Digital Commons Network^™

The Homestead: Revisited, Christopher William Kramer

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This paper discusses ideas for harmony on 100 acres in mid-eastern New York. Problems leading to this research include the depletion of resources from irresponsible energy use and profit-driven industrial agriculture; dependency on fossil fuels and centralized energy; and lack of connection between people within communities, with their environment, and with sources of food and water. It is feared that sustainable, resilience building practices that nourished generations throughout history are being neglected. This specific application provides depth and concreteness to the discussion and planning process. Resources including books, maps, reports, and periodicals were integrated to select the site and plan …

The Economic Importance Of Draught Oxen On Small Farms In Namibia's Eastern Caprivi Region, Andrew B. Conroy, Mogos Yakob Teweldmehidin

Natural Resources & the Environment

The main aim of this study was to analyse and document the value of smallholder farmers’ use of Draught Animal Power (DAP) systems in the Eastern Caprivi Region and to test the economic viability of DAP usage versus using tractors. This study applied Rapid Rural Appraisal techniques (RRA), including a survey. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 312 farmers at their farms and data was gathered on the use of and economics related to the draught animal power system. Crop enterprise budgets, project reports, expert opinions and group discussions were analysed. The research found that the use of animal power performs …

Physiological And Molecular Function Of Hap3b In Flowering Time Regulation And Cold Stress Response, Mingxiang Liang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Heme-activated proteins (HAPs) are transcription factors that have multiple roles in plant growth and development, such as embryogenesis, flowering time control, and drought tolerance.

In the present study I found that HAP3b was also involved in controlling response to cold stress. Transcript profiling and gene expression analyses indicated that HAP3b repressed the CBF3 regulon under normal growth conditions. As a result, plants with HAP3b-overexpressed showed decreased survival rates while plants homozygous for the null allele hap3b showed an improved freezing tolerance compared to wild-type plants.

To understand the mechanism of HAP3b in Arabidopsis, i.e. whether it also acts …

The Influence Of Collective Action And Policy In The Development Of Local Food Systems, Lori Porreca

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The modern global agrifood system has had significant negative impacts on consumers and producers. This has precipitated the rise of local food systems that are purported to improve the health and livelihoods of consumers and producers. High expectations have led to significant public and private resources dedicated to the development of local food systems. Despite this, there has been little systematic research exploring the social and institutional conditions that facilitate or frustrate local food system development.

Using a comparative case study approach, this study explored the ways local structural conditions, collective action, food system policies, and the political context affect …

Markets, Institutions, And The Quality Of Agricultural Products: Cotton Quality In India, Gopal Naik

Working Papers

India is the world's second largest exporter of cotton, but quality problems with Indian cotton are evident in surveys of international textile mills and the discount Indian cotton receives on world markets. Using a unique data set of Indian cotton prices and quality attributes from 5 Indian states, this study uses hedonic price modeling to demonstrate that the linkages between cotton quality and price are weaker in India than they are in the United States.  Fiber quality attributes measured by High Volume Instrumentation (HVI) were found to account for about 50 percent of the variation in observed prices. Comparable …

Spatial Clusters In Organic Farming: A Case Study Of Pulses Cultivation In Karnataka, Gopal Naik, Vishnuprasad Nagadevara

Working Papers

Introduction Spatial cluster has become an important concept in economic development research and policy practice, especially after its popularization in the Competitive Advantage of Nations2. Clusters are geographic concentrations of firms in related industries that benefit not only from agglomeration economies derived from their spatial proximity, but also from the increased competitive pressure as a result of the co-location. Policymakers and professional developers use industry clusters to select, describe and promote groups of regional industries that already exhibit or have the potential to develop a regional competitive advantage3. Herr4 argues that "industry cluster identification and analysis can also allow planners …

Review Of Agriculture In History, 3 Volumes (R. Kent Rasmussen, Proj. Ed.; Salem Press, 2009), Sue Ann Gardner

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Review of Agriculture in History, 3 volumes (R. Kent Rasmussen, proj. ed.; Salem Press, 2009).

Cellulosic Ethanol: The Benefits, Obstacles, And Implications For Nebraska, Cassidee Lin Thompson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Ethanol is a biofuel that has unique capabilities to mitigate global climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously supporting rural economies and decreasing the United States’ dependence on foreign oil. Currently, the state of Nebraska depends on corn ethanol, which may be unsustainable. Cellulosic ethanol is a promising alternative but it is not without its problems, including high production costs and potential environmental damage. This thesis is an attempt to understand the benefits, downfalls, and processes of corn-based and cellulosic ethanol and the potential implications to Nebraska. This research should shed some light on the current obstacles …

Under The Dome - Spring 2010, Mckissick Museum--University Of South Carolina

Under the Dome, McKissick Museum Newsletter

Contents:

Grass Roots: African Origins of an American Art.....p. 1
Celebrating Culture and Creativity.....p. 2
Spring in the Garden.....p. 2
McKissick Welcomes New Council Members.....p. 2
Museum Management Certificate.....p. 3
Celebrate Nature with McKissick Museum.....p. 3
What's Happening in Folk Art.....p. 3
Order Now! Decorating the Modern Home.....p. 4
Exhibits.....p. 4

Interview With Bernard Smith, Full Of Life Farms, 2010 (Audio), Bernard Smith

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Bernard Smith by Kyle Dykstra on February 28th, 2010.

The interview index is available for download.

Sky-Field: A Vertical Farming Solution For Urban New York, Justin White

Architecture Theses and Projects

Farming has not changed significantly in thousands of years. We still go about blanketing the ground with acres and acres of crops far away from the people who eat it. “We now have to talk and bring the green movement into our food supply. We will find a place in NY to do this,” states Scott Stringer, Manhattan Borough President. The concept is to design a vertical farm tower which will feed thousands of local residents, allowing them cheaper, organic, disease-free crops. The supply structure of the agricultural industry needs a big change. It is no longer becoming economical due …

Stimulating Our Food Environment, Katharine Masciocchi

Architecture Thesis Prep

"This thesis argues that architecture must be more than just the physical creation of space and become involved in the design of policies and sustainable systems, which support local food systems providing healthy food for all people regardless of income or race, helping to restore the environment rather than destroy it."

The Public Health Impacts Of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations On Local Communities, Michael Greger, Gowri Koneswaran

Environment Collection

Large-scale farm animal production facilities, also known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), release a significant amount of contaminants into the air and water. Adverse health effects related to exposure to these contaminants among CAFO workers have been welldocumented; however, less is known about their impact on the health of residents in nearby communities. Epidemiological research in this area suggests that neighboring residents are at increased risk of developing neurobehavioral symptoms and respiratory illnesses, including asthma. Additional research is needed to better understand community-scale exposures and health outcomes related to the management practices and emissions of CAFOs.

Effects Of Changes In Agriculture And Abundance Of Snow Geese On Carrying Capacity Of Sandhill Cranes During Spring, Aaron T. Pearse, Gary L. Krapu, David A. Brandt

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) in Nebraska is a key spring staging area for approximately 80% of the midcontinent population of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis). Evidence that cranes currently are acquiring fat less efficiently than in the past along with a large increase in use of the CPRVby snow geese (Chen caerulescens) led us to evaluate waste-corn availability and index spatial and temporal variation in abundance of sandhill cranes and waterfowl using the CPRV. We also developed a predictive model to assess impact of changes in availability of corn under past, present, and potential future conditions. Predicted …

Emerging Law Addressing Climate Change And Water, Elizabeth Burleson

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

The World Economic Forum recognizes that while restrictions on energy affect water systems and vise versa, energy and water policy are rarely coordinated. The International Panel on Climate Change predicts that wet places will become wetter and dry places will become dryer. Transboundary water, energy and climate coordination can occur through international consensus building.

Down On The Farm: A Photo Essay Of The Indiana Farmer, Elizabeth Schaible

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Updated Life History And Population Structure Assessment Of Spiny Dogfish, Squalus Acanthias, In The Gulf Of Maine, Walter Bubley

Doctoral Dissertations

Spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) are considered to be the most abundant shark species in the Western North Atlantic, but recently there was a decline in biomass estimates following a nearly ten-fold increase in fishery landings. Because fishing pressure has been shown to affect population dynamics in targeted species, an update of previous life history parameters is warranted to effectively manage the population. Although updated and accurate life history parameters are important, it is crucial that these parameters are applied to the correct populations, especially when there is evidence of population structuring in the Western Atlantic. This comprehensive study addressed the …

Spatial Management Of Groundfish Resources In The Gulf Of Maine And Georges Bank, Jamie Marie Cournane

Doctoral Dissertations

In the marine environment, studies suggest that overfishing suppresses sustainability and resilience in fish populations. In the 1990s, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) implemented five large year-round fishery closures in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. These closures are partially protected marine protected areas (MPAs) restricting commercial fishing with bottom-tending gears. To date, evaluation of their performance has focused on the productivity of individual species.

This research aims to understand if fish biodiversity changed after implementation of the five large fisheries closures. Here, a variety of datasets and statistical approaches are used.

Modern patterns constructed from NMFS bottom-trawl …

Landscape Genetics Of The New England Cottontail: Effects Of Habitat Fragmentation On Population Genetic Structure And Dispersal, Lindsey E. Fenderson

Master's Theses and Capstones

The New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis) is a species of conservation concern. Population recovery will require knowledge of genetic structure and dispersal patterns. To this end, I used microsatellite loci to assess genetic structure at two spatial scales: across the entire range (broadscale) and within the northernmost population (finescale).

Range-wide, cottontails are separated into five distinct populations. There was little evidence of gene flow among populations and they have experienced extensive genetic drift. Several populations had comparatively reduced genetic diversity.

Intensive fine-scale surveys revealed four genetically differentiated populations. Interstate-95 is a dispersal barrier, though other major roads did not impact …

An Evaluation Of Supplemental Food To Increase Winter Survival Of Cottontail Rabbits, Toni Weidman

Master's Theses and Capstones

The New England cottontail is currently endangered throughout much of its range. The cause of this decline has been habitat loss that has facilitated intense predation. Cottontails living on small patches have high mortality rates due to lack of quality cover and browse and high predation pressure. The goal of this study was to determine if provisioning supplemental food during the winter could increase cottontail survival rates by reducing risky foraging behavior in poor habitat that exposes the rabbits to predators. Among fed rabbits the survival rate (70%) was substantially greater than the survival rate for unfed rabbits (32%). A …

An Evaluation Of Habitat Models For The Common Loon (Gavia Immer), Alexis M. Rudko

Master's Theses and Capstones

The Loon Preservation Committee (LPC) has been collecting field data for the common loon (Gavia immer) in New Hampshire for thirty-six years. A habitat model for lakes throughout New Hampshire was created by Dr. Mark Brennan for the time period 1980--2002. This project re-evaluates Brennan's habitat model using new data from 2003--2008. Two additional models, one with all lakes and another with the three largest lakes excluded, were created and compared to Brennan's model to see if the overall accuracy improved. These models show which lakes have high and low potential for loon habitat. The results of the re-evaluation of …

A Multi-Scale Evaluation Of Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon Platirhinos) Habitat Selection At The Northern Extent Of Its Range, Celine Goulet

Master's Theses and Capstones

A complex interaction of biotic and abiotic variables structure landscapes into a hierarchal assemblage of habitats. Species respond to this environmental hierarchy by selecting habitat based upon a set of ecological variables occurring across a range of organizational levels. However, as the criteria for selection may be scale-dependent, it is vital to quantify the influence these variables have on species distribution at each spatial scale. Two years of telemetry data from 17 individuals were used to examine the multi-scale selection process in the northern population of Heterodon platirhinos on the New Boston Air Force Station in New Boston, New Hampshire. …

Aspects Of The Reproduction Of An Invasive Crab, Hemigrapsus Sanguineus, In Northern And Southern New England, Emily F. Gamelin

Master's Theses and Capstones

Populations of the invasive shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus , were studied in northern and southern New England to determine if crabs differ in reproductive behavior or characteristics between these regions. Additionally, effects of temperature on reproductive activity were quantified through laboratory experimentation.

Number of broods per season increased with temperature, but the seasonal total was limited to three broods in laboratory experiments. Broods experienced limited success at the lowest temperature, 10°C. The reproductive season was longer at lower latitudes, and females at this site had smaller average ovigerous size. Patterns of ovigery varied between the regions, suggesting the production of …

Evaluating Sampling-Induced Stress In Atlantic Cod (Gadus Morhua), Travis S. Ford

Master's Theses and Capstones

Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, have historically been regarded as one of the most commercially and recreationally important fishes in the Gulf of Maine. All fish involved in fishing and aquaculture are subject to stress, indicated by elevated plasma cortisol concentrations. Given the amount of research conducted on Atlantic cod, stress, and cortisol, little has been done to compare different blood sampling methods and the effects they might have on plasma cortisol concentrations, particularly in adult fish. This study examined three different methods of repeated blood sampling (standard handling caudal vessel puncture, reduced handling caudal vessel puncture, and cannulation) in Atlantic …

The Influence Of Stocking Density And Acoustic Conditioning On The Behavior And Growth Of Atlantic Cod, Gadus Morhua, Daniel Ward

Master's Theses and Capstones

The goal of experiment one (Chapter One) was to determine if stocking density had an influence of the swimming behavior and spatial distribution of adult cod that were being raised in an aquaculture cage at the University of New Hampshire's Coastal Marine Laboratory. Acoustic telemetry and underwater video were used to quantify the behavior and distribution of cod that were stocked at four densities (5, 10, 25 and 45 kg/m³). At the lowest density (5 kg/m³) cod remained deep in the cage and spent 64.3 +/- 0.8% of their time below 1.80m (of a 2.70m cage). This contrasts to the …

Addition Of Varying Amounts Of Sodium Bicarbonate To Colostrum Replacer: Effects On Igg Absorption, Serum Bicarbonate, And Hematocrit In Neonatal Calves, Rosemarie G. Cabral

Master's Theses and Capstones

Fifty-two calves were assigned to a randomized complete block design and were randomly assigned by block to one of four treatments: colostrum replacer with no sodium bicarbonate, colostrum replacer with 15g of sodium bicarbonate, colostrum replacer with 30g of sodium bicarbonate, and colostrum replacer with 45g of sodium bicarbonate to test for linear and quadratic effects. Calves were fed colostrum replacer (≥200g of IgG) in one feeding at 0 h and 2L milk replacer at 12, 24, 36, and 48 h. Only calves from multiparous cows, without dystocia, and born in calving pens were used. Sodium bicarbonate had a negative …

Rooted: A New Generation Of Farmers And Ranchers In Montana, Beth Jeannette Gibson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Rooted tells the stories of a new generation of farmers and ranchers in Montana through still photography and written profiles; the project is the result of 13 site visits and interviews. I define “new farmer” as a person operating their own agricultural business for 10 years or fewer, though this definition gets blurred and complicated when referring to people who return to their family’s farm or ranch. Admittedly, this project features only a few of the beginning farmers and ranchers in Montana. My intention is not to provide an exhaustive study of the next generation of farmers and ranchers in …

The Relationship Between Mosquito Abundance And Rice Field Density In The Republic Of Korea, Erin E. Richards, Penny Masuoka, David Brett-Major, Matthew Smith, Terry A. Klein, Heung Chul Kim, Assaf Anyamba, John Grieco

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), the causative agent of Japanese encephalitis (JE), is endemic to the Republic of Korea (ROK) where unvaccinated United States (U.S.) military Service members, civilians and family members are stationed. The primary vector of the JEV in the ROK is Culex tritaeniorhynchus. The ecological relationship between Culex spp. and rice fields has been studied extensively; rice fields have been shown to increase the prevalence of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus. This research was conducted to determine if the quantification of rice field land cover surrounding U.S. military installations in the ROK should be used as a parameter in a …

The Influence Of Self-Esteem And Selected Demographic Characteristics On The Academic Achievement Of Freshman Students In The College Of Agriculture At A Research-Extensive University, Mae Blanchard Gaspard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between self-esteem and academic achievement among students at the freshman level in the College of Agriculture at a Research-Extensive University in the Southern Region of the United States. The sample of the study was all students at one selected Research-Extensive University enrolled in the Introduction to Agriculture course which was a requirement for agriculture students at the freshman level. Three instruments were used for data collection. The Adult Form of the Coopersmith Inventory was administered at two data collection points at the beginning and end of the …

The Effects Of Chlortetracycline, Lasalocid, And The Combination On Growth, Health, Apparent Total Tract Nutrient Digestibility, And Nitrogen Retention Of Post-Weaned Dairy Heifers, Kelly Anne Greenbacker

Master's Theses and Capstones

The experiment compared the effects of chlortetracycline (CTC), lasalocid (L), and the combination (LCTC) on dairy heifers. Forty calves, 12 wk of age, were assigned to control (C), L (1 mg/kg BW/d), CTC (350 mg/d), or LCTC. Individual DMI was measured daily. Skeletal measures, BW, BCS, blood urea N and glucose concentrations were measured weekly. Calves received an external marker to estimate apparent total tract nutrient digestibilities. Total collection of urine was obtained from 20 calves to determine N retention. The DMI was higher (P=0.01) for CTC versus L and C, and DMI was lower for L versus LCTC. ADG …