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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Wildfire Risk In Mountain West States, 2017-2021, Olivia K. Cheche, Corryn Richardson, Zachary Billot, Miguel Soriano Ralston, Vanessa Booth, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.
Wildfire Risk In Mountain West States, 2017-2021, Olivia K. Cheche, Corryn Richardson, Zachary Billot, Miguel Soriano Ralston, Vanessa Booth, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.
Environment
This fact sheet examines data on wildfire destruction in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The original report from the Insurance Information Institute presents findings on percent of properties at risk of wildfire destruction, the number of wildfires by state, and numbers of acres burned per state.
Investigating Perspectives Of Rural Nevadans On Climate Change Solutions, Tricia Dutcher
Investigating Perspectives Of Rural Nevadans On Climate Change Solutions, Tricia Dutcher
Graduate Research Symposium (GCUA) (2010 - 2017)
Rural perspectives are important for the issue of climate change. Rural areas are high concentrations of active voters who deny the problem of anthropogenic climate change. Rural residents also face decisions about inviting large, utility scale renewable energy developments in their areas. This research examines rural Nevadan’s perspectives on climate change to offer insights about the relationship between climate change perceptions and communication strategies. The research offers policy implications that address context specific issues, solution-oriented dialogue, and interest matching to mitigate anthropogenic climate change.
Restoration Of Biological Soil Crust On Disturbed Gypsiferous Soils In Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Eastern Mojave Desert, Lindsay P. Chiquoine
Restoration Of Biological Soil Crust On Disturbed Gypsiferous Soils In Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Eastern Mojave Desert, Lindsay P. Chiquoine
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances. Natural recovery takes many years. Active restoration decreases recovery time. Native BSC inocula, which included lichens and mosses, salvaged from gypsiferous soil habitats in Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA) in the eastern Mojave Desert were stored dry for two years and applied to disturbed soil after a road reconstruction in LMNRA and also used in laboratory experiments to test inoculation technique effectiveness. After 18 months, field results revealed positive relationships between inoculation and the presence of macroscopic BSC cover, cyanobacteria abundance, soil stability, and ammonium concentrations. Chlorophyll fluorescence monitoring of …
Research Poster: Water Source Partitioning For Shrubland Transpiration Using Innovative Field Methods, Amanda Wagner, Dale A. Devitt, Michael Young, Matthew S. Lachniet, Jeremy Koonce, Brian M. Bird
Research Poster: Water Source Partitioning For Shrubland Transpiration Using Innovative Field Methods, Amanda Wagner, Dale A. Devitt, Michael Young, Matthew S. Lachniet, Jeremy Koonce, Brian M. Bird
2010 Annual Nevada NSF EPSCoR Climate Change Conference
Research poster
An Evaluation Of Lead Hazards In Pre-1978 Residental Housing Within Clark County, Nevada, Usa, Erika Raquel Torres
An Evaluation Of Lead Hazards In Pre-1978 Residental Housing Within Clark County, Nevada, Usa, Erika Raquel Torres
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Lead poisoning remains a public health concern due to leads persistence in the environment from anthropogenic uses. Initial efforts to address the impacts of lead on vulnerable communities have included secondary prevention measures which typically occur after a child has been poisoned. However, in recent years there has been a pragmatic shift toward primary prevention efforts.
This study evaluates lead hazards identified through primary prevention activities in residential housing within Clark County, Nevada, USA. It is the first study to systematically address and evaluate pre-1978 housing in Southern Nevada. Risk assessments were conducted in 81 dwellings built prior to 1979 …
The Environmental And Economic Benefits Of Highway Access Management: A Multivariate Analysis Using System Dynamics, Dan Andersen
The Environmental And Economic Benefits Of Highway Access Management: A Multivariate Analysis Using System Dynamics, Dan Andersen
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Better management of highway operations can be achieved, in part, by controlling vehicular access to adjacent properties and cross streets. This tactic, referred to as access management, has proven safety and operational benefits. However, doubts remain regarding its environmental and economic benefits.
I hypothesize that one environmental indicator, carbon emissions, will decrease with proper access management. Controlling access increases the speed at which vehicles travel, improving fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. My hypothesis relative to financial impacts is that access management will neither help nor harm businesses. Controlling access can reduce travel time which has the effect of increasing …
Assessment Of Coliform Bacteria From Point And Nonpoint Sources In The Las Vegas Wash, Susan O'Neill, Kumud Acharya
Assessment Of Coliform Bacteria From Point And Nonpoint Sources In The Las Vegas Wash, Susan O'Neill, Kumud Acharya
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)
This project focuses on an assessment of coliform bacteria from point and non point sources in Las Vegas Wash. Correlations between land use related runoffs, nutrients and organic matter loading and total coliform will be studied. Data will be collected for both daily low and high flow events. Sampling locations will cover all major land use types such as golf course, hotels, hospitals, residential areas, etc., at both the main Wash and its tributaries.
Don't Trash Nevada: Open House, Public Lands Institute
Don't Trash Nevada: Open House, Public Lands Institute
Anti-littering Presentations
Through an interagency partnership, our mission is to reduce litter and dumping by identifying root causes and solutions. This will be accomplished through education and awareness programs, clean-up of public lands, and enforcement efforts.
Don't Trash Nevada: Friday Show, Public Lands Institute
Don't Trash Nevada: Friday Show, Public Lands Institute
Anti-littering Presentations
Through an interagency partnership, our mission is to reduce litter and dumping by identifying root causes and solutions. This will be accomplished through education and awareness programs, clean-up of public lands, and enforcement efforts.
Opportunities For New Collaborative Projects, Scott R. Abella, Jill E. Craig
Opportunities For New Collaborative Projects, Scott R. Abella, Jill E. Craig
Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Publications
The Research Group is currently working in successful partnerships with Lake Mead National Recreation Area, BLM Las Vegas, Desert National Wildlife Refuge (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Joshua Tree National Park, and in collaboration with the Ecological Restoration Institute, the U.S. Forest Service (Region 3).
Don’T Trash Nevada: An Anti-Litter Strategy For Southern Nevada, Public Lands Institute
Don’T Trash Nevada: An Anti-Litter Strategy For Southern Nevada, Public Lands Institute
Anti-littering Presentations
- Increase public awareness about the desert dumping and urban littering.
- Increase the media’s awareness of the dumping and littering problem.
- Over the life of the campaign, modify behavior to reduce littering and dumping by Clark County residents and visitors.
The Fate And Transport Of Nitrogen (N) And The Effect Of Emergent Plants On Natural Treatment Of N-Species At Las Vegas Wash, Nevada, Tanju Kiriscioglu
The Fate And Transport Of Nitrogen (N) And The Effect Of Emergent Plants On Natural Treatment Of N-Species At Las Vegas Wash, Nevada, Tanju Kiriscioglu
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of emergent plant communities at Las Vegas Wash (the System) using a system dynamics modeling approach. Understanding the dynamics of nitrogen (N —major polluting nutrient in the Wash) that enters the System is important because it occasionally causes algal blooms, choking Lake Mead through excessive eutrophication. Emergent plant communities are an integral part of wetland ecosystems and they play a crucial role in natural treatment of nutrients. This study is intended to test this hypothesis.
The study makes use of Wash data from reliable sources (Las Vegas Valley Water District, …
Assessing The Relationships Between The Spatial Variation In Land-Use Spatial Patterns And Surface Water Quality, Majed A. Khater
Assessing The Relationships Between The Spatial Variation In Land-Use Spatial Patterns And Surface Water Quality, Majed A. Khater
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the association between the spatial patterns of urban land uses and surface water quality parameters at the watershed outlet. The aim of the study was to understand the strength and nature of this relationship, and examine new methods of classifying and quantifying contributing urban land-uses and their spatial patterns. The hypothesis of this research was: in an urban watershed, the variation in the spatial patterns of contributing land uses will have a significant impact on the surface water quality parameters at the watershed outlet.
This relationship between urbanization and water quality is …
Take Pride In America, Public Lands Institute
Take Pride In America, Public Lands Institute
Anti-littering Presentations
- To promote a fundamental, unifying awareness of the importance and relevance of litter and dumping prevention to all Nevadans through use of an original, enduring slogan
- To encourage Nevadans to volunteer through Take Pride in America events to beautify Nevada’s public lands
Valuing Wildfire Risk Mitigation In Kyle Canyon, Nevada, James P. O'Brien
Valuing Wildfire Risk Mitigation In Kyle Canyon, Nevada, James P. O'Brien
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The federal government lists Kyle Canyon, Nevada, as an at-risk wildland-urban interface community. Stakeholders' attitudes and preferences about wildfires and mitigation options were assessed through a survey. 541 surveys were sent and 107 returned. More than a majority of stakeholders report the chances of wildfire occurrence as very likely. Stakeholders demonstrate consensus in reporting high concern about wildfire potential for Kyle Canyon, Nevada. Fire fighters assign the greatest responsibility for mitigating wildfire risks to Clark County, Nevada, and the federal government, while resident property owners do not assign responsibility consistently to any particular group. Trimming is the most favored mitigation …
Using A Systems Dynamics Approach To Determine What Can Be Done To Minimize Ozone Production, Jusdi Mcdonald
Using A Systems Dynamics Approach To Determine What Can Be Done To Minimize Ozone Production, Jusdi Mcdonald
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Ground level ozone is an air pollutant that affects people of all ages and origins in many urban areas including the Las Vegas Valley. The purpose of this study is to examine the best strategy to minimize tropospheric ozone generation through using a system dynamics approach via LUTAQ is used to formulate a solution to the reduction of ozone in the Clark County non-attainment area. By increasing housing density, decreasing average distance per trip, and decrease average number of trips per person per day is the most effective strategies to improving ozone levels in Las Vegas Valley.
Vegetation Characteristics Associated With Small Mammal Populations In The Las Vegas Wash, Christine Therese Herndon
Vegetation Characteristics Associated With Small Mammal Populations In The Las Vegas Wash, Christine Therese Herndon
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Percent litter, average litter depth, percent bare ground, vegetation density, vegetation canopy, and distance to an ecotone boundary were measured and compared to small mammal capture locations in the Las Vegas Wash. Neotoma lepida appear to be greatly dependent upon the foliage litter of T. ramosissima. Alternatively, ecotone boundaries appear to be the most important factor affecting Dipodomys merriami distributions. Peromyscus eremicus distributions may be predicted based on vegetation density and increased canopy during shorter, winter torpor periods. Chaetodipus penicillatus were consistently associated with dense, seed-bearing vegetation, although C. penicillatus is extremely opportunistic and vegetation density should not limit their …
Habitat Preferences Of Four Species Of Lizards Found At The Las Vegas Springs Preserve, Scott Garncarz
Habitat Preferences Of Four Species Of Lizards Found At The Las Vegas Springs Preserve, Scott Garncarz
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Developing an understanding of the habitat usage of reptiles is important when trying to develop a management or restoration plan that is compatible with what is known of the reptile species that are being investigated. There are many lizard species found in the Mojave Desert, but there are only four known to inhabit the Las Vegas Springs Preserve (LVSP) in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the LVSP, sites are going to be restored with native Mojave Desert vegetation. Since there are many habitat types in the Mojave Desert, we must determine which types would be best suited for the four species …
The 100th Meridian Initiative In Nevada: Assessing The Westward Movement Of The Zebra Mussel To The Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Megan Mccoy
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha, are a concern for all bodies of water in North America. East of the 100th Meridian, zebra mussels have infested the waters and dramatically changed the natural ecosystems. The US Fish and Wildlife Services set up the 100th Meridian Initiative project to monitor the boat traffic to and from infested and non-infested waters of the United States and Canada. Surveys were conducted from October 19, 2002 through March 31, 2003, focusing specifically on the Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA) for the scope of this thesis. This study addresses the movement of trailers, boats, and other …
An Analysis Of Apartment Complex Recycling In Clark County, Nevada, Noriko Eguchi
An Analysis Of Apartment Complex Recycling In Clark County, Nevada, Noriko Eguchi
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The purpose of this study is to analyze recycling opportunities for people living in apartments and recommend solutions to improve apartment complex recycling programs in Clark County, Nevada. There are two hypotheses for this problem. First, there is not enough space to put recycling containers in some apartment complex dumpster enclosures. Second, there are several obstacles to providing recycling for complex managers. There are two methods involved in testing these hypotheses. Unincorporated Clark County was selected for the study area. The size of dumpster enclosures was measured in 73 apartment complexes out of 240 complexes which do not recycle in …
Water Quality Remediation At The Abandoned Jones-Kincaid Mine Site, Pyramid Mining District, Washoe County, Nevada, Si-Ok Choi
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the cost and efficiency of four remediation methods, natural attenuation, permeable reactive barriers, pump and treat systems, and bioremediation, and to determine the best suitable method for preventing further environmental degradation from the abandoned Jones-Kincaid Mine (JKM), located within the Pyramid Mining District, Washoe County, Nevada.
Problems from abandoned mine sites may be divided into four types: water quality, public safety, economic concerns, and scenic interests. The foremost problem is the effect of pollution on water quality. Acid run-off and precipitation may be spread hundreds of miles and influence drinking water sources …
Trail Conditions And Preferences From A Mountain Bike Users Perspective In Cottonwood Valley, Jeff Frampton
Trail Conditions And Preferences From A Mountain Bike Users Perspective In Cottonwood Valley, Jeff Frampton
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The purpose of this study was to gather baseline data and user preferences from a mountain bike user’s perspective about the current condition of the multiple use trails in Cottonwood Valley. Cottonwood Valley is an area located at the southern tip of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Multiple use includes hiking, biking and horseback riding and does not include motorized vehicles. The area was set aside for conservation by an act of Congress because of the inherent value that it represents.
Because the public is allowed to access and use the trails in the area, there has been …
An Economic Analysis Of The Arsenic Standard On Nevada, Jill S. Dale
An Economic Analysis Of The Arsenic Standard On Nevada, Jill S. Dale
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
In 2001, the arsenic standard for drinking water was lowered from 50 parts per billion to 10 parts per billion. The clean-up costs for Nevada are estimated at approximately 400 million dollars. The purpose of this project is to examine the economic impacts the State of Nevada will absorb as a result of the new regulation. Research of historical data will be the basis for the project. National data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and data collected from the State of Nevada will be accompanied by comparable research data found through other sources
Deposition And Uptake Availability Of Lead Shot For Waterfowl At Honeybee Pond Within The Overton Wildlife Management Area, Nevada, Usa, Jason Eckberg
Deposition And Uptake Availability Of Lead Shot For Waterfowl At Honeybee Pond Within The Overton Wildlife Management Area, Nevada, Usa, Jason Eckberg
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Lead shot has been banned for hunting waterfowl since 1974, but lead poisoning continues to be a major problem in many waterfowl habitats. In December of 1999, soil samples were collected from the Honeybee pond at the Overton Wildlife Management area to determine the lead pellet concentration and the availability of lead shot to waterfowl. There were no shot pellets recovered from the thirty-one samples taken from the pond. Based on this information waterfowl do not appear to be exposed to lead in the pond areas at OWMA.
Two Different Soil Sampling Techniques For Assessing Soil Lead Concentrations At The Overton Wildlife Management Area, Nevada, Kristen E. Falc
Two Different Soil Sampling Techniques For Assessing Soil Lead Concentrations At The Overton Wildlife Management Area, Nevada, Kristen E. Falc
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
During the summer of 1999, soil samples were taken from the Overton Wildlife Management Area (OWMA), located in the Moapa Valley of Clark County, Nevada. Although lead shot has been banned for the hunting of waterfowl since 1986, it is still legal for upland game hunting. The field sampled serves primarily as a dove hunting area and is cultivated. A large sample size was taken to indicate the short-term effects of the deposition of lead shot in the area and a small sample size, the long-term. Lead shot was recovered from 64% of the small samples and the estimated concentration …
An Examination Of A Brownfield: The Former North Las Vegas Armory Site, Rebecca L. Fowler
An Examination Of A Brownfield: The Former North Las Vegas Armory Site, Rebecca L. Fowler
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This thesis is a case study of the redevelopment project of the former Armory site in Las Vegas, Nevada, a United States Environmental Protection Agency Brownfield Pilot Project. This investigation uses benefit-cost analysis to determine whether the project is economically feasible. This examination includes a description of the Brownfield program, a description of the site, selection criteria, and the proposed future use of it. The results show that the benefits exceed the costs.
Systemic Environmental Analysis Of The Legal Mechanisms For Controlling Air Pollution In The Las Vegas Valley, Richard Little
Systemic Environmental Analysis Of The Legal Mechanisms For Controlling Air Pollution In The Las Vegas Valley, Richard Little
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This study examines the air pollution control structure for the Las Vegas Valley. A System Dynamics computer model was created that represents the structure of the real world system for controlling air pollution, in order to examine how the current air pollution control system might behave in the future.
Vegetation Analysis: A Graphical Analysis Of Plant Succession In Desert Communities Affected By Fire, Jeff Lantow
Vegetation Analysis: A Graphical Analysis Of Plant Succession In Desert Communities Affected By Fire, Jeff Lantow
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The Mojave Desert is affected by fire every year. With each fire comes the removal of old growth and, in its place, new growth – consisting primarily of those species which thrive in disturbed areas. The focus of my research is to look at plant communities that have been disturbed by fire, and examine the successional pathway of these disturbed environments. The seven environments I analyzed were burned within the last twenty years and are found in the Coleogyne ramosissima ecotone throughout the Spring Mountain range near Las Vegas, Nevada. The data was collected with randomly chosen circle plots in …
Lead Shot Concentration In Soil At The Overton Wildlife Management Area, Nevada, George R. Bertoty
Lead Shot Concentration In Soil At The Overton Wildlife Management Area, Nevada, George R. Bertoty
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
During the spring of 1998, soil samples were collected from two areas at the Overton Wildlife Management Area (OWMA), located in the Moapa Valley of Clark County, Nevada. Lead shot has been banned for the hunting of waterfowl since 1986 but is still legal for upland game hunting. Both types of hunting occur at OWMA. One area sampled is a cultivated field and serves primarily as a dove hunting area. The other area is primarily a waterfowl hunting area and is flooded during the waterfowl-hunting season. Lead shot was recovered from 83% of the samples from the dove hunting area, …
The Price Of Clean Air: A Consideration Of Market Based Emissions Trading, Mark W. Miller
The Price Of Clean Air: A Consideration Of Market Based Emissions Trading, Mark W. Miller
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Traditional regulatory approaches for environmental protection do not consider
the costs and benefits of the standards they impose. Further, imposing strict performance
standards on firms with heterogeneous control costs leads to an inefficient allocation of resources devoted to pollution control. This paper explores the use of emission allowance trading as a way to improve economic efficiency within the context of environmental protection. PM10 air pollution from sources within the Las Vegas Valley is used as the case study.
This paper found that an emission trading
program in this particular case study would not live up to the theoretical expectations. Although, …