Digital Commons Network^™

Impacts Of Climate Change On Cannibalism And Disease Transmission In The Fall Armyworm, Kale Rougeau

LSU Master's Theses

Climate change may alter host-pathogen dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems due to rising global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels. Here, we examined cannibalism and disease transmission using the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), an invasive agricultural pest, and its species-specific lethal baculovirus, Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV), under various potential challenges of climate change. We used three temperature treatments (cooler, optimal, warmer) based on the fall armyworm’s thermal performance curve to simulate a changing climate and four artificial diets with various protein-to-carbohydrate ratios (low, equal, high, standard) to manipulate resource quality from altered carbon dioxide levels. We found that higher …

Risks In The Sri Lankan Banana Supply Chain: Analysis Through An Interpretive Structural Modeling, Shanaka Rajakaruna, Alawathuge Wijeratne

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Although banana is an important fruit in Sri Lanka that gives a good income to farmers. Researchers have indicated that the majority of the crop is damaged from the farm gate to the consumer table. Accordingly, this research was addressed ‘to find the risks of the banana supply chain in Sri Lanka. The Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) approach was used in this research to find the risks in the banana supply chain of Sri Lanka. According to the literature survey and data analysis, several risks such as human and personal, production, financial, land prices, biological and environmental, information, political, weather-related, …

Soberanía Alimentaria En Huilloc, Perú: Percepciones Comunitarias Sobre Wasi Mikuna Y Los Límites De Las Políticas Públicas En Contextos Campesinos Indígenas, Mindy Yan

Peru: Indigenous Peoples and Globalization

This investigation presents an assessment of the state of food sovereignty in the community of Huilloc, Peru based on their practices of food production and consumption as well as the implementation of Wasi Mikuna, a state program to provide food to public schools. Using an ethnographic approach, data was collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observations with farmers, shopkeepers, educators, and families of the community over the course of nine days of fieldwork. Huilloc—an indigenous town of the High Andes located in Ollantaytambo, a district in the department of Cusco, Peru—is characterized by an extensive agricultural tradition. The transition to …

Transdisciplinary Collaborations For Advancing Sustainable And Resilient Agricultural Systems, Brooke Mayer

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Feeding the growing human population sustainably amidst climate change is one of the most important challenges in the 21st century. Current practices often lead to the overuse of agronomic inputs, such as synthetic fertilizers and water, resulting in environmental contamination and diminishing returns on crop productivity. The complexity of agricultural systems, involving plant-environment interactions and human management, presents significant scientific and technical challenges for developing sustainable practices. Addressing these challenges necessitates transdisciplinary research, involving intense collaboration among fields such as plant science, engineering, computer science, and social sciences. Five case studies are presented here demonstrating successful transdisciplinary approaches toward more …

What Do We Know About Insect Responses To Global Change? A Review Of Meta-Analyses On Global Change Drivers, Mayra C. Vidal, Mariana Abarca, Kristi Backe, Anne E. Curé, Deborah L. Finke, Amanda M. Koltz, Alycia C.R. Lackey, J. Christina Mitchell, Rebecca M. Prather, Ellen A.R. Welti, Gina M. Wimp, Shannon M. Murphy

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

1. Global change is causing major declines in biodiversity, especially of insects. Scientific interest in global change impacts on insects has increased in recent years, resulting in many different meta-analyses examining questions within this topic.

2. We performed a comprehensive review of meta-analyses examining the effects of global change stressors on insects to identify well-studied questions and gaps in our knowledge and synthesise the responses of insects to those stressors. We identified 75 meta-analyses that fit our scope, accounting for 905 meta-results and spanning 18 global change stressors.

3. Our synthesis identified several global change stressors that are relatively well-studied …

Integrating E-Commerce To Reduce Postharvest Losses In Rural Cameroon, Maurice Tchasso

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

E-commerce has the potential of assisting the agriculture market to curb postharvest losses by connecting new and existing customers to agricultural products more efficiently. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of successful farmers in rural Cameroon to obtain insights into the e-commerce factors and strategies they use to manage and reduce postharvest losses. The study sample was 20 rural Cameroonian farmers using e-commerce in reducing postharvest losses. The conceptual framework for this study was Rogers’s diffusion of innovation theory. The data collection occurred through virtual interviews with the participants and their …

The Sustainability Stones: Culturally Embedded Conservation Strategies And Their Vulnerability In Maupiti, French Polynesia, Russell Fielding, Fiona Gimenez

Honors College Faculty Publications

This paper explores culturally embedded conservation strategies through the lens of the traditional agroforestry and fisheries cycles in Maupiti, French Polynesia. By pairing certain breadfruit cultivars with specific fish species, the island’s community created a culinary system that regulates the seasonal consumption of marine resources, making the sustainable use of those resources more likely. While modern pressures such as reduced breadfruit diversity, competition with imported foods, and climate change have weakened these traditional practices, they remain an example of local ecological knowledge guiding conservation. The study highlights the threat of losing sustainable resource-use practices and biodiversity as both biodiversity and …

The 1996 Excavations Along The Northern Hill At Tel Mikhal (Tel Michal) (Pp. 1–19), Amir Gorzalczany

'Atiqot

Excavations on the Northern Hill at Tel Mikhal revealed rich finds, in stark contrast with the poorly preserved and scant architectural remains. The earliest settlement here dates to prehistoric times, continuing into the Middle Bronze Age, when a ceramic industry operated at the site. In the Iron Age, settlement was sporadic, and mainly winepresses were unearthed. Toward the end of the Persian period, the area functioned as an industrial area for pottery production and a metal industry, as well as an area for storage and commerce. In the Hellenistic period, the site was also used for industry and storage. No …

Taking Back Control: Using The Takings Clause To Hold Animal Agriculture Responsible For Its Waste Problem, Rowan Aragon

Northwestern University Law Review

Between the mid-twentieth century and modern day, the animal-agriculture model has shifted from small farms to industrial operations. During that evolution, the negative externalities of animal-farming practices have intensified. One of those externalities—animal waste—has become particularly problematic. Because of the sheer number of animals raised in the United States for slaughter and dairy production, the magnitude of animal waste produced is overwhelming. To deal with this problem, animal farmers often liquefy the animal waste and then spray it onto open fields. In that spraying process, liquefied animal waste carries through the air and reaches nearby homes, coating those properties with …

Fall Wonders, Arizona State University

Wildlife/Nature

Photographs, Bibliography, and Collection Description for a display of government documents from Fletcher Library at Arizona State University.

A Song Of Soil And Seeds: The Delicious History Of Tunisian Grain Agriculture And Its Solution To Contemporary Food Scarcity., Ella Schonberger

Scripps Senior Theses

“A Song of Soil and Seeds: The Delicious History of Tunisian Cereal Agriculture and Its Solution to Contemporary Food Scarcity” by Ella Schonberger explores the history of Tunisian grain agriculture as a continuous narrative of adaptation, resilience, and colonial disruption. This thesis traces the historical journey of Tunisian grain agriculture, from its indigenous Amazigh roots through successive waves of Roman, Ottoman, and French agro-colonialism, to the environmental and agricultural pressures of the Green Revolution and today’s climate crisis.

Combining archaeological evidence, historical records, agronomic research, oral interviews, and firsthand culinary experimentation, this paper examines how Tunisia’s heirloom grains—sorghum, millet, and …

Physiological Conditions Of Barn Owl (Tyto Furcata) Nestlings As Indicators Of Habitat Quality Within The Wine-Growing Region Of Napa Valley, Christian Cortez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The global environmental impacts of increasing agricultural demand a transition to sustainable farming practices, including the use of integrated pest management to decrease reliance on harmful pesticides. Vineyard managers in Napa Valley, California, have implemented this strategy by establishing nest boxes that attract barn owls (Tyto furcata) which, in turn, provide an ecosystem service by removing rodent pests. Studies in this system have found uncultivated landcover to be positively associated with distributional and demographic measures of habitat quality for barn owls, but individual measures have not been thoroughly explored. I examined three physiological conditions of barn owl nestlings …

Perceptions Of Agricultural Careers In African American School-Age Students Implications For Public Health Workforce, Brittany M. Prince

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study evaluated a six-week enriched agricultural education curriculum on African American students’ knowledge and perceptions of agriculture and agricultural careers in two selected populations. The study aimed to expand awareness about agriculture and diverse agricultural career opportunities in an effort to reduce perceived stereotypes. The study employed a pre-post-test design, implemented at one middle school and one high school that were intentionally selected based on their population demographics. Participants included 108 students across both schools, with the majority identifying as African American. Data analysis included paired-sample t-tests and One-Way ANOVAs and revealed statistically significant increases in knowledge for middle …

Beyond Teaching A Man To Fish: Smallholder Cultivation, Certification, And Cooperation In Southeast Asian Aquaculture, Sasha Shunko

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis explores the barriers and opportunities facing smallholder aquaculture farmers in Southeast Asia, focusing on Thailand. It examines how certification systems, technical assistance, and policy interventions can effectively include smallholders in development and sustainability efforts. Based on field interviews with Thai shrimp farmers, analysis of certification schemes, and review of other agricultural intervention models, the research traces how market access, corporate concentration, and environmental change shape smallholder livelihoods.

The findings show that while certification is promoted as a tool for sustainability and market integration, in practice it often excludes the very farmers it seeks to empower. Redundant standards, limited …

Lc-Ms Discriminates Between Effects Of Sulfur Nanoparticles Vs Molybdenum Disulfide Nanoparticles On Lettuce (Lactuca Sativa), Mary Fakunle

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Nanotechnology is gaining attention in agriculture, majorly due to their potential benefits in farming practices. Sulfur and molybdenum disulfide nanoparticles are reported to enhance plant growth, protection, and nutrient delivery. However, there is a need to understand how nano-fertilizers affect the metabolites and nutritional benefits of plants. Here, lettuce was cultivated under greenhouse in one of three treatments: control, 50 ppm S NPs, and 20 ppm MoS2 NPs. A method was developed on Liquid Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) instrument to quantify the concentration of amino acids and antioxidants in the harvested lettuce plants. Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry …

El Maíz Del Abuelo: Fidel Márquez Sanchez’S Legacy And Mexico’S Historical Maize Agriculture, Lucia Marquez-Uppman

Scripps Senior Theses

The Green Revolution was an era of scientific development in productive agricultural methods and technologies in the mid-twentieth century. High-yielding seed varieties, artificial fertilizers, irrigation infrastructure, pesticides, and herbicides all developed from this period. Texcoco, Mexico was the center of much of the Green Revolution's education and research from the 1940s onward at the Autonomous University of Chapingo, a prestigious agricultural school, with funding from the US-based philanthropic Rockefeller Foundation. Powerful consequences in the globe's agriculture emerged from the Green Revolution, including the production of maize, a staple crop in Mexico, especially for Indigenous and campesino populations. My abuelo, Fidel …

Addressing Food Security In Cameroon, Stacy A. Adams, Ruth Abunaw Besong

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Cameroon Africa has experience a period of nearly a decade of unrest as militants fight for independence for two Anglophone regions within a predominantly Francophone country. The English-speaking minority have felt aggrieved for continued erosion of rights by the central government. Protests have rapidly spread since 2016, causing closure of schools, businesses, and medical facilities. People have lost homes and been displaced, negatively affecting food production and crop availability. The United States Department of State leads an effort of diplomacy beyond emergency food relief through the Mandela Washington Fellowship that connects American professionals to innovative and impactful young African leaders. …

“Emergency Relief As Routine”: The Evolution Of Fsa’S Livestock Forage Disaster Program In An Era Of Persistent Drought, Shae L. Olsen

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis examines the historical origins, current limitations, and future of the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), the primary federal drought disaster relief program for ranchers in the United States. Drawing connections between the Dust Bowl-era Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) and LFP, I argue that the AAA, while innovative at the time, prioritized the maintenance of commodity markets over ecological resilience, disproportionately benefiting white, landowning producers. This trend is reflected in LFP today. Through a policy analysis and original qualitative research, including interviews with 23 FSA staff members in nine states, I examine how LFP operates …

Multi-Criteria Gis Suitability Analysis For Sustainable Agricultural Tourism Site Selection In Peru, Jessica J. Mccord

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Agricultural tourism offers a mechanism to strengthen rural economies while preserving traditional practices and unique cultural identities. In the Peruvian Andes, rural communities confront increasing challenges in the face of a changing climate and reliance on industrialized agriculture. Rural communities attempt to strike a delicate balance between economic development and heritage preservation. This research utilizes a Geographic Information System (GIS)- based analysis to identify areas best positioned for the development of agritourism initiatives. The suitability analysis integrates both local and global sustainability priorities by incorporating a set of defined criteria that together identify areas that are the most appropriate for …

Support Needs Of Agrarian Women To Build Household Livelihood Resilience: A Case Study Of The Mekong River Delta, Tran Thi Ngoc Tran

Dissertations

Problem

Rural livelihood faces significant challenges due to the increasing frequency and severity of climate change impacts. However, the development of women’s livelihood resilience remains constrained by gender-blind policies, limited sex-disaggregated data, and a lack of integration of gender-specific needs and priorities in resilience-building interventions. This study aims to address these critical gaps. This study aims at exploring the perceived support needs of rural agrarian women in building household livelihood resilience to climate change. Specifically, it seeks to (1) understand how household livelihood resilience is perceived by rural agrarian women, and (2) identify the support they require to effectively adapt …

Nepali Oral Microbiomes Reflect A Gradient Of Lifestyles From Traditional To Industrialized, Erica P Ryu, Yoshina Gautam, Diana M Proctor, Dinesh Bhandari, Sarmila Tandukar, Meera Gupta, Guru Prasad Gautam, David A Relman, Ahmed A Shibl, Jeevan Bahadur Sherchand, Aashish R Jha, Emily R Davenport

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Lifestyle plays an important role in shaping the gut microbiome. However, its contributions to the oral microbiome remain less clear, due to the confounding effects of geography and methodology in investigations of populations studied to date. Furthermore, while the oral microbiome seems to differ between foraging and industrialized populations, we lack insight into whether transitions to and away from agrarian lifestyles shape the oral microbiota. Given the growing interest in so-called "vanishing microbiomes" potentially being a risk factor for increased disease prevalence in industrialized populations, it is important that we distinguish lifestyle from geography in the study of microbiomes …

Street-Side Sovereignty: Informal Produce Vendors, Subsistence, And Chosen Interdependencies, Owen W. Lee

Samoa: Social and Environmental Change in Oceania

This paper summarizes findings from a 2024 survey and interview conducted with street-side produce vendors in Western Samoa. Produce vendors are understood within the informal economy in Samoa and the phenomenon is contextualized through a history of Pacific food regimes. In opposition to the contemporary corporate food regime, produce vendors operate through small-scale, informal operations which demonstrate variability and individual agency. Through the theoretical framework of food sovereignty, informal produce vendors’ survey and interview responses are analyzed to position vendors’ work within both the global and the Pacific food sovereignty movements, with special attention to land access and localized food …

Screening For Responsible Investment In Agriculture And Food Systems: Guidance And Tools For Government Officials, Anna Bulman, Jesse Coleman, Ella Merrill, Esther Akwii, Madeleine Songy, Yannick Fiedler

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

Strong screening processes help to identify and avoid or mitigate risks associated with larger-scale investments in agriculture and food systems at the early stage of the investment assessment process before any commitment has been made, costs incurred, or harms suffered. This publication, Screening for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems: Guidance and Tools for Government Officials, seeks to unpack the “what, why, and how” of screening.

Governments are the gatekeepers to investments. They can, in consultation with stakeholders, decide which investors are allowed to conduct business in their country and what types of investments are permitted. This gatekeeping role …

Harvesting Health: The Role Of City Policy In Urban Agriculture And The Downstream Effects On Youth, Lesley Leake

Theses and Dissertations

Contextualizing environmental health within the socio-ecological framework, acknowledges the diverse factors at play in the environment-human dynamic. The research design, methods, and study populations of each chapter vary to match the socio-ecological level(s) of focus and reinforce the translational and interdisciplinary nature of this research. Chapter 2 examines the policy-supports for urban agriculture using a mixed-methods case-study of the City of Charleston, SC to understand how municipal policy (societal) impacts urban agriculture implementation (community) and what impact this has on residents (relationship and individual). Chapter 3 centers on the potential impact of urban farms (community) and their programming (community and …

A Bee’S-Eye View Of Landscape Change: Differences In Diet Of 2 Andrena Species (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) Between 1943 And 2021, Clare Boyes, Jennifer K Rowntree, Emma Coulthard

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Declines in pollinating insects have been linked to changes in land cover, affecting the availability of nesting sites and floral resources. Our study is the first analysis of changes in pollen load composition of 2 mining bees, Andrena barbilabris (Kirby) and Andrena flavipes (Panzer) (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), at the same sites in central England, over 75 years. This provides a unique opportunity to remove spatial variation and review temporal changes in pollen diet within the context of landscape change. We analyzed modern-day pollen load composition for these species and compared it with historical data from the same sites. We then examined …

Media Framing Of Transportation, Agriculture, And Gasoline In The Russia-Ukraine War, Sk Farhan Rabbi

Student Theses and Dissertations

The war between Russia and Ukraine has the potential to exacerbate social and economic effects on a worldwide scale, impacting several industries including energy, transportation, and agriculture crisis. Due to their heavy reliance on imports of key foods, the Middle East and North Africa are the most susceptible countries. The COVID-19 epidemic increased worldwide demand, and bad harvests all occurred at the same time as the conflict, further pressuring the food supply, transportation, and gasoline costs. Previous studies identified three categories: countries with diminishing fuel security, those making little advancements, and Latvia, which has undertaken noteworthy initiatives. Sanctions against Russia …

Linking Community-Level Food Sovereignty To Subjective Wellbeing: Framing Perspectives On Food Systems In The Upper Yakima River Basin, Alexander W. Theophilus

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Food sovereignty is a framework focused on achieving a wide range of changes in food systems that yield more equitable outcomes for consumers, workers, farmers, and future generations. Food sovereignty is also believed to be an important driver of community wellbeing. However, there is limited research linking perceptions of community-level food sovereignty to subjective wellbeing. Additionally, the complex determinants of food sovereignty are not fully understood. Through two papers linking community-level food sovereignty and subjective wellbeing, I discuss the factors that influence food sovereignty and the impact of food systems on wellbeing in Washington’s upper Yakima River Basin.

In the …

Cobblestone Farms, Fayetteville: A Study Of A Non-Profit Teaching Farm’S Volunteer Management Programs, Ariel Scholten

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Non-profit teaching farms (NPTFs) represent a unique intersection of mission-driven non-profits, agricultural education, and sustainable food production. Despite their growing presence, research on NPTFs, particularly regarding volunteer management, remains limited. This thesis examines volunteer management practices at Cobblestone Farms (CF), a prominent NPTF in Northwest Arkansas, focusing on its strategies to engage and retain volunteers. Through qualitative methods including semi-structured interviews with staff and volunteers, the study identifies, describes, and evaluates key components of CF's volunteer management program. Major findings reveal that CF leverages digital media, online platforms like Give Pulse, and strategic partnerships to recruit and maintain volunteers. The …

The Effects Of Cover Crop Adoption On Yield Distributions Under Extreme Drought, Emory Johnson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events due to climate change negatively impact agriculture output. Of particular concern is the adverse impact of droughts on corn and soybean yields, as these crops represent a significant portion of cash crop receipts in the United States. Cover crops are one practice that has gained attention due to their agronomic benefits and their potential to reduce downside production risk for producers. This study focuses on the impact of cover crop adoption on corn and soybean yields during drought conditions. We use cover crop adoption data from the Operational Tillage Information System, RMA …

Understanding The Roles Of Economy And Society In The Relative Risks Of Zoonosis Emergence From Livestock, Stephen Hinchcliffe, Alex Blanchette, Kin Wang (Ray) Chan, Chris Degeling, Jody Emel, Melissa Leach, Ian Scoones, Michael Winter

Geography

The emergence of zoonotic infections that can develop into pathogens of pandemic potential is a major concern for public health. The risks of emergence and transmission relate to multiple factors that range from land use to human-non-human animal contacts. Livestock agriculture plays a potentially significant role in those risks, shaping landscapes and providing hosts that can act as the source or amplifiers of emergent pathogens. The relative risks will be contingent upon the nature of those systems, with comparisons often made between intensive, indoor, biosecure systems and more extensive, outdoor, insecure systems. Microbiological, ecological and veterinary sciences provide useful entry …