Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond The Classroom: Influence Of A Sustainability Intervention On University Students’ Environmental Knowledge And Behaviors, Dawn Christina Null, Kristin Hurst, Leslie A. Duram

Publications

On college campuses, environmental science education largely takes place in classrooms, thereby limiting impact on the full student body. By implementing an educational intervention in an informal campus setting, this study tested an approach aimed at expanding the reach of environmental learning. Students at a mid-size Midwestern university were exposed to a food-focused environmental and climate education intervention consisting of sustainability trivia and marketing materials displayed in dining halls. Prior to exposure, students completed a pre-test, followed by a 5-week intervention, then a post-test. Comparing correct responses between pre-test and post-test, we found a significant increase in environmental and climate …

Symbiosis Under Stress: Unraveling The Interplay Of Ocean Acidification And Rising Temperatures On Acropora Samoensis (Staghorn Coral), Jerald William Smolkin

Theses and Dissertations

This experiment explores the response of marine organisms to the combined challenges of ocean acidification and rising temperatures, with a focus on coral reef ecosystems. As global climate change threatens profound declines in coral reefs, understanding the multifaceted impacts of these stressors becomes crucial. The study observes cellular changes in A. samoensis tissues in four different groups, including control, Temp, pH, and Temp and pH. Results indicate significant breakdown of membrane compartmentalization and cell junctions, with notable degradation and calcium carbonate crystallization in pH-stressed samples. Additionally, chlorophyll extraction data support coral bleaching due to the expulsion of zooxanthellae. These findings …

Fauna, Flora, And Land Cover Changes Over The Last Two Decades In The Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, Gabriel De Oliveria, Steven R. Schultze, Guilherme Mataveli

Technical Reports

A technical report documenting ecosystem changes to the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta region due to urban expansion over approximately two decades (2001-2019).

Can Functional Traits Predict Turnover Of Alpine Plant Species In Yosemite National Park?, Brooke L. Wallasch

Biological Sciences

Alpine species are a useful tool for predicting the effects of climate change on lowland species. A growing body of research has begun assessing the question of how alpine species will change in response to changing climate. In the study of alpine plant species, some researchers have begun exploring the idea that functional traits could be predictive of turnover in alpine plant communities. In this study, I used a species’-level approach to assess the ability of six functional traits (vegetative height, generative height, leaf thickness, leaf area, leaf dry weight, specific leaf area) to predict species turnover in alpine plants …

15-Year Biomass Production In Semiarid Nebraska Sandhills Grasslands: Part 1 – Plant Functional Group Analysis, B. Zhao, M. B. Stephenson, Tala Awada, J. D. Volesky, Brian D. Wardlow, Y. Zhou, Y. Shi

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

15-Year Biomass Production In Semiarid Nebraska Sandhills Grasslands: Part 1 – Plant Functional Group Analysis, B. Zhao, M. B. Stephenson, Tala Awada, J. D. Volesky, Brian D. Wardlow, Y. Zhou, Y. Shi

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Global Food Security: Opportunities For The American Meteorological Society, L. Stuart, M. Hobbins, E. Niebuhr, A. C. Ruane, R. Pulwarty, A. Hoell, W. Thiaw, C. Rosenzweig, Francisco Munoz-Arriola, M. Jahn, M. Harrar

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Bayesian Integrated Species Distribution Models For Hierarchical Resource Selection By A Soaring Bird, Ryo Ogawa, Guiming Wang, L. Wes Burger, Bronson Strickland, J. Brian Davis, Fred L. Cunningham

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Migratory birds exhibit seasonal geographic range (hereafter, range) dynamics during the annual cycle. Few studies have examined how migratory birds select their habitats for range occupancy at the species level and space use at the individual level simultaneously. We hypothesized that environmental variables directly related to fitness components would affect the range occupancy probabilities of migrants, whereas environment variables related to movements and flights would affect the space use intensities of migrants. We built Bayesian integrated species distribution models (ISDMs) to evaluate the effects of climate conditions, wind conditions, and landcover compositions on the seasonal range dynamics of American white …

Developments At The United Nations International Law Commission On Sea-Level Rise, Claudio Grossman Guiloff

American University International Law Review

This article examines some of the challenges presented by the phenomenon of sea-level rise in relation to international law with a focus on the analysis undertaken by the Study Group on Sea-Level Rise (“Study Group”) of the United Nations International Law Commission (“ILC”).

Climate Change And Coastal Development Impacts On Oyster Abundances In Mosquito Lagoon, Fl, Emily Suchonic

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Live eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reefs have declined by 62.6% in Mosquito Lagoon (ML) along the eastern Florida coast since 1943. While this species creates reefs by successive generations of oysters recruiting to conspecific shells, C. virginica can also attach to non-reef substrates including mangrove roots and armoring (e.g., seawalls), which may help counteract reef habitat loss. In recent decades, warmer winters have enabled red (Rhizophora mangle) and black (Avicennia germinans) mangrove expansion in subtropical salt marshes and temperate estuaries where oyster reefs occur. Additionally, 11.8% of ML's shorelines have been armored as of …

U.S. National Security And Climate Change, Alexandra E. Koch, Nicole K. Carle, Gregory P. Noone

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

As sea temperatures rise and natural disasters intensify, it is critical that the U.S. national security strategy actively include plans to account for global climate change and address the complex environmental and humanitarian challenges that parallel and are driven by rising temperatures, such as resource scarcity, forced displacement, and regional instability. Climate change acts as a “threat multiplier for instability” in some of the most volatile regions of the world and can contribute to rising tensions even in historically stable regions. Climate change can also lead to increased vulnerability of military infrastructure and logistics, undermine military readiness, and demand a …

Effects Of Climate Change On Seed Germination May Contribute To Habitat Homogenization In Freshwater Forested Wetlands, Kori Carr, Xavier Ozowara, Taylor M. Sloey

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Climate changes in temperate regions are expected to result in warmer, shorter winters in temperate latitudes. These changes may have consequences for germination of plant species that require a period of physiological dormancy. The effect of cold duration on seed germination has been investigated in a number of plant taxa, but has not been well studied in wetland and bottomland forest tree species, an ecosystem that is threatened by habitat homogenization. Our work sought to test the role of changing winter temperatures on seed germination in specialist (Nyssa aquatica and Taxodium distichum) and generalist (Acer rubrum and Liquidambar styraciflua) tree …

Corals In Crisis: A Transcriptomic Investigation Of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease, Kelsey M. Beavers

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Coral reefs face existential threats due to climate change and human activities. The combined effects of ocean warming, overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction have fundamentally altered the functionality of coral reefs and are driving a drastic increase in the prevalence and severity of coral disease outbreaks. Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has emerged one of the most devastating disturbances to Caribbean reef ecosystems on record. Despite notable progress, the cellular mechanisms driving SCTLD pathogenesis remain poorly understood. To address this issue, my dissertation investigates the gene expression, histopathology, immune protein activity, and symbiont community dynamics involved in SCTLD progression …

Projecting Temperature-Related Dengue Burden In The Philippines Under Various Socioeconomic Pathway Scenarios, Xerxes Seposo, Sary Valenzuela, Geminn Louis C. Apostol, Keith Alexius Wangkay, Percival Ethan Lao, Anna Beatrice Enriquez

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Introduction

As climate change advances, the looming threat of dengue fever, intricately tied to rising temperatures, intensifies, posing a substantial and enduring public health challenge in the Philippines. This study aims to investigate the historical and projected excess dengue disease burden attributable to temperature to help inform climate change policies, and guide resource allocation for strategic climate change and dengue disease interventions.

Methods

The study utilized established temperature-dengue risk functions to estimate the historical dengue burden attributable to increased temperatures. Future projections were derived using Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios to estimate the …

Spatiotemporal Distribution Of Mangrove Along The Egyptian Red Sea Coast And Analysis Of Hydrological Impact On Growth Patterns, H. Sewilam, B. T. Hassan, B. S. Khalil

Faculty Journal Articles

This study presents an in-depth spatiotemporal analysis of mangrove ecosystems along Egypt’s Red Sea coast, utilizing satellite imagery and GIS to examine changes from 2003 to 2022. We evaluate the effects of hydrological factors, specifically rainfall and runoff -presented by Stream Power Index-, on mangrove growth patterns. Results indicate a significant increase in mangrove areas, with a notable annual growth rate, despite a reduction in a specific region. This research highlights the integral role of catchment area runoff (R2 = 0.735, R = 0.857, P-value = 0.003 < 0.05, CV = 70.26%), rather than direct rainfall, in mangrove expansion, contributing to the understanding of mangrove resilience and informing sustainable coastal management strategies. The study bridges a significant research gap by mapping decadal mangrove changes, offering insights into the dynamics affecting these crucial ecosystems.

Assessing Community Perspectives To Inform Kelp Forest Restoration And Management: The Case Of Mendocino Coast, California, Jocelyn Enevoldsen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In coastal Mendocino County, California, a multi-year marine heatwave event kicked off a dramatic ecosystem transformation that led to a near-total loss of bull kelp forests. People who relied on the local kelp ecosystems were affected and facing decisions about how to respond to the kelp ecosystem transformation. Rigorous assessments that are inclusive of local perspectives, values, and preferences could inform efforts related to kelp forest ecosystem management, conservation, and restoration. My research focused on answering the following questions: (1) What are the ways that people are connected to kelp ecosystems on the Mendocino coast? (2) What are community members’ …

Measuring Nature’S Contributions To People Provided By Species In The Gulf Of Maine Rocky Intertidal Ecosystem, Madelyn L. Eippert

Honors Theses

Ecosystem services aim to quantify the value of nature provided to humans. However, Ecosystem services are typically measured at the level of the ecosystem as a whole and do not consider interactions between species in an ecosystem. Ultimately, the species in an ecosystem determine the services that are provided. Measuring ecosystem services at the landscape level misses the complex interactions and changing biodiversity of ecosystems. Currently, there is no accepted framework to link ecosystem services to species. In this thesis, I developed a framework to link Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) to species. NCP includes 18 specific contributions (i.e. 18 …

The Impacts Of Anthropogenic Activity And Climate Change On The Formation Of Harmful Algal Blooms (Habs) And Its Ecological Consequence, Zhangxi Hu, Aifeng Li, Zhun Li, Margaret R. Mulholland

OES Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Nitrogen Fixation At The Mid-Atlantic Bight Shelfbreak And Transport Of Newly Fixed Nitrogen To The Slope Sea, C. R. Selden, M. R. Mulholland, K. E. Crider, S. Clayton, A. Macías-Tapia, P. Bernhardt, D. J. Mcgillicuddy Jr., W. G. Zhang, P. D. Chappell

OES Faculty Publications

Continental shelves contribute a large fraction of the ocean's new nitrogen (N) via N₂ fixation; yet, we know little about how physical processes at the ocean's margins shape diazotroph biogeography and activity. Here, we test the hypothesis that frontal mixing favors N₂ fixation at the Mid-Atlantic Bight shelfbreak. Using the ¹⁵N₂ bubble release method, we measured N₂ fixation rates on repeat cross-frontal transects in July 2019. N₂ fixation rates in shelf waters (median = 5.42 nmol N L⁻¹ d⁻¹) were higher than offshore (2.48 nmol N L⁻¹ d⁻¹) …

Updates In Air Pollution: Current Research And Future Challenges, Dwan Vilcins, Rebecca C. Christofferson, Jin Ho Yoon, Siti Nurshahida Nazli, Peter D. Sly, Stephania A. Cormier, Guofeng Shen

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Background: The United Nations has declared that humans have a right to clean air. Despite this, many deaths and disability-adjusted life years are attributed to air pollution exposure each year. We face both challenges to air quality and opportunities to improve, but several areas need to be addressed with urgency. Objective: This paper summarises the recent research presented at the Pacific Basin Consortium for Environment and Health Symposium and focuses on three key areas of air pollution that are important to human health and require more research. Findings and conclusion: Indoor spaces are commonly places of exposure to poor air …

Differential Effects Of Warming On The Complexity And Stability Of The Microbial Network In Phragmites Australis And Spartina Alterniflora Wetlands In Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, China, Lixin Pei, Siyuan Ye, Liujuan Xie, Pan Zhou, Lei He, Shixiong Yang, Xigui Ding, Hongming Yuan, Tianjiao Dai, Edward A. Laws

Faculty Publications

The impact of climate warming on soil microbial communities can significantly influence the global carbon cycle. Coastal wetlands, in particular, are susceptible to changes in soil microbial community structure due to climate warming and the presence of invasive plant species. However, there is limited knowledge about how native and invasive plant wetland soil microbes differ in their response to warming. In this study, we investigated the temporal dynamics of soil microbes (prokaryotes and fungi) under experimental warming in two coastal wetlands dominated by native Phragmites australis (P. australis) and invasive Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora). Our research indicated that short-term warming …

Transcriptomic Responses To Hypoxia In Two Populations Of Eastern Oyster With Differing Tolerance, Emma L. Crable, Heather Rodriguez, Rujuta V. Vaidya, Nicholas Coxe, Jerome F. La Peyre, Morgan W. Kelly

Faculty Publications

The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, is a keystone species native to the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts of the United States and Canada. It provides habitat for other marine organisms and makes up the majority of oyster production in the United States. Despite its tolerance to hypoxic conditions, C. virginica is threatened by anthropogenic climate change, which is increasing both average temperature and the frequency and severity of hypoxic events. In this study, we explore the differences in hypoxia-transcriptional response between two populations of eastern oysters with known differences in hypoxia tolerance at three time points over the course …

Investigation Of The Effects Of Ocean Acidification On Juvenile Homarus Americanus Feeding Behavior, Sophia Roy

Honors Theses and Capstones

Climate change has led to increased CO2 absorption by ocean surface waters, resulting in decreased pH levels, a phenomenon known as ocean acidification (OA). A primary class of marine organism behavior is impacted by OA, in particular, olfactory-mediated behaviors related to foraging and feeding success. However, the biological mechanisms responsible for the documented impairment of foraging and feeding-related behaviors remains in question. We find that juvenile American lobsters (H. americanus) exhibit significantly faster rates of total feeding times in response to short-term low pH exposure. However, total search time and total handling time were not affected by pH when examined …

Maxent Ecological Niche Models For Alternanthera Philoxeroides, Amynothrips Andersoni, And Agasicles Hygrophila, Samuel A. Schmid, Andrés F. Sánchez-Restrepo, Alejandro J. Sosa, Gray Turnage, Gary N. Ervin

CAS Publications

Alternanthera philoxeroides is an aquatic invasive weed from South America with a long history of biological control. The well-studied Agasicles hygrophila (alligatorweed flea beetle) successfully controls Al. philoxeroides in some parts of its invaded range, but Ag. hygrophila is unsuitable in other areas due to its intolerance to cold temperatures. An understudied biological control agent, Amynothrips andersoni (alligatorweed thrips) has shown greater tolerance to cold temperatures, but no research has been conducted to determine its ecological niche with respect to Al. philoxeroides. Additionally, climate change is predicted to shift the ecological niches of species globally, and these changes must be …

A Fresh Take: Seasonal Changes In Terrestrial Freshwater Inputs Impact Salt Marsh Hydrology And Vegetation Dynamics, Maya S. Montalvo, Emilio Grande, Anna E. Braswell, Ate Visser, Bhavna Arora, Erin C. Seybold, Corianne Tatariw, John C. Haskins, Charlie A. Endris, Fuller Gerbl, Mong Han Huang, Darya Morozov, Margaret A. Zimmer

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Salt marshes exist at the terrestrial-marine interface, providing important ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. Tidal inputs play a dominant role in salt marsh porewater mixing, and terrestrially derived freshwater inputs are increasingly recognized as important sources of water and solutes to intertidal wetlands. However, there remains a critical gap in understanding the role of freshwater inputs on salt marsh hydrology, and how this may impact marsh subsurface salinity and plant productivity. Here, we address this knowledge gap by examining the hydrologic behavior, porewater salinity, and pickleweed (Sarcocornia pacifica also known as Salicornia pacifica) plant productivity along …

The Role Of Atmospheric And Oceanic Feedbacks In Orbital And Millennial Timescale Variability Of The Coupled Climate-Carbon System, Fangze Zhu

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

An intriguing mechanism of the Pleistocene glacial-interglacial cycles is the phase locking of internal climate oscillations to external forcings, suggesting the leading role of the natural climate variability in the past climate changes on orbital timescales. Similarly, the millennial-scale variability over the last glacial period may be attributed to unforced climate dynamics. One of the central themes of the climate sciences is to acquire a fundamental understanding of climate feedbacks over a broad range of timescales. The main objective of this thesis is to identify the characteristic natural variability in a fully coupled climate-carbon model from orbital to millennial timescales, …

An Rnai-Based Approach To Ips Calligraphus Management: A Promising Strategy For Forest Protection, Mary Wallace

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

As climate change leads to more frequent and severe extreme weather, host tree stress is increasing the occurrence of large-scale bark beetle outbreaks. One such beetle, Ips calligraphus (Germar), a native bark beetle in the southeastern United States, has traditionally been considered a secondary pest of pine trees. Management has relied on silvicultural practices that enhance forest resilience, enabling host trees to effectively use natural defenses to deter beetle infestation. However, during periods of forest stress caused by storms, droughts, human disturbance, and other factors, beetle outbreaks can cause considerable ecological and economic damage.

Addressing worsening I. calligraphus outbreaks will …

Climatizing National Security, Mark P. Nevitt

Faculty Articles

Is climate change a national security issue? Human security? Ecological security? This Article addresses the growing nexus between climate change and various conceptions of security with a particular emphasis on climate change's national security impacts. This Article argues that there is a growing connection between national security and climate change and a corresponding need to address the normative implications of "climatizing national security." This connection can be observed through three lenses: mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions from military and national security sources); adaptation (investing in climate resilient infrastructure in an effort to prepare for climate impacts), and response (addressing climate-exacerbated …

Assessment Of Open Top Chambers To Simulate Effects Of Climate Change On Soil Temperature And Cover Crop Response In Agricultural Systems, Gretchen Bahmueller

Honors Theses and Capstones

Climate change is expected to yield warmer winters that have the potential to place additional stress on our already stressed agricultural systems. Understanding how agricultural systems may respond to these changes is essential to creating crop and land management plans that ensure food security for future generations. To better understand how warming winters can/will affect air and soil temperatures and cover crop performance, open top chambers (OTCs) were deployed post cover crop seeding in a field experiment at the UNH Kingman Research Farm in Madbury, NH. The experiment consisted of four cover crop treatments sown into or after corn: an …

Urban Nature Indexes Tool Offers Comprehensive And Flexible Approach To Monitoring Urban Ecological Performance, Jennifer Rae Pierce, Laura Costadone, Lelani Mannetti, Joeri Morpurgo, Charlyn Elaine Green, Michael D. Halder, Pablo Arturo Lopez Guijosa, Abner L. Bogan, Russell Galt, Jonathan Hughes

ODU Articles

We present the Urban Nature Indexes (UNI), a comprehensive tool that measures urban ecological performance under one standard framework linked to global commitments. The UNI was developed by interdisciplinary experts and evaluated by practitioners from diverse cities to capture each city’s ecological footprint from local to global scale. The UNI comprises six themes (consumption drivers, human pressures, habitat status, species status, nature’s contributions to people, and governance responses) that encompass measurable impacts on climate change, biodiversity loss, ecosystem services, pollution, consumption, water management, and equity within one comprehensive system. Cities then adapt the UNI to their context and capacity by …