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Subtropical Estuarine Ecosystems Display Both Long-Term Stability And Change, Garrett L. Miller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Subtropical estuaries often support abundant and diverse faunal assemblages, but it is unclear how these productive ecosystems are responding to climate change. In the eastern Gulf of Mexico, estuarine faunal assemblages have been sampled for decades as part of a fisheries-independent long-term monitoring program. I assessed trends in submerged aquatic vegetation, water temperature, and the abundance, richness, and structure of faunal assemblages over more than two decades in four estuarine systems using this dataset. I used both univariate and multivariate analyses to quantify and describe the dynamics of these habitat and faunal variables. Further, I separated my analyses for summer …

The Influence Of Sediment-Supply On River Recovery From Reach To Watershed-Scales, Jordan Fields

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Alluvial channels are always amidst cycles of disturbance and response, continually arcing towards, or back to, a dynamic equilibrium where the channel is subtly adjusted so that it is just able to transport the sediment load supplied from reaches above. As the landscape, and now the climate, have been altered by human activity, channels have been subjected to a changing balance of external forcings. Increasingly large and frequent floods, dam construction/removal, land use change, artisanal gold and sand mining all have drastically perturbed river channels’ delicate adjustment – how will they respond? Here, I consider the question from the grain …

Wildfire Smoke Impacts Lake Ecosystems, Mary Jade Farruggia, Janice Brahney, Andrew J. Tanentzap, Jennifer A. Bentrup, Ludmila S. Brighenti, Sudeep Chandra, Alicia Cortés, Rocio L. Fernandez, Janet M. Fischer, Alexander L. Forrest, Yufang Jin, Kenneth Larrieu, Ian M. Mccullough, Isabella A. Oleksy, Rachel M. Pilla, James A. Rusak, Facundo Scordo, Adrianne P. Smits, Celia C. Symons, Minmeng Tang, Samuel G. Woodman, Steven Sadro

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Wildfire activity is increasing globally. The resulting smoke plumes can travel hundreds to thousands of kilometers, reflecting or scattering sunlight and depositing particles within ecosystems. Several key physical, chemical, and biological processes in lakes are controlled by factors affected by smoke. The spatial and temporal scales of lake exposure to smoke are extensive and under-recognized. We introduce the concept of the lake smoke-day, or the number of days any given lake is exposed to smoke in any given fire season, and quantify the total lake smoke-day exposure in North America from 2019 to 2021. Because smoke can be transported at …

Rock Glaciers In Utah, Scott Hotaling, Kendall Becker, Matthew Morriss

All Current Publications

Utah’s primary water supply––winter snowpack––is in decline due to climate warming coupled with more precipitation falling as rain instead of snow. As snowpack dwindles, other sources of cold stream water, such as rock glaciers, will become more important. Rock glaciers contain significant volumes of internal ice covered by debris. This internal ice provides cold meltwater to mountain streams, sustaining flows in summer and supporting biodiversity. Rock glaciers are common in Utah’s mountains and are projected to be more stable under climate change than Utah’s snowpack. Thus, rock glaciers are likely to persist in their current form even as snowpack volumes …

The Effect Of Carbon Pricing On Firm Performance: Worldwide Evidence, Tinghua Duan, Frank Weikai Li, Hong Zhang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Economists recommend combating climate change with carbon pricing; however, a major block to pricing emissions is concerns about economic costs. This paper examines the impacts of carbon pricing initiatives on the operating performance and market value of publicly listed firms around the world. Using the staggered enactment of carbon pricing initiatives across jurisdictions and a triple difference approach, we find a significant reduction in the profitability and value of carbon-intensive firms relative to low-emission firms after the enactment of carbon pricing policies. The reduction in firm profits is driven by both a decrease in sales growth and an increase in …

Predicting Seagrass Ecosystem Resilience To Marine Heatwave Events Of Variable Duration, Frequency And Re-Occurrence Patterns With Gaps, Paula Sobenko Hatum, Kathryn Mcmahon, Kerrie Mengersen, Kieryn Kilminster, Paul Pao Yen Wu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Seagrass, a vital primary producer habitat, is crucial for maintaining high biodiversity and offers numerous ecosystem services globally. The increasing severity and frequency of marine heatwaves, exacerbated by climate change, pose significant risks to seagrass meadows. Aims: This study acknowledges the uncertainty and variability of marine heatwave scenarios and aims to aid managers and policymakers in understanding simulated responses of seagrass to different durations, frequencies and recurrence gaps of marine heatwaves. Materials and Methods: Using expert knowledge and observed data, we refined a global Dynamic Bayesian Network (DBN) model for a specific case study on Halophila ovalis in Leschenault …

Entertainment-Education And Climate Change: Program Examples, Evidence, And Best Practices From Around The World, Suruchi Sood, Amy Henderson Riley, Lyena Birkenstock

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Entertainment-education is a global theory-driven and evidence-based storytelling strategy that promotes social and behavioral change. A formal review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature, alongside consultations with program and industry experts, revealed several contemporary examples of entertainment-education and climate change. Late-night comedy, with the inclusion of climate change storylines within popular entertainment, is common in the Global North. In the Global South, climate adaptation and mitigation narratives are situated in formats portraying audiences’ lived experiences. Crosscutting trends relate to documentary storytelling, children’s programming, and future efforts. Recommendations include re-examining theories across the social-ecological model; placing entertainment front and center; including …

Carbon Sequestration In Peatlands: Using Environmental Proxies To Understand The Impact Of A Changing Climate On Global Carbon Storage, Sarah Schuller, Don Sullivan

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Peatlands are a type of terrestrial wetland ecosystem in which consistently waterlogged conditions prevent the decomposition of organic matter. These conditions allow for sequestered carbon in plant matter to remain stored in the soil to such a great degree that peatlands store more carbon than all other vegetation types in the world combined. By inhibiting decomposition, the composition of water-rich peat soil remains representative of the environmental conditions during the period in which the peat was formed. The collected peat samples can then be utilized as environmental proxies to determine historical temperature, moisture, and carbon content and extrapolated to predict …

Rwandan High School Students' Productive Ideas About How The Sun Affects Earth's Climate, Esther Mutesi

Honors Projects

This study examines how students at a Rwandan high school understand phenomena related to the fundamental physics of Earth's climate, with a specific emphasis on the effects of solar radiation and energy. We conducted ten interviews with students in high school science classes in Bugesera district, Rwanda. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and (when necessary) translated from Kinyarwanda to English. Transcripts were analyzed through the lens of the resources theoretical framework, a constructivist theory that models science learning as activating, connecting, and refining "seeds of science," or conceptual resources, that are already available in the minds of learners." Our study uncovers …

Assessing The Use Of Regenerative Agriculture In California Almonds As Climate Change Resilience, Skyler M. Seamons

Master's Projects and Capstones

The agriculture sector is responsible for 10% of the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions. In turn, anthropogenic climate change threatens crops. With its Mediterranean climate, California is the country’s largest agricultural-producing state. Many California crops are at risk due to increasing temperatures and changed precipitation patterns. This paper investigates regenerative farming techniques as a tool to protect California crops from a changing climate. Almonds are used as a case study to analyze the soil management practices, finances, and policies underlying regenerative agriculture in California. A literature review and comparative analysis are used to compare regenerative and conventional soil management practices …

Fire Management In The Face Of Rapid Climate Change: A Case Study Of The Yukon Flats Workshop, Abigail Hicks

Natural Resources

The management of wildfires in Alaska stands as a multifaceted social-ecological challenge without a singular, definitive solution. Due to the influence of climate change, wildfires have evolved in their behavioral patterns, prompting a reevaluation of the effectiveness of existing fire management strategies to accommodate the dynamic requirements of both ecosystems and stakeholders. During the COVID 19 pandemic in 2021, a virtual workshop entitled, "Improving Wildfire Management Decision-Making for the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge: A Workshop," brought together scientists and wildfire managers. This workshop facilitated collaborative discussions on some of the most pressing issues surrounding wildfire management plans for the …

Conceptualising And Enacting Pathways To Transformative Climate Justice: Examples From The Philippines, Justin See, Anne Shangrila Fuentes, Emma Porio, Brooke Wilmsen

Sociology & Anthropology Department Faculty Publications

Scholarship on climate change adaptation is increasingly moving from incremental responses to climate injustice towards transformative approaches that deliberately change systems to achieve just and equitable outcomes. A transformative understanding of climate justice is relatively new and evidence of how this could be achieved is in its infancy. In this paper, we conceptualise transformative climate justice as comprised of three subcomponents: (1) inclusive justice (seeking to ensure that no one, especially the most vulnerable, is left behind), (2) epistemological justice (drawing upon diverse knowledges and worldviews), and (3) restorative justice (healing and restoration of communities and the environment). We then …

Sub-Stage Climatic Shifts During Mis 11 Refined From Diatom Assemblage Reconstruction In The Valles Caldera, New Mexico, Savannah Cutler

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Diatom assemblage reconstruction from the Valles Caldera sediment core (VC-3) was utilized to infer climatic and aquatic changes during a 50-thousand-year [ka] period in the Mid-Pleistocene (435-385 ka). This 50 ka interval spans most of Marine Isotope Stage 11 (MIS 11) – one of the most prominent interglacials of the past 500 ka – and is widely considered an analog for the Holocene and future climate regimes. Nearly all records from MIS 11 are either marine or ice-core based, making VC-3 unique among lacustrine sediment records as it captures insolation variations and climatic changes during the mid-Pleistocene. Analysis of the …

Climate Change In Mississippi: A Journalistic Exploration Of Education And Activism, Kala Nance

Honors Theses

Climate Change in Mississippi: A Journalistic Exploration of Education and Activism takes an investigative, journalistic approach toward climate change in Mississippi. Specifically, how education and awareness have a direct impact on Mississippi industries, people and legislation. The project explored the level of acknowledgement of climate change across the state, and how certain individuals used advocacy to encourage education about climate change to raise awareness of the severity of the situation. This project includes interviews with university professors and researchers, non-profit organizations, educational groups and working individuals in some of Mississippi’s largest areas of employment. Additionally, this project draws on research …

Anthropaean Storytelling, Community, And The Ripples Of The Climate Crisis, Jonathan Summers

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

The climate crisis has grown into a dangerous global threat, pushing our planet to the point of ecological no return. We face the certainty of increasingly destructive climate disasters and social upheaval, threatening our societal and biological survival. The next few years will prove critical to the future welfare of our species and our planet. However, we are not without our defenses. Through the lens of fictional short stories, this capstone concentrates on community and storytelling, two deeply human behaviors that could be two of our greatest tools in the struggle against climate change. Human beings are social creatures at …

Using Multi-Scale Spatial Models Of Dendritic Ecosystems To Infer Abundance Of A Stream Salmonid, Xinyi Lu, Yoichiro Kanno, George P. Valentine, Jacob M. Rash, Mevin B. Hooten

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

1. Understanding patterns of species abundance is essential for planning landscape-level conservation. The complex hierarchies of dendritic ecosystems result in different levels of heterogeneity at distinct geographic scales. Species responses to dynamic environmental drivers may also vary spatially depending on their interactions with landscape features. Monitoring abundance by explicitly quantifying their spatial and temporal variation is important for strategic management.

2. We analysed brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) count data collected from 173 sites in western North Carolina between 1989 and 2015. We developed a Bayesian hierarchical model that used single- and multi-pass electro-fishing data and characterized their respective …

Using Empathy To Shift Climate Change Attitudes., Carson Haller

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

It has shifted from a hunch to an existential threat, it is a harbinger of disaster and bankruptcy, backed by science, and yet a considerable portion of Americans still believe that climate change is a hoax. It is becoming increasingly imperative to convince this portion to join the fight. It has been found that empathy is an effective method of persuasion, prompting the question of whether empathy could be used shift climate change attitudes. The hypothesis of this study was that if a person feels empathy for somebody harmed by the effects of climate change, they will be more willing …

Relationship Between Marine Heatwaves And Diadema Antillarum Settlement In The Florida Keys, David Ogando Jr.

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Ocean warming can have profound impacts on benthic marine invertebrates through direct physiological effects. Yet, the impacts of ocean warming on the long-spined sea urchin (Diadema antillarum), a keystone grazer on western Atlantic and Caribbean coral reefs, has received little attention. In the summer of 2023, the Caribbean basin experienced a strong marine heatwave event with sea temperatures ~1–3°C above average and the warmest on record in southern Florida. An ongoing field settlement sampling program for D. antillarum in the Florida Keys provided an opportunity to examine the correlative relationship between thermal exposure and larval settlement. Thermal exposure was quantified …

The Role Of Climate Feedbacks, Poleward Energy Transport, And Clouds In Causing Arctic Amplification And Their Link To Sea-Ice Loss, Matthew Todd Jenkins

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Arctic amplification (AA) refers to larger warming in the Northern high latitudes than the rest of the world under increased greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations. Many processes have been suggested to influence AA such as sea-ice loss, positive climate feedbacks, enhanced downwelling longwave (LW) radiation from increased water vapor and cloud cover, or enhanced poleward energy transport. However, many of these processes are coupled with each other and with Arctic warming, making it difficult to separate and quantify their individual contributions to Arctic warming and AA. This dissertation focuses on the roles of sea-ice loss, climate feedbacks, cloud property changes, and …

Assessing Equitable Distribution Of The Urban Tree Canopy At The Neighborhood Scale In Greenville, South Carolina., April Riehm

All Theses

We are living in an era that necessitates adaptation and resilience. The Earth is warming. Our climate has changed (EPA, 2016). Our planet is also rapidly urbanizing. It is predicted that 68% of people will live in cities by 2050. The City of Greenville is a rapidly growing city in South Carolina that has been losing its tree canopy to development(City of Greenville, 2023). The Urban Tree Canopy (UTC) is a community asset that provides many quality-of-life benefits including improved air quality, stormwater management, carbon sequestration, mental and physical well-being, increased mobility and access, aesthetics, a reduction in energy costs, …

Determining The Climatic Effects Of The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province Across The End Triassic Mass Extinction In The Elliot Formation, Southern Africa, Danielle Elizabeth Oberg

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the intricate relation between carbon-cycle perturbations, climate change, and biodiversity stability is crucial in the face of ongoing anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emissions. This thesis explores the impacts of rapid climate change induced by carbon-cycle perturbations and their potential repercussions on global climate. Large igneous provinces, particularly the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province, offer a lens through which to examine the nexus of volcanic activity, mass extinctions, and climate change. The emplacement of Central Atlantic Magmatic Province, covering vast regions across continents, emitted substantial amounts of carbon dioxide, profoundly impacting global climate and ecosystems. The end-Triassic Mass Extinction, attributed to Central Atlantic …

How Does Hummock Creation In Submerging Salt Marshes Alter Nitrous Oxide Fluxes?, Juliette Doyle

Honors Scholar Theses

Climate change is altering ecosystems and the services they provide. Salt marsh ecosystems typically protect coastal areas and filter nitrogen out of water, but are rapidly submerging due to rising sea levels and human development that prevents landward migration. Recent restoration efforts to preserve salt marshes attempt to build elevation capital and promote vegetation and animal habitat, but it is unclear how such efforts affect salt marsh biogeochemistry and dynamics of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. To better understand how adding sediment to submerging salt marshes may alter nitrous oxide fluxes, I leveraged a salt marsh hummock creation experiment …

Harnessing Social Media For Climate Action In Developing Countries: A Case Study Of Egypt, Nicolas Hamelin, Passant Halawa

Faculty Journal Articles

Like many developing nations, Egypt is facing a climate crisis due to its agricultural dependence and the Nile Delta’s vulnerability. Despite government plans for sustainable development, recent infrastructure projects have resulted in large-scale green space removal. Effective communication about environmental issues can spark pro-environmental behavior and citizen activism. This study explores social media’s potential to bridge this gap in Egypt. Utilizing Facebook AB testing with a limited budget, we reached a significant 2.3% of Egypt’s online population (nearly 2 million users). This study explored message framing, with findings showing that rational posts resonated best while fear appeals had minimal impact. …

Addressing Climate Change Anomie In Teacher Education, Teresa Anne Fowler

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This research project sought to understand how preservice teachers explore their relationship with Science and confidence in teaching about climate change in Science education amid a culture of denial regarding the impact of the climate crisis. Using data from three cohorts of students in an elementary Science methods course, this paper shares the context of climate change acceptance in the province of Alberta, Canada, the fossil fuel economic hub of Canada, and how using Journell’s framework for controversial issues alongside a critical energy literacy framework using inquiry, supported preservice teachers to address their hesitancy in Science classrooms to engage with …

Creating A New Border Culture In The Midst Of The Climate Crisis: Activism And Pedagogy Strategies For Teacher Preparation, Puneet S. Gill

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This paper documents the efforts of an activist group that came to teach about activist efforts, climate change/climate justice/climate crisis issues, and to create leaders in one border community. The leaders of this three-day workshop are a part of an activist organization named SOMOS Sunrise, the Latine constituency of the Sunrise movement. In this paper, I will analyze the climate change workshop training days and components of the workshops. Secondly, this paper will document a climate cohort education group conducted with undergraduate students and pre-service teachers the following summer. This climate cohort helped articulate art activism and public speaking opportunities …

Estimating Changing Marshland Habitat And Conservation Potential For Diamondback Terrapins In New Jersey Under Climate Change And Development Pressures, Jacqueline Ganter

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

The diamondback terrapin, a brackish water turtle native to the eastern US, is listed as a species of ‘special concern’ in the state of New Jersey, due to decreasing habitat from development and changing climatic conditions. Diamondback terrapins reside in saline marshes and wetlands and nest in sandy substrate, primarily beaches and dunes, in June and July. The state of New Jersey is vulnerable to both sea level rise, leaving diamondback terrapin habitats and nesting areas at risk of inundation under future climate scenarios, and, as the most densely populated state, subject to continual development pressures on potentially conservable land. …

Bacterial And Viral Co-Infections In Aquaculture Under Climate Warming: Co-Evolutionary Implications, Diagnosis, And Treatment, S Vega-Heredia, I Giffard-Mena, M Reverter

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Climate change and the associated environmental temperature fluctuations are contributing to increases in the frequency and severity of disease outbreaks in both wild and farmed aquatic species. This has a significant impact on biodiversity and also puts global food production systems, such as aquaculture, at risk. Most infections are the result of complex interactions be - tween multiple pathogens, and understanding these interactions and their co-evolutionary mechanisms is crucial for developing effective diagnosis and control strategies. In this review, we discuss current knowledge on bacteria-bacteria, virus-virus, and bacterial and viral co-infections in aquaculture as well as their co-evolution in the …

Climatology Of Tornadoes In Kansas, John P. Wasinger, Todd Moore

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Recent studies report changes to the climatology of tornadoes in the United States (US). Changes with the most supporting evidence include an increase in the intra- and inter-annual variability, increased concentration of tornadoes in bigger outbreaks, and a geographic shift of the densest tornado activity away from Tornado Alley in the Great Plains and toward the Great Lakes and Southeast regions of the US. Broad, national-level changes are valuable, but they can mask changes occurring at the state and sub-state levels where mitigation efforts are most effective. Kansas is of interest due to its reputation as a hotbed of tornado …

Changes In Reef Tourism’S Adaptive Capacity After Severe Climate Disturbances, Henry Bartelet, Michele Barnes, Lalu Bakti, Graeme S. Cumming

Quantitative Methods and Information Technology Faculty Publications

Knowledge about adaptive capacity and its determinants has increased significantly over the last decade. However, most research on adaptive capacity has been static, not considering how adaptive capacity might change over time, particularly after severe disturbances. We studied the adaptive capacity dynamics of Asian-Pacific reef tourism operators affected by coral bleaching and tropical cyclones compared with a control group with non-affected operators. We found that impacts from tropical cyclones were associated with frequent changes in adaptive capacity. Notably, we found a reduction in tangible attributes (assets and flexibility) of adaptive capacity, whereas intangible attributes (agency and social organization) increased. Our …

Predicting The Potential Distribution Of Pseudococcus Longispinus (Targioni-Tozzetti) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) In South Korea Using A Climex Model, Su Bin Kim, Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni-Tozzetti) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is a widely-distributed pest that feeds on many economically important hosts, particularly tropical fruits and ornamentals. The potential distribution of this mealybug pest in South Korea remains a primary concern because of its high incidence of interceptions screened during inspection. Hence, this species prompted a modelling effort to assess its potential risk of introduction. Potential risk maps were developed for this pest with a CLIMEX model based on occurrence records under environmental data. The potential distribution of these pests in South Korea in the 2020s, 2050s and 2090s was projected based on the RCP 8.5 …