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Articles 1 - 28 of 28
Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Randomization Tests For Quantifying Species Importance To Ecosystem Function, Nicholas J. Gotelli, Werner Ulrich, Fernando T. Maestre
Randomization Tests For Quantifying Species Importance To Ecosystem Function, Nicholas J. Gotelli, Werner Ulrich, Fernando T. Maestre
College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Publications
1. Quantifying the contribution of different species to ecosystem function is an important challenge. We introduce simple randomization tests (and software) for quantifying the average effect of species on ecosystem variables measured in multiple plots with and without the presence of a particular species. These randomization tests formalize the analysis of uncontrolled 'natural experiments' and quantify species effects in standardized deviation units. 2.We tested the method with data on ecosystem function in biological soil crust assemblages of lichens in semi-arid gypsum outcrops in central Spain. In sixty-three 50cm×50cm sample plots, we measured the presence and percentage cover of 17 species …
Underestimating The Costs Of Conservation In Southeast Asia, David P. Edwards, Brendan Fisher, Xingli Giam, David S. Wilcove
Underestimating The Costs Of Conservation In Southeast Asia, David P. Edwards, Brendan Fisher, Xingli Giam, David S. Wilcove
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications
No abstract provided.
The Limits To Prediction In Ecological Systems, Brian Beckage, Louis J. Gross, Stuart Kauffman
The Limits To Prediction In Ecological Systems, Brian Beckage, Louis J. Gross, Stuart Kauffman
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications
Predicting the future trajectories of ecological systems is increasingly important as the magnitude of anthropogenic perturbation of the earth systems grows.We distinguish between two types of predictability: the intrinsic or theoretical predictability of a system and the realized predictability that is achieved using available models and parameterizations. We contend that there are strong limits on the intrinsic predictability of ecological systems that arise from inherent characteristics of biological systems. While the realized predictability of ecological systems can be limited by process and parameter misspecification or uncertainty, we argue that the intrinsic predictability of ecological systems is widely and strongly limited …
Heating Up The Forest: Open-Top Chamber Warming Manipulation Of Arthropod Communities At Harvard And Duke Forests, Shannon L. Pelini, Francis P. Bowles, Aaron M. Ellison, Nicholas J. Gotelli, Nathan J. Sanders, Robert R. Dunn
Heating Up The Forest: Open-Top Chamber Warming Manipulation Of Arthropod Communities At Harvard And Duke Forests, Shannon L. Pelini, Francis P. Bowles, Aaron M. Ellison, Nicholas J. Gotelli, Nathan J. Sanders, Robert R. Dunn
College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Publications
1.Recent observations indicate that climatic change is altering biodiversity, and models suggest that the consequences of climate change will differ across latitude. However, long-term experimental field manipulations that directly test the predictions about organisms' responses to climate change across latitude are lacking. Such experiments could provide a more mechanistic understanding of the consequences of climate change on ecological communities and subsequent changes in ecosystem processes, facilitating better predictions of the effects of future climate change. 2.This field experiment uses octagonal, 5-m-diameter (c.22m 3) open-top chambers to simulate warming at northern (Harvard Forest, Massachusetts) and southern (Duke Forest, North Carolina) hardwood …
Poster: Researchers Say The Darndest Things: Using Semi-Structured Interviews To Uncover The Unique Information Behaviors Of Basic Sciences Researchers In An Academic Health Center, Laura L. Haines
UVM Libraries Conference Day
Laura discusses the work she and her colleagues did in a qualitative study of semi-structured interviews examining the unique, information-seeking characteristics of basic sciences researchers. The team's ultimate goal was to then design a suite of library services that would better meet these researchers' needs.
An Analysis Of Clinical Questions Asked At Professor Rounds, Nancy A. Bianchi
An Analysis Of Clinical Questions Asked At Professor Rounds, Nancy A. Bianchi
UVM Libraries Conference Day
Nancy discussed the number of questions received during professor rounds, what kinds of questions they were, how many of these were answerable, and where she found the answers.
The High Costs Of Conserving Southeast Asia's Lowland Rainforests, Brendan Fisher, David P. Edwards, Xingli Giam, David S. Wilcove
The High Costs Of Conserving Southeast Asia's Lowland Rainforests, Brendan Fisher, David P. Edwards, Xingli Giam, David S. Wilcove
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications
Mechanisms that mitigate greenhouse-gas emissions via forest conservation have been portrayed as a cost-effective approach that can also protect biodiversity and vital ecosystem services. However, the costs of conservation - including opportunity costs - are spatially heterogeneous across the globe. The lowland rainforests of Southeast Asia represent a unique nexus of large carbon stores, imperiled biodiversity, large stores of timber, and high potential for conversion to oil-palm plantations, making this region one where understanding the costs of conservation is critical. Previous studies have underestimated the gap between conservation costs and conversion benefits in Southeast Asia. Using detailed logging records, cost …
Subsurface Characterization Of Groundwater Contaminated By Landfill Leachate Using Microbial Community Profile Data And A Nonparametric Decision-Making Process, Andrea R. Pearce, Donna M. Rizzo, Paula J. Mouser
Subsurface Characterization Of Groundwater Contaminated By Landfill Leachate Using Microbial Community Profile Data And A Nonparametric Decision-Making Process, Andrea R. Pearce, Donna M. Rizzo, Paula J. Mouser
College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Faculty Publications
Microbial biodiversity in groundwater and soil presents a unique opportunity for improving characterization and monitoring at sites with multiple contaminants, yet few computational methods use or incorporate these data because of their high dimensionality and variability. We present a systematic, nonparametric decision-making methodology to help characterize a water quality gradient in leachate-contaminated groundwater using only microbiological data for input. The data-driven methodology is based on clustering a set of molecular genetic-based microbial community profiles. Microbes were sampled from groundwater monitoring wells located within and around an aquifer contaminated with landfill leachate. We modified a self-organizing map (SOM) to weight the …
Governance Informatics: Managing The Performance Of Inter-Organizational Governance Networks, Christopher Koliba, Asim Zia, Brian H.Y. Lee
Governance Informatics: Managing The Performance Of Inter-Organizational Governance Networks, Christopher Koliba, Asim Zia, Brian H.Y. Lee
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications
This article introduces an informatics approach to managing the performance of inter-organizational governance networks that are designed to create, implement and evaluate public policies and the range of activities undertaken by practicing public administrators. We label this type of information flow process management "governance informatics" and lay out a range of theoretical constructs that may be used to collect, categorize, and analyze performance in inter-organizational governance networks. We discuss how governance informatics may be able to assess and re-design the accountability and transparency regimes of information flows in inter-organizational governance networks. The integration of a governance informatics-driven performance management system …
Advance Directives And End-Of-Life Care: Completion, Conversations, And Concerns Of Burlington Housing Authority Residents, Katherine Clark, Gwendolyn Fitz-Gerald, Claire Frost, Benjamin Goldstein, Eric Kalivoda, Sarah Persing, Damian Ray, Sarah Russell, Claire Rutenbeck, Gerald Davis
Advance Directives And End-Of-Life Care: Completion, Conversations, And Concerns Of Burlington Housing Authority Residents, Katherine Clark, Gwendolyn Fitz-Gerald, Claire Frost, Benjamin Goldstein, Eric Kalivoda, Sarah Persing, Damian Ray, Sarah Russell, Claire Rutenbeck, Gerald Davis
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Introduction: •An Advance Directive is a document that allows patients to declare their wishes regarding medical care and decision making should they become unable to communicate their preferences due to an accident or illness. •The Patient Self Determination Act, passed in 1991, requires that health care institutions, such as hospitals and nursing homes, inform patients of their rights to make health care decisions, the hospitals policies regarding recognition of Advance Directives, and educate the staff and community about advance care planning. •Despite the passage of this legislation, completion of Advance Directives remains low. It is estimated that less than 25% …
Factors Identified By Lapsed Donors That Might Influence Donor Return, Krista Buckley, Mohammed Jafferji, Matthieu Larochelle, Louisa Mook, Haddon Pantel, Laura Sturgill, Luke Vierthaler, Carol Dembeck, Christine Frenette, Jan Carney, Mark K. Fung
Factors Identified By Lapsed Donors That Might Influence Donor Return, Krista Buckley, Mohammed Jafferji, Matthieu Larochelle, Louisa Mook, Haddon Pantel, Laura Sturgill, Luke Vierthaler, Carol Dembeck, Christine Frenette, Jan Carney, Mark K. Fung
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Introduction: The Burlington Chapter of the American Red Cross estimates that 8,000 donors a year become "lapsed," or fail to return for further donation. To better target this population and retain current donors, it is essential to identify reasons for lapsed donation. Several studies have been conducted on the barriers to retaining blood donors, revealing these common factors: past physical reactions, convenience, previous deferrals, lack of awareness, medical reasons, time, satisfaction with the experience, too impersonal, and personal benefit. While many studies have identified reasons for lapsed donation, the majority have not used free text as their data source, have …
Identifying Feasible Interventions To Prevent Long-Term Health Consequences Of Psychotropic Medications Prescribed To Children At The Baird School, Irina Arkhipova-Jenkins, Andrew Harris, Lindsay Kleeman, Anna Meyendorff, Jesse Victor, Jared Winikor, Katie Wright, Rodger Kessler
Identifying Feasible Interventions To Prevent Long-Term Health Consequences Of Psychotropic Medications Prescribed To Children At The Baird School, Irina Arkhipova-Jenkins, Andrew Harris, Lindsay Kleeman, Anna Meyendorff, Jesse Victor, Jared Winikor, Katie Wright, Rodger Kessler
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Introduction: •Many children with behavioral needs struggle in traditional classroom settings. Children receive help through specialized educational institutions, pharmacotherapy, and psychiatric counseling. •While substantial information exists about drug indications and side effects, there is little literature documenting the barriers caregivers face in addressing side effects •Our group conducted a literature review to identify the side effects and associated comorbidities of the six most frequently prescribed psychotropic drugs at the Baird School. •We designed a survey to assess the caregivers’ resources and barriers to minimizing these side effects, and then offered a collection of feasible recommendations.
Removing Barriers To Health Care: Healthy Starts For New Americans, Delia French, Matthew Graf, Jeremy Korsh, Harry Kreider, Erica Pasciullo, Katie Shean, Emily Wood, Jon Bourgo, Hendrika Maltby, Jan Carney
Removing Barriers To Health Care: Healthy Starts For New Americans, Delia French, Matthew Graf, Jeremy Korsh, Harry Kreider, Erica Pasciullo, Katie Shean, Emily Wood, Jon Bourgo, Hendrika Maltby, Jan Carney
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Objectives: • To determine if refugees completing a Medical Orientation Program for New Americans are better with several aspects of medicine in the US, such as making appointments; knowing more about diet and hygiene; and understanding the implications of mental and chronic illnesses. • To determine if Medical Passports provided to these individuals to improve continuity of care are useful and effective. • To make recommendations for improvements to the Medical Orientation Program for New Americans to the Community Health Center of Burlington (CHCB).
Exploration Into Expanding The Burlington Sash (Seniors Aging Safely At Home) Program, Robert Areson, Vicash Dindwall, Christopher Duncan, Erin Hayes, Emily Keller, Tiffany Kuo, Susanna Thach, Susan Vargas, Tom Delaney, Molly Dugan, Patricia Berry
Exploration Into Expanding The Burlington Sash (Seniors Aging Safely At Home) Program, Robert Areson, Vicash Dindwall, Christopher Duncan, Erin Hayes, Emily Keller, Tiffany Kuo, Susanna Thach, Susan Vargas, Tom Delaney, Molly Dugan, Patricia Berry
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Background: In 2009, the Cathedral Square Corporation partnered with community provider organizations* to design a model for in-home services and support known as Seniors Aging Safely at Home (SASH). This comprehensive program, implemented at Heineberg Senior Housing in the New North End of Burlington, VT., combines health support, education, and social activities to create a safe and fulfilling environment for participants. Cathedral Squareplans to extend their SASH program to New North End (NNE) seniors residing in their own homes. However, the current and future needs of the NNE senior population (defined here as individuals age 50 and older) are not …
Heads Up: Using Your Brain When Tackling Concussions, Charles Ashley, Matthew Davies, Shane Diamond, Lauren Gilligan, Alberto Gutierrez, Lindsay Karr, Christina Pedro, Brenda Perkins, Colleen Wise, Jan Carney
Heads Up: Using Your Brain When Tackling Concussions, Charles Ashley, Matthew Davies, Shane Diamond, Lauren Gilligan, Alberto Gutierrez, Lindsay Karr, Christina Pedro, Brenda Perkins, Colleen Wise, Jan Carney
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Introduction: A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) typically caused by bio-mechanical forces inflicted on the head that change the way the brain works. Concussions can also result from a blow elsewhere in the body causing an impulsive force transmitted to the head. These types of injuries often involve a sudden onset of neurologic function impairment such as confusion, amnesia, or loss of consciousness that quickly dissipates and is generally not life-threatening. Unfortunately, these seemingly “mild” symptoms have led numerous primary care providers to undermine its potential risks, often leading to inadequate evaluation, premature return to play, …
Emergency Department Use Among Vermont Homeless Families, Jonathan Ameli, Emily Crook, Ashleigh Kennedy, Megan Gray, Jared Sutherland, Jonathan Thomas, Grace Chi, Pam Farnham, Liz Smith, Annika Hawkins
Emergency Department Use Among Vermont Homeless Families, Jonathan Ameli, Emily Crook, Ashleigh Kennedy, Megan Gray, Jared Sutherland, Jonathan Thomas, Grace Chi, Pam Farnham, Liz Smith, Annika Hawkins
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Background: Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) houses homeless individuals and families from the Burlington area. COTS believes that a high proportion of their residents use the Fletcher Allen Health Care Emergency Department (FAHCED) for their health care more frequently compared to the general population. There are many other primary care services offered in the Burlington area, such as Safe Harbor Clinic, Community Health Center, and private offices, which are more appropriate for non-emergent health concerns and are readily accessible to the homeless population. By surveying the population of homeless families in Burlington and conducting a focus group with the COTS …
Promoting Physical Activity And Nutrition In Adolescents, Feliecia Bahadue, Serena Chang, Bryan Clark, Victoria Lindstrom, Iwan Nyotowidjojo, Joseph Rosenberg, Allison Smith, Nancy Drucker, Stuart Offer
Promoting Physical Activity And Nutrition In Adolescents, Feliecia Bahadue, Serena Chang, Bryan Clark, Victoria Lindstrom, Iwan Nyotowidjojo, Joseph Rosenberg, Allison Smith, Nancy Drucker, Stuart Offer
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Introduction/Background: In the United States, childhood obesity has become the leading pediatric chronic disease. Increased caloric intake and decreased energy expenditure is hypothesized as contributing to the upward trend of obesity. Independent of adult weight, obese children have increased morbidity and mortality from metabolic syndrome as adults. Individuals engaging in exercise programs as short as 6 months have shown improvement in risk factors including body fat mass, waist/hip ratio, ambulatory systolic blood pressure, fasting insulin, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein ratio. In our study, adolescents were taught a foundation of health and well-being that incorporated regular exercise. Nutrition was taught through …
Understanding Factors Contributing To Suboptimal Rates Of Childhood Vaccinations In Vermont, Adam Bensimhon, Kuang-Ning Huang, Paul Jarvis, Jonathan Jolin, Catherine Kelley, Kurt Schaberg, Cristine Velazco, Marianne Burke, Christine Finley
Understanding Factors Contributing To Suboptimal Rates Of Childhood Vaccinations In Vermont, Adam Bensimhon, Kuang-Ning Huang, Paul Jarvis, Jonathan Jolin, Catherine Kelley, Kurt Schaberg, Cristine Velazco, Marianne Burke, Christine Finley
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Introduction: Nationally, childhood immunizations have proven themselves invaluable in preventing contagious diseases and their associated morbidity and mortality. Nonetheless, vaccines have become increasingly controversial, with a growing number of parents refusing to vaccinate their children. Primary reasons given for vaccination refusal include fears of side effects and the belief that the target diseases are not harmful. Those parents who refuse to vaccinate their children generally have higher levels of education and income. An additional population of under-vaccinated children who have received limited recommended vaccinations has been identified and often comes from a lower socioeconomic level. Unimmunized children have been associated …
Menu Planning And Grocery Shopping For People Living With Psychiatric Disabilities, Nkem Aziken, Michael Boggs, Leslie Bradbury, Christopher Cahill, Sara Higgins, Lynsey Rangel, Sandra Steingard
Menu Planning And Grocery Shopping For People Living With Psychiatric Disabilities, Nkem Aziken, Michael Boggs, Leslie Bradbury, Christopher Cahill, Sara Higgins, Lynsey Rangel, Sandra Steingard
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Introduction: •The HowardCenter in Burlington, Vermont is designed to empower and improve the lives of individuals with mental illness throughout Chittenden County. •People living with chronic psychiatric disabilities have higher mortality rates and earlier onset of medical illness. It has been observed that many of the risk factors for chronic conditions revolve around nutrition, implying a chance to intervene. •Understanding the various ways people with psychiatric disabilities eat, buy, cook, and value a healthy diet is fundamental for the Howard Center to address increased mortality in this population. •Our goal is to identify barriers and develop a resource to improve …
Increasing Senior Enrollment In 3squaresvt, Mohammed Almzayyen, Mark Dammann, Javier De Luca-Westrate, William Jeffries, Jeffrey Mclaren, Diana Mujalli, Stell Patadji, Melissa Romero, Angela Smith-Dieng
Increasing Senior Enrollment In 3squaresvt, Mohammed Almzayyen, Mark Dammann, Javier De Luca-Westrate, William Jeffries, Jeffrey Mclaren, Diana Mujalli, Stell Patadji, Melissa Romero, Angela Smith-Dieng
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Background: Hunger Free Vermont’s mission is to feed more Vermonters, teach the community about healthy food and nutrition and lead advocacy and education efforts to end hunger in Vermont. In Vermont 11.4% of all seniors are considered food insecure. To address this issue, Hunger Free Vermont has taken on the task of increasing enrollment in 3Squares Vermont, the state food stamps program. 68% of people in VT who are eligible for 3SqVT are enrolled. Surprisingly, only 29.2% of eligible seniors are enrolled. Our study focuses on the leaders of community organizations who impact seniors. Through focus groups we assessed their: …
Assessing Barriers To Healthy Living In Economically Challenged Communities Of The Greater Winooski Area, Idil Aktan, Catherine Naber, Shetal Patel, Phillip Perrinez, Joshua Pothen, Alexandra Swartz, Janice Gallant, Hal Colston
Assessing Barriers To Healthy Living In Economically Challenged Communities Of The Greater Winooski Area, Idil Aktan, Catherine Naber, Shetal Patel, Phillip Perrinez, Joshua Pothen, Alexandra Swartz, Janice Gallant, Hal Colston
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Introduction: NeighborKeepers (Winooski, VT) is a non-profit, anti-poverty organization that focuses on building supportive friend networks that direct families and individuals toward the resources they need to improve their health, get training and education, find jobs, and discover a sense of purpose and belonging. Keeping with the NeighborKeepers philosophy of giving those in need the tools to help improve their own circumstances, our project goals were to: •Engage community members •Connect individuals with community resources geared toward healthy living and improved healthcare access •Identify health needs and potential areas for intervention or further inquiry
Emergency And Scheduled Respite Care For Caregivers Of Persons With Dementia: A Proposed Program, Olivia Carpinello, Bridget Collins, Jennifer Covino, Daniel Fischer, Angelica Santos, Kyle Schoppel, Aleksey Tadevosyan, William Pendlebury, Linda Martinez
Emergency And Scheduled Respite Care For Caregivers Of Persons With Dementia: A Proposed Program, Olivia Carpinello, Bridget Collins, Jennifer Covino, Daniel Fischer, Angelica Santos, Kyle Schoppel, Aleksey Tadevosyan, William Pendlebury, Linda Martinez
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Introduction: Respite care is defined as providing the primary caregiver with relief or a reprieve from care commitments on a short-term or emergency basis. Despite a demonstrated interest in and need for respite care programs, our research has shown that scarce resources exist via a statewide dementia respite program administered by Vermont’s five Area Agencies on Aging. Grants are small and many families do not fall within the eligibility requirements. In FY2010, only 290 families across the state met eligibility requirements (physicians’ diagnosis of dementia, income less than 300% of poverty line, unpaid caregiver, primary residence in VT) and were …
Well Water Safety: A Study In Public Awareness, Naiara Barbosa, Griffin Boll, Chantell Hemsley, John Hoyt, Michael Lahey, Razelle Hoffman-Contois, William Bress, Jan Carney
Well Water Safety: A Study In Public Awareness, Naiara Barbosa, Griffin Boll, Chantell Hemsley, John Hoyt, Michael Lahey, Razelle Hoffman-Contois, William Bress, Jan Carney
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Introduction: Although 30-50% of Vermont citizens rely on private wells for drinking water, there is no state requirement for regular contaminant testing. As a consequence, it is possible that private well users may be exposed to a variety of potential health hazards, including bacteria, arsenic, fluoride, and radionuclides. Our group sought to better understand public awareness of testing recommendations, how often private well users have their wells tested, and what obstacles may be keeping them from doing so. With this information we hope to learn more about how Vermonters are using private wells, and how we can better serve public …
Assessing Barriers To Community Pediatric Dental Needs, Elisabeth Anson, Aaron Burley, Samantha Couture, Katherine Irving, Stephen Morris, Darryl Whitney, Pam Fenimore, Jill Jemison
Assessing Barriers To Community Pediatric Dental Needs, Elisabeth Anson, Aaron Burley, Samantha Couture, Katherine Irving, Stephen Morris, Darryl Whitney, Pam Fenimore, Jill Jemison
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Introduction: Oral health is an often overlooked aspect of healthcare with many effects on an individual’s well-being. Dental caries is the most common chronic disease in children, and most dental problems are preventable. Barriers to accessing dental care for low income children include: oral health beliefs of parents, transportation issues, and difficulty locating providers who accept Medicaid. Investigation of the pediatrician’s role showed an increase in dental visits among children who were recommended for care by their primary care providers. Recent data indicates that 67.1% of Vermont Medicaid enrolled children received dental care within one calendar year. While indicating a …
Puppets In Education, Mena Bakhit, Jessica Clem, Mayo Fujii, Meghan Garcia-Webb, Taylor Lincoln, Ariana Nesbit, Amanda Schwartz, Peymaun Vakhshoorzadeh, Deb Lyons, Steve Contompasis
Puppets In Education, Mena Bakhit, Jessica Clem, Mayo Fujii, Meghan Garcia-Webb, Taylor Lincoln, Ariana Nesbit, Amanda Schwartz, Peymaun Vakhshoorzadeh, Deb Lyons, Steve Contompasis
Public Health Projects, 2008-present
Introduction: •Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of related brain-based disorders that affect a child's behavior, social and communication skills. •In 2009, approximately 1,000 Vermont students received special educational services for ASD. •Puppets in Education (PiE) is a non-profit group that teaches kids how to keep themselves safe and healthy and to appreciate each other’s differences. •PiE’sFriend 2 Friend Program (F2F) addresses ASD in fun and interactive puppet and workshop presentations, promoting empathy for individuals on the autism spectrum by modeling, labeling, explaining and normalizing differences, and teaching prosocial communication and friendship skills. •Last year, UVM COM students collaborated …
Scientific Instruments For Climate Change Adaptation: Estimating And Optimizing The Efficiency Of Ecosystem Service Provision, Ferdinando Villa, Ken Bagstad, Gary Johnson, Brian Voigt
Scientific Instruments For Climate Change Adaptation: Estimating And Optimizing The Efficiency Of Ecosystem Service Provision, Ferdinando Villa, Ken Bagstad, Gary Johnson, Brian Voigt
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications
Adaptation to the consequences of climate change can depend on efficient use of ecosystem services (ES), i.e. a better use of natural services through management of the way in which they are delivered to society. While much discussion focuses on reducing consumption and increasing production of services, a lack of scientific instruments has so far prevented other mechanisms to improve ecosystem services efficiency from being addressed systematically as an adaptation strategy. This paper describes new methodologies for assessing ecosystem services and quantifying their values to humans, highlighting the role of ecosystem service flow analysis in optimizing the efficiency of ES …
Incorporating Systems Thinking And Sustainability Within Civil And Environmental Engineering Curricula At Uvm, Nancy J. Hayden, Donna M. Rizzo, Mandar M. Dewoolkar, Lalita Oka, Maureen Neumann
Incorporating Systems Thinking And Sustainability Within Civil And Environmental Engineering Curricula At Uvm, Nancy J. Hayden, Donna M. Rizzo, Mandar M. Dewoolkar, Lalita Oka, Maureen Neumann
College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Faculty Publications
As part of an NSF Department Level Reform (DLR) grant, the civil and environmental engineering programs at the University of Vermont (UVM) incorporated systems thinking and a systems approach to engineering problem solving within their programs. A systems thinking approach regards social, environmental and economic factors as necessary components of the problem solution. Because it is a whole systems approach it also encompasses sustainability. We have integrated systems thinking in the following ways; 1) new material has been included into key courses (e.g. the first-year introductory and senior design courses), 2) a sequence of three related environmental and transportation systems …
Cross-Scale Value Trade-Offs In Managing Social-Ecological Systems: The Politics Of Scale In Ruaha National Park, Tanzania, Asim Zia, Paul Hirsch, Alexander Songorwa, David R. Mutekanga, Sheila O'Connor, Thomas Mcshane, Peter Brosius, Bryan Norton
Cross-Scale Value Trade-Offs In Managing Social-Ecological Systems: The Politics Of Scale In Ruaha National Park, Tanzania, Asim Zia, Paul Hirsch, Alexander Songorwa, David R. Mutekanga, Sheila O'Connor, Thomas Mcshane, Peter Brosius, Bryan Norton
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications
Management of social-ecological systems takes place amidst complex governance processes and cross-scale institutional arrangements that are mediated through politics of scale. Each management scenario generates distinct cross-scale trade-offs in the distribution of pluralistic values. This study explores the hypothesis that conservation-oriented management scenarios generate higher value for international and national scale social organizations, whereas mixed or more balanced management scenarios generate higher value for local scale social organizations. This hypothesis is explored in the management context of Ruaha National Park (RNP), Tanzania, especially the 2006 expansion of RNP that led to the eviction of many pastoralists and farmers. Five management …