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Contributions Of Historical Ecology To Ecological Services Assessments In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Texas, Julianna Katherine Schaefer Kurpis
Contributions Of Historical Ecology To Ecological Services Assessments In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Texas, Julianna Katherine Schaefer Kurpis
Theses and Dissertations
Historic and current anthropogenic land-use activities affect ecological functions and ecosystem services quality. The clearing of native Tamaulipan thorn forest and riparian forests for agricultural use and expansion followed by rapid urbanization and population growth resulted in profound ecological impacts to the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), Texas. The goals of this study are 1) document trends in land use change and vegetation health in the LRGV 2) evaluate and demonstrate the application of the Ecosystem Services Identification & Inventory Tool (ESII Tool) for collecting ecological data and measuring percent ecological performance and 3) use historical ecology indicators to compare …
Eucalyptus In Kenya; Impacts On Environment And Society, Brandy M. Garrett Kluthe
Eucalyptus In Kenya; Impacts On Environment And Society, Brandy M. Garrett Kluthe
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Eucalyptus trees were introduced to Kenya a little over a century ago. European colonization along with the development of a railway system increased the demand for a fast growing wood source. The expansion of the tree across the fertile lands in Kenya raises concerns about the environmental impact on ecosystems where it has been introduced. These concerns include degraded soils, loss of water resources, co-introduction of ectomycorrhizal species, and allelopathy. Economic benefits to local landowners were also explored as well as the potential for large Eucalyptus woodlots to maximize the sequestration of CO₂ from the atmosphere. This was examined through …