Digital Commons Network^™

Redefining Frontier Womanhood: Irish Female Landownership In Mexican Texas, Kelly Mcmichael

Journal of Texas History

No abstract provided.

A Reflective Lab Journal For Biodesign: Navigating More-Than-Human Sensibilities And Disciplinary Tensions, Jiho Kim, Iohanna Nicenboim, Joana Martins, Elvin Karana

IASDR Conference Series

This paper introduces reflective journaling as a tool for advancing biodesign practices, merging documentation methods from biology and design while integrating more-than-human sensibilities into laboratory practices. It highlights the need for tools that can flexibly support record-keeping across biology and design, balancing precision and accountability with iteration, creativity, and collaboration. Furthermore, it critically addresses calls to support care ethics and nurturing multispecies interactions within biodesign. Through an explorative review of diverse documentation formats, including laboratory notebooks and annotated portfolios, and informed by our own biodesign experiences, we introduce the Reflective Biodesign Lab Journal as a potential approach to address these …

Edna Surveys For The Critically Endangered Caribbean Staghorn Coral, Acropora Cervicornis (Lamarck, 1816), Pari Elaine Cribbins

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Historically, Acropora cervicornis was a dominant coral on Caribbean reef systems, but an outbreak of white band disease in the late 1970s marked the beginning of devastating, multi-decadal population declines that led to the coral being listed as “critically endangered” on the IUCN Red List in 2022. Today, after a record-setting marine heat wave in 2023 triggered a mass bleaching event on Florida’s Coral Reef (FCR), A. cervicornis is considered functionally extinct on the FCR. While individuals of A. cervicornis do remain on the FCR, the small population size of the coral makes in situ surveys difficult. However, surveys using …

Fisheries Research Report No. 362: Characterising Essential Benthic Habitats And Environmental Drivers Of Fishery Recruitment In The Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery, Scott Evans, Nick Konzewitsch, Rachel Marks, Renae Hovey, Gary A. Kendrick, Lynda M. Bellchambers

Fisheries Research Reports

Fisheries management relies on the development and evolution of effective assessment and monitoring techniques that are applicable in a range of fishery contexts (Fletcher et al., 2016; L. M. Robinson et al., 2021). The assessment of fish habitats and environmental drivers that influence recruitment is central to sustainable fisheries management (de Lestang et al., 2010; Galindo-Cortes et al., 2010; Gao & Wang, 2021). Western Australia conducts robust fishery-specific monitoring and assessment programs to ensure the sustainable use of its aquatic resources (Newman et al., 2023). However, few long-term datasets exist that directly monitor critical fish habitats and environmental conditions that …

The Forever Fight Against Forever Chemicals: Analyzing Loopholes In California’S Pfas Ban For Consumer Products, Jake B. Goldman

UC Law Journal

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals used for their unique qualities in manufacturing across numerous industries. PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” persist in the environment for long periods of time and cause serious health risks to consumers. Given mounting research on PFAS and their adverse health effects, the California legislature passed four laws banning the chemicals in specific consumer products.

This Note argues that three new California laws requiring manufacturers to replace PFAS with “the least toxic alternative” are inadequate because they are ambiguous. This ambiguity will invite litigation and create business challenges by …

The Role Of Fast-Food Consumption, Residential Fast-Food Exposures, And Urinary Essential Trace Heavy Metals In Colorectal Cancer (Crc) Outcomes., Jeevan Adhikari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a public health concern. Within the United States (US), fast-food consumption and environmental exposure to heavy metals have increased. The impact of fast-food consumption frequency from fast-food restaurants, residential fast-food exposures, and urinary essential trace heavy metals in relation to CRC outcomes have not yet been rigorously evaluated in the US. Methods: Within the LEAPS-CRC study, we used geographic information systems (GIS) and logistic regression to study the association of fast-food consumption, residential proximity to a fast-food outlet, and urinary essential trace metals with CRC incidence. Additionally, within Kentucky Cancer Registry (KCR) CRC cases, the …

Cover Crop Influence On Arthropod Biodiversity And Soil–Water Dynamics In A Semi-Arid Maize–Soybean Sequence Of The Nebraska High Plains, Carlos Eduardo De Oliveira Martins

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

With the expansion of cover crop (CC) use in semi-arid regions, producers in the Nebraska High Plains are increasingly interested in understanding how CCs influence both beneficial arthropods and soil-water within maize-soybean (Zea mays L., Glycine max [L.] Merr.) rotations. Integrating CCs in these systems can enhance soil water availability and beneficial insect activity, but potential trade-offs include higher early-season water use by CCs and the risk of increasing potential pest populations. This thesis addresses these questions through two complementary studies conducted under field conditions near Brule, Nebraska. The first study evaluated the effects of a multi-species CC mixture …

Phylogenomics Of African Labeo (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) Emphasizing Central African Species, Tobit L.D. Liyandja, Brian T. Smith, S. Elizabeth Alter, Brian L. Sidlauskas, Melanie L.J. Stiassny

Biology, Agriculture and Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Labeo constitutes the largest genus within the cyprinid tribe Labeonini with over 110 recognized species in Africa and Asia. The clade comprises a major component of the herbivore/detritivore guild with considerable socio-economic importance to artisanal and commercial fisheries. A pan-African distribution and wide variety of habitat occupancy make the group a model to investigate diversification patterns, eco-phenotypic variation, and biogeographical events underpinning their radiation at a continental scale. However, previous attempts to elucidate Labeo systematics using either molecular or morphological data have failed to produce congruent and robust results, and much taxonomic and nomenclatural confusion remains. Here we present the …

Evaluating Nutrient Uptake Efficiency Of Texas Native Plants In Simulated Constructed Wetland Systems, Angelica Canizalez

Water Resources Science and Technology Theses and Graduate Research Reports (Archived)

Nutrient enrichment from wastewater effluent and runoff is a major driver of eutrophication in freshwater systems, increasing the need for effective and ecologically beneficial treatment strategies. Constructed wetlands (CWs) offer a nature-based solution for reducing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) while simultaneously supporting habitat and biodiversity. However, most CW research has focused on traditional species such as cattails and bulrushes, with limited quantitative data on the performance of Texas native plants. This study evaluated the nutrient uptake potential and stress tolerance of two Texas native species—buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) and Maximilian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)—in simulated, recirculating wetland systems.

Leveraging Disparate Wildland Fire Datasets To Address Longstanding Fire Management Questions, Kendra Fallon

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

While wildfire season is perceived as occurring in the warm months, and expanding, wildfire management is a year-long process. Juxtaposed to wildfire seasons are the reactive seasons of mitigating for post-fire effects, namely first-order effects of potential hydrological impacts in burn footprints, and the proactive implementation of fuels treatments to modify fire behavior to lessen the reactive workload. In this dissertation, I focus on answering lingering questions that are critical to the management of the shoulder seasons of wildfire season. To assist in resource allocation and identification of post-hydrological risks, I present a model identifying the major drivers of soil …

A Comparative Study Of Novel Methods For Variances, Taoreed Muritala

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Understanding variability is fundamental to knowledge advancement across various disciplines, including manufacturing, clinical research, biology and genetics. Population variances play a crucial role in processes such as quality control, treatment evaluation and the interpretation of biological mechanisms. However, statistical procedures for comparing variances across multiple populations remain less developed than those for comparing means. Classical omnibus tests, such as Bartlett's and Levene's, can detect overall variance heterogeneity but fail to identify which populations differ, thereby limiting their usefulness in multi-population analyses and increasing the risk of inflated family-wise error rates through repeated testing.

This thesis develops and evaluates three multiple …

Interactive Effects Of Nutrient Loading And Hyposalinityon The Physiological Responses Of The Red Macroalga Gracilaria Tikvahiae, Donavuan Vincent Salazar

Theses and Dissertations

Coastal macroalgae face anthropogenic stressors such as nutrient enrichment from nitrogen fertilizers and reduced salinity linked to flooding. The physiological impacts of these combined stressors remain unclear. This study examined interactive effects of nitrogen loading and hyposalinity on Gracilaria tikvahiae through a 9‑day laboratory experiment. Samples experienced declining salinity (35–0 ppt) with nitrate or ammonia enrichment (120 µmol/L). Measurements included primary production, respiration, biomass, nitrate uptake, and chlorophyll‑a. Hyposalinity significantly reduced physiological performance, with gross primary production declining over 100%, chlorophyll‑a content 25–45% lower, biomass loss, and reduced nitrogen uptake. Nitrogen enrichment failed to mitigate the adverse impacts under hyposaline …

Effect Of Water-Deficit Stress On Cannabis Sativa Production And Secondary Metabolite Levels, Shiksha Sharma

Theses

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) is an emerging high-value crop that belongs to the Cannabaceae family and the genus Cannabis, which is known to produce more than 200 cannabinoids. Although genetic variation is the main factor in cannabinoid production, water-deficit stress is believed to induce its production. The objective of this master’s thesis was to determine the effects of water-deficit stress frequencies and timing on growth, physiology, yield, and cannabinoid concentration in cannabis. Heidi cultivars were planted in a controlled environmental growth unit. One period of water-deficit stress was found to produce the lowest concentration of total CBD and THC. In …

Taxonomy Of Endophytic Fungi Associated With Vallisneria Neotropicalis, Md. Arafat Rashid

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

This study presents the first comprehensive taxonomic and ecological investigation of endophytic fungi (EF) associated with the submerged aquatic macrophyte Vallisneria neotropicalis in the southern United States. Over a 12 month period, from April 2023 to March 2024, leaf samples were collected from two distinct sites in Mobile Bay, Alabama a disturbed, brackish Causeway location and a cleaner, less impacted site at Meaher State Park. Using culture dependent methods, a total of 257 fungal endophytes were isolated from 1,200 leaf segments. All isolates belonged to the phylum Ascomycota, distributed across 3 classes, 6 orders, 10 families, and 19 taxa. The …

Golden Eagle Predation Of Greater Sage-Grouse On Diamond Mountain Plateau, Victoria E. Thorpe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Predation and the perceived risk of predation can have major impacts on prey populations. Golden Eagles are considered one of the main predators of adult greater sage-grouse. Sage-grouse populations have been declining for decades throughout the West and wildlife managers are concerned about the impacts of golden eagles on sage-grouse. We investigated the nonconsumptive effects of golden eagles on sage-grouse by conducting observational surveys for golden eagles, sage-grouse, and other predators at sage-grouse lek sites near Vernal, Utah during the sage-grouse breeding season from 2022–2024. Additionally, we examined the prevalence of sage-grouse in golden eagle diet using DNA metabarcoding of …

Spatial Patterns In Plant Structural Diversity Across A Shrub Encroachment–Native Grassland Landscape Mosaic In The Northern Chihuahuan Desert, Bindu Poudel

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Drylands are heterogeneous landscapes that provide important ecosystem services, but they are threatened by global change factors that may influence aspects of their diversity and function. Environmental factors may influence the three-dimensional physical characteristics of vegetation structure (structural diversity) across spatial scales in arid ecosystems. This study investigated how environmental factors, including shrub cover, landform, and elevation, are related to vegetation structural diversity metrics across different spatial scales and scopes across the Jornada Experimental Range, a long-term ecological research site located in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. A canopy height model generated by Airborne Observation Platform (AOP) LiDAR data and collected …

Sampling Gear Performance And Elasmobranch Distributions In The Upper Florida Keys, Ethan L. Dewald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, and rays) are vital marine predators, yet many populations are declining from overfishing and habitat loss. Marine protected areas like the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) can support recovery, but knowledge gaps remain in habitat-specific community structure and survey effectiveness. I surveyed inshore (seagrass, hardbottom) and offshore (patch reef, bank reef) habitats in the Upper Florida Keys using longlines, drumlines, baited remote underwater video (BRUVs), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Inshore assemblages showed strong habitat-driven patterns, with Ginglymostoma cirratum dominating seagrass sites, whereas offshore reefs were more homogeneous. UAVs captured the highest inshore richness, and drumlines …

Indigenous And Tribal Nation Scientists And Universities, Elizabeth A. Sumida Huaman, Stephen J. Smith

Critical Internationalization Studies Review

No abstract provided.

Comparing Machine Learning, Deep Learning, And Reinforcement Learning Performance In Culex Pipiens Predictive Modeling, Wei Yin, Sanad H. Ragab, Michael G. Tyshenko, Teresa Patricia Feria-Arroyo, Tamer Oraby

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Several machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) methods have been used to predict the presence of species in classification problems. Another set of methods, called reinforcement learning (RL), has been used in training agents to perform various tasks, but not in predicting species distribution. Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae), commonly known as the common house mosquito, is a globally distributed species prevalent in temperate and subtropical regions. They serve as a primary vector for West Nile Virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne pathogen that affects humans and other animals. The study objective is to compare the performance of logistic regression, random forest …

The University Of Guelph’S Arboretum Winter Bird Count, 1980-2022, Brandon P.M. Edwards, Alan P. Watson, Chris G. Earley

Ontario Birds

No abstract provided.

Common Gallinule Banding In Ontario, Ross W. Wood, Barbara A. Campbell, Shawn W. Meyer, Tore Buchanan

Ontario Birds

Between 2012 and 2017, we conducted a Common Gallinule banding study to determine the feasibility of catching and banding gallinule with an airboat in Ontario, estimate how many birds could potentially be banded and subsequently encountered, calculate an index of productivity and assess whether enough data could be obtained to inform management decisions and conservation planning. We captured gallinules using dip nets and spotlights at night from an airboat. In total, we banded 440 (approximately 28%) of the 1,564 gallinules that have ever been banded in Ontario. Five of our banded birds were subsequently encountered, four within Ontario and one …

Hydration Strategies In Ultra-Endurance Running: A Narrative Review Of Programmed Versus Thirst-Driven Approaches, Shawn C. Wierick, Rosie I. Perez, Xiujing Zhao, Brendon P. Mcdermott

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background/Objectives: Ultra-endurance running (UER) presents unique hydration challenges due to prolonged duration, variable terrain, environmental extremes, and gastrointestinal limitations. Athletes often use either programmed fluid intake (PFI), which prescribes fluid volumes based on estimated sweat rate, or thirst-driven fluid intake (TDFI), which relies on internal cues. This review examines the effectiveness and limitations of each strategy in the context of UER performance and safety. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using a targeted selection of peer-reviewed studies. Both laboratory- and field-based research were included to evaluate the physiological rationale, practical feasibility, and outcomes associated with PFI and TDFI. A total …

Social Determinants Of Health Patterns In Children With Severe Disease Due To Sars-Cov-2 Infection-An Exploratory Approach, Joshua Prabhu, Sebastian Acosta, Fabio Savorgnan, Ananth V Annapragada, Usha Sethuraman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background/Objectives: Research on the association of adverse social determinants of health (SDOH) with severe pediatric coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is limited. We examined associations between SDOH patterns and COVID-19 severity in children.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational study of children (< 18 years) with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection evaluated in an urban pediatric emergency department (March 2021-April 2022) in Detroit, Michigan. Caregivers completed a 34-item survey based on the Healthy People 2030 framework. Severe disease was defined as the occurrence of respiratory/cardiac failure or death within four weeks of diagnosis. Continuous and categorical variables were described using medians and percentages, respectively. Associations between disease severity and risk factors were determined using chi-square tests. Association rule mining was used for feature selection, followed by multivariate logistic regression.

Results: We analyzed data from 354 children [6-12 years: 31.1%, Female: 51.1%, Black: 59%, not Hispanic: 84.7%, public insurance: 77.1%, chronic condition: 27.4%]. Of the total, 113 children had severe disease. Most caregivers were 30-44 years old (53.1%), had less than a college degree (70.4%), and income < USD 50,000 (75.2%). Adverse SDOH reported included food/housing insecurity (24.6%), no support (64.7%), unmet childcare needs (35.9%), and lack of transportation (12.7%). After controlling for age, sex, medical history, income, and obesity, severe disease was associated with caregiver use of drugs/alcohol (OR:5.92, p < 0.001) and social discrimination/lack of support (OR: 1.74, p = 0.030).

Conclusions: Two SDOH patterns (caregiver use of drugs/alcohol …

Survival And Recovery Of Three Shark Species In North-East Atlantic Recreational Fisheries, Francesco Garzon, Ghalia Abel, Ian Burrett, Owen Exeter, Lucy A. Hawkes, Thomas Horton, Mario Lambrette, Alex Plaster, David Righton, Hannah Rudd, Jessica Rudd, Bryce Stewart, Simon Thomas, James Thorburn, Paul Whittaker, Matthew J. Witt

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Understanding how sharks respond to catch and release (C&R) recreational fisheries is an important requirement for effective management. Post-release survival and recovery in recreational fisheries can be species- and setting-dependent. Nevertheless, no study on sharks has been conducted in European recreational fisheries, despite their popularity as target. This study presents the first example of biologging to assess C&R effects on blue sharks (Prionace glauca), porbeagle sharks (Lamna nasus) and tope sharks (Galeorhinus galeus) in the UK. Pop-up satellite archival tags (n = 23 blue shark, 20 porbeagle shark, 26 tope shark) revealed high (94.7–96.2%) survival rates in all three species, …

Mammal Diversity Of Wadi Fatimah Dam Area, Makkah Al-Mukarramah Region, Saudi Arabia, Abdulrahman Abdullah Alasiri, Hassan Mahfudh Felemban, Isam Mohammed Abu Zeid

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

This study assessed the diversity and status of mammals in the Wadi Fatimah Dam area, Makkah Al-Mukarramah Region, Saudi Arabia, over twelve months from April 2019 to March 2020. The study area, approximately 10 km², was divided into five sites, yielding a total of 18 mammal species from 9 families, with 429 individual observations. Notable species included the Hamadryas Baboon, Arabian Wolf, Afro-Asiatic Wildcat, and Rock Hyrax, with the highest diversity recorded during rainy seasons, particularly between November and December. The presence of water significantly influenced mammal populations, with fluctuations corresponding to rainfall patterns. The study envisaged that …

Emerging Policies On Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Governance, Jessie Neta Jeffrey

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Effects Of Real-Time Head Position Feedback On Postural Sway In Terms Of Changes In Underlying Deterministic And Stochastic Dynamical Processes, Steven J. Harrison, Benjamin De Bari, Ryan Poutre, Jeffrey M. Kinsella-Shaw

College of Humanities and Sciences Faculty Papers

Our perceptual systems detect information about how our body is moving relative to the surrounding environment. Such information is essential to our ability to maintain upright standing balance. Real-time postural feedback systems are technologies that appear to enhance our ability to detect information about the movements of our body, and as a consequence improve our capacity to control the posture of our body. Here we examine a system in which real-time measurements of head position were "felt" as changes in the intensity of vibration of tactors in a headband. Using this system, participants were able to stabilize their body posture, …

A Political Ecological Exploration Of The Caracol Road Project In Belize, Lorenzo A. Pantano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Caracol Road Project is a new BZ$148,100,000 (US$74,050,000) road infrastructure development in the Cayo District of Belize and financed largely by foreign sovereign wealth funds. The areas adjacent to the road, broken into two phases include: communities, forest reserves, national parks, recreational areas, private lands and estates, and archaeological sites. This paper seeks to ask the questions: (i) For whom is the CRP being developed? (ii) For what is the CRP being developed? (iii) What visual evidence exists of sacrifice zones because of the production of the CRP? I sought to answer these questions through ethnographic observations, interviews, and …

From Waste To Wall Finish: Developing And Characterizing Sustainable Concrete Finishes With High-Volume Fly Ash And Biochar For Interior Applications, Prajwal Dudhane

Theses

This study explores the creation of environmentally friendly interior concrete finishes by recycling agricultural and industrial waste. In a 1:3 cementitious-to-aggregate mortar mix, the study investigates high-volume (30%) cement replacement using fly ash (FA30), biochar (BC30), and a hybrid combination (FAB30). It illustrates the viability of converting waste streams into workable architectural finishes through meticulous material investigation, mechanical testing, and aesthetic evaluation. Different performance characteristics were found by the technical examination. FA30 outperformed the control mix with a 14-day compressive strength of 8.00 MPa thanks to pozzolanic activity and decreased water demand. On the other hand, BC30 (7.33 MPa) significantly …

Ambient Air Pollution And The Sex Ratio At Birth: A Systematic Review And Narrative Synthesis., Ursula Gazeley, Hallie Eilerts-Spinelli, Jasmin Abdel Ghany, Ana Bonell, Joshua Wilde

Publications, Reports and Presentations

Ambient air pollution is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as stillbirth, miscarriage, and preterm birth. However, its effects on the viability, implantation, and survival of conceptuses-largely unobserved before the clinical detection of pregnancy-remain poorly understood. Shifts in the sex ratio at birth (SRB) provide a sensitive, population-level indicator of sex-biased conception and pregnancy loss. This systematic review examined whether maternal exposure to ambient air pollution before conception and during pregnancy is associated with deviations in the SRB. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Global Health from inception to 12 February 2025 for observational studies assessing both ambient air pollution exposure …