

The Petrogenesis Of Analcime In The Coppermine Formation On Robert Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, Rai̇f Kandemi̇r, Yilmaz Demi̇r, Cüneyt Şen, Ufuk Celal Yağcioğlu

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

The South Shetland Islands were shaped by island arc volcanism that occurred from the Jurassic to the Quaternary. Robert Island is located in the center of this archipelago, and Coppermine Peninsula, located on the southwestern part of Robert Island, exposures significant rock outcrops of basalts and andesitic-basaltic agglomerates of the Coppermine Formation. The investigated samples were collected during Turkish Antarctic Expedition 2 (TAE-II), in March-April 2018, from the area northeast of Triplet Hill. The volcanic rocks exhibited an amygdaloidal microlithic-porphyritic texture. Subhedral to anhedral phenocrysts of labradorite, augite, and olivine were observed with holocrystalline groundmass composed of plagioclase, pyroxene, and …

Multidimensional Comparison Of Underwater Soundscapes Using The Soundscape Code, Dylan C. Wilford, Jennifer L. Miksis-Olds, S. Bruce Martin

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

The soundscape of a given habitat is a product of its physical environment, human activity, and presence of soniferous marine life, which can be used to understand ecosystem processes, habitat quality, and biodiversity. Shallow coral habitats are hotspots of biodiversity and marine life. Deep-sea coral environments, in comparison, are generally poorly understood. Four soundscapes along the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and one soundscape from the Great Barrier Reef were quantified to explore how differences in habitat, depth, and substrate manifest acoustically. Comparisons were made between (1) deep, cold-water and shallow, warm-water coral reefs and (2) deep-sea coral and sandy …

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?, Alissa Johnson

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2023

The purpose of my project is to explain my point-of-view of how 4310 Service-Learning: Marine Conservation & Restoration has changed my outlook of this career field and how its influenced me to want to continue in this major. I discuss how three amazing women teach me about oysters (Katherine Harris, Tara Blanchard, and Kelsey Mack) and how they found their voice in a male heavy career field. I also touch on the opportunities I took like mangrove gardening, trail camera footage of Cape Canaveral, and a beach clean-up, just to name a few and how the community plays a huge …