Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Analysis Of Qa/Qc Protocols And Value Of Data To The Development Of Reference Criteria In The Georgia Ecoregions Project, Tracy Jo Ferring

Theses and Dissertations

The concept of Measurements Quality Objectives (MQOs), in bioassessment programs is a useful tool in evaluating the consistency of data and limiting variability and potential sources of measurement error. Typical evaluations of data repeatability and/or data quality center on the use of a series of calculations that quantify variability between measures. These calculations provided some indication of not only the quality of the data collected, but also acted as a measure of how representative the biological data were to each ecoregion. The evaluation of the Quality Control data for this project provides a framework for data users and water resource …

Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction Of The Late Cretaceous Eastern Gulf Coastal Plain In Georgia And Alabama, Tracy L. Hall

Theses and Dissertations

The present study reconstructs the regional paleoenvironment (particularly paleoclimate) of the Late Cretaceous Eastern Gulf Coastal Plain of Georgia and Alabama using paleobotanical, paleoecological and geochemical methods in order to evaluate the Late Cretaceous climate of the Southeastern United States, and to add to the body of paleoclimate data for that time. Paleobotanical analysis indicates a terrestrial mean annual temperature (MAT) of about 27°C during the Late Cretaceous, which is considerably warmer than modern terrestrial MAT. Stable oxygen isotope data from molluscan carbonate indicate mean sea surface temperature (SST) of 26.8 °C for the Santonian, 23.5°C for the early Campanian, …

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 …

Pedologic Investigations In The Red River Region Of Eastern Kentucky: Relationship Of Soil Properties To Lithology, Slope Aspect, And Soil Quality To Prehistoric Indigenous Food Plot Locations, Jason D. Windingstad

Masters Theses

ABSTRACT

Part I

The Red River Valley of Eastern Kentucky contains cultural remains that point to the independent development of agriculture during the Late Archaic cultural period. The objective of this study is to gather quantitative data through the chemical and physical analysis of soils collected within a valley transect to gain insights into landscape processes and soil quality that may have played a role in the development of plant domestication. National Cooperative Soil Survey standards were used for field descriptions and the chemical and physical analysis of all samples. Soil quality values such as ECEC (ammonium acetate pH 7), …

Ecotoxicology And Environmental Education In The Development Of A Turtle Conservation Program In Southeastern Tennessee, Stefan L. Moss

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In 1999, the Tennessee Aquarium initiated a long-term mark-recapture study to promote the conservation of freshwater turtles in the Tennessee River Gorge (TRG). The TRG consists of a 42-kilometer stretch of the Tennessee River surrounded by 27,000 acres (11,000 hectares) and is known as the "Grand Canyon of Tennessee." In 2002, the Aquarium established a partnership with The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and the Tennessee River Gorge Trust (TRGT) to expand the program. Since then, researchers at UTC have been conducting scientific research at the TRG each year in an effort to increase the amount of available information …

Seasonal Forage Availability And Diet Of Reintroduced Elk In The Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee, Jason Lee Lupardus

Masters Theses

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) reintroduced elk (Cervus elaphus manitobensis) into the Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee over a 3-year period beginning in December 2000. We radio-collared 160 elk and monitored them by aerial telemetry from February 2001 to June 2003. Locations (n = 1450) were used in a geographic information system (GIS) to develop a core herd home range (789-ha sampling area) to assess elk seasonal forage use and availability. We monitored diet and resource availability from November 2003 to October 2004 by vegetation sampling and microhistological analysis of feces. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea; 35.1%) dominated …

Removal Of Heavy Metals From Aqueous Solutions Using Local Adsorbents, Moza S. Al-Sharyani

Theses

The recent rapid increase in industrialization activities contributed to most of aquatic pollution problems. Among aquatic pollutants, heavy metals, such as zinc, lead, cadmium, and copper have gained relatively more significance in view of their persistence and toxicity. Due to their health and toxicological effects, environmental agencies and authorities have set strict regulations to maintain the limit of heavy metals in wastewater below the maximum acceptable concentration levels.

The technical feasibility of using raw date pits and different activated carbons prepared from date pits by air and acid activation as low cost local adsorbents for the removal of different heavy …

Diversity Of Methanogens And Other Archaea In Permanently Cold, Anoxic Marine Sediments, Melissa Mary Kendell

Dissertations and Theses

Little is known about the mechanism of methanogenic degradation of acetate or the fate of hydrogen and formate in cold marine sediments, or the ability of methanogens to grow and produce methane there. We used cultivation and molecular techniques to examine the microbes that produce methane from these substrates in permanently cold, anoxic marine sediments at Skan Bay, Alaska (57°N, 167°W, depth 65 m), at the Nankai Trough (32°21'N, 134°56'E, depth 247 m), and at Hydrate Ridge, Oregon (44°35'N, 125°10'W, depth 800 m). Most probable number (MPN) analyses were conducted for CO2-reducing, methylotrophic, and aceticlastic methanogens from Skan Bay and …

Development Of Biological Reference Conditions Of Wadeable Streams In The Major Ecoregions And Subecoregions Of Georgia, Duncan L. Hughes

Theses and Dissertations

One bioassessment tool available to resource managers to indicate NPS impairment of wadeable streams and rivers are multi-metric invertebrate indices. Such indices are assembled from metrics in broad categories that represent different aspects of community structure and function (e.g. richness, composition, tolerance/intolerance, feeding group, and habit). Indices must incorporate suites of metrics that are ecologically relevant, quantifiable, non-redundant, and that best individually discriminate between reference sites and impaired sites. More than 240 wadeable streams in Georgia were sampled during the September thru February index period using RBP protocols during three successive sample seasons (1999-2003). Ecoregional reference (minimally impaired) sites, as …

Development Of Micro-Scale And Automated Membrane Extraction Systems For Water Analysis, Xiaoyan Wang

Dissertations

Monitoring of trace level contaminants in water involves the extraction and enrichment of analytes. Over the years several techniques have been developed for this purpose. Currently there is an urgent need for the development of micro-scale extraction techniques that can lead to simple, fast trace analysis. Automated instruments that can be used for continuous, on-line analysis are also important. Membrane extraction can address both these needs, because it can be carried out in a continuous fashion and can also be miniaturized. This research addresses these two aspects of membrane extraction for the next generation of sample preparation.

Micro-Scale Membrane Extraction: …

Effect Of Heavy Metals On Salt March Biota, Kallaya Suntornvongsagul

Dissertations

Environmental restoration of disturbed, degraded and potentially contaminated wetland sites aims for the persistent and sustainable re-establishment of biological communities and important wetland functions. An ecologically informed restoration strategy presupposes some understanding of these system processes, but also of potential impacts on contaminants in the environment for risk assessment, long-term management, and potential cost-effective mitigative measures. In this study, potential effects of moderate heavy metal contamination in sediments of the urban salt marsh Harrier Meadow, NJ, were evaluated on growth performance of the common salt marsh plant S. patens and associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonizing its roots. Growth performance …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Company's Online Health And Safety Training Program By Assessing Its Employees Perceptions And Knowledge., Jo Nell Maynard Mullins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate a company’s online H & S training program. The ABC Company’s online 8-hr HAZWOPER refresher course is based on current OSHA standard topics required for certification and principles flexible to fit site- or task-specific situations and conditions.

An 18-question survey was used to evaluate employee perceptions of online training compared to traditional classroom training. Perceptions were compared by demographic variables (e.g. gender, position, race, age and longevity with the ABC Company), which suggested that only age had an influence on employee response. Fifty-five percent of the employees surveyed preferred online training as compared …

Sedimentation, Hydrology, And Bottomland Hardwood Forest Succession In Altered And Unaltered Tributaries Of The Hatchie River, Tn, Aaron R. Pierce

Doctoral Dissertations

Hydrologic and sedimentation processes are critical in determining floodplain site conditions and the distribution of bottomland hardwood (BLH) forest communities (Hodges 1997). Channelization of streams associated with BLH wetlands has occurred extensively throughout the southeastern United States, altering the hydrologic and sedimentation processes that sustain these systems. In western Tennessee, channelization and past land-use practices have resulted in drastic geomorphic and hydrologic changes including excessive sand deposition on floodplains, and in extreme cases, the formation of valley plugs and shoals.

Our understanding of the processes associated with valley plugs and shoals, their rates and variability, and their impacts on BLH …

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 …

Techno-Economic Evaluation Of Conventional And Membrane-Based Pretreatment Before Reverse Osmosis, Shamma Ahmed Rashid Al-Malek

Theses

In this thesis, a technological and economical comparison was conducted on both conventional and membrane based pre-treatment before reverse osmosis desalination. In order to produce high quality water at the design recovery ratio, reverse osmosis membranes should receive high quality feed water in terms of turbidity, suspended solids, and biological matters. Conventional pre-treatment schemes of media and cartridge filters after coagulation chambers have been used for years. Due to the poor performance and decline in reverse osmosis recovery, membrane based pre-treatment has emerged and has been under research and study in the recent years. Few conventional pre-treatment reverse osmosis plants …

Evaluating Rhizodegradation Of Petroleum Hydrocarbons And Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Wetland Sediments Containing Spartina Patens, Robert J. Lippencott

Dissertations

Biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds was evaluated in sediments from a stormwater basin that was a former salt marsh at an active oil refinery. Spartina patens were grown in basin sediments during a field study and a greenhouse study over three consecutive growing seasons. Ninety percent (90%) survival was observed in field study plots containing sediments with <12% PHC. In the greenhouse study, planted and bulk sediments were monitored for PHC, PAH, microbial density, nutrients, pH, redox and root biomass at 2.5 and 7.5 cm in sediments with <12% PHC. The sediments contained on average 6.5% to 9.5% PHC and 56 to 124 parts per million (ppm) total PAH. The plants exhibited a 95% survival rate and added from 1% to 2% root biomass to the sediment. Microbial densities in planted sediments were significantly higher than in bulk sediments (p<0.05). Oxidizing conditions were prevalent in all treatments at both depths; however, reducing conditions developed in the planted sediments at 7.5 cm. PHC was 35% to 37% lower in the planted sediments vs. bulk sediment at the end of the study. Planted sediment PAH concentrations were generally lower than in bulk sediments. Low MW PAHs (2 and 3-Rings) were either absent or at relatively low concentrations in all treatments. Phenanthrene concentrations in bulk sediments did not change, but were reduced by 95% in planted sediments (p<0.01), with half-life estimates of 141 to 165 days at 2.5 cm. Temporal changes in high MW PAHs ( 4-Rings) were not observed over the greenhouse study period. Differences in PAH concentrations between planted and bulk sediments exhibited a decreasing trend with PAH molecular weight. Evaluation of differences in planted and bulk sediment PAH concentrations suggests that lower MW PAHs degrade better under oxidizing conditions, and higher MW PAHs under reducing conditions in the planted sediments. Comparison of planted and bulk sediment PAH concentrations links depth and redox conditions to decreases in PAH as a function of PAH MW. Therefore, it was concluded that spatio-temporal variations and cycling of redox conditions should be considered to properly evaluate biodegradation of PAH.

Short-Term Effects Of Bulkheads On The Bayshore Of Fire Island, New York, Dipanjali Chavan

Theses

Construction of bulkheads as a method of shore protection is common on the bay shoreline of Fire Island, New York but there are few studies that assess the effects of these structures on beach change in estuarine and lagoon environments. A short-term field study was conducted at Cherry Grove on Fire Island to assess the effect of a bulkhead on the fronting profile and to the adjacent beaches on the east side of the bulkhead. Data on winds, waves, and currents were gathered daily at high water. Data on profile change and depth of sediment activation were gathered at low …

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.

Total Suspended Solids In Las Vegas Wash, Mika Koponen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Erosion along the Las Vegas Wash (Wash) has increased steadily along with the rapidly increasing population. The focus of this study is to find out if there is a relationship between lower total suspended solids rate (TSS) and the construction of erosion control structures along the Wash. The study was conducted between 7/15/2003 and 11/29/2004.

The method was water sampling on 7 sites and the samples were analyzed at Southern Nevada Water Systems (SNWS) laboratory at Saddle Island in Boulder City. Additional water quality data was also collected using Quanta, a device measuring different parameters in water. In this study …

Analyzing The Effects Of Various Sign Types Used By The Bureau Of Land Management For Desert Cleanup And Restoration Projects, Christopher Linehan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

What is the effectiveness of attempts to curb illegal dumping with prompts on signs posted in the area? Do positive friendly language prompts such as “Restoration in Progress Please Do Not Disturb” generate more positive attitudes and intentions towards illegal dumping problems, than less friendly prompts such as “No Dumping Allowed”?

Results, although inconclusive, did however show a slight trend towards the negative language signs.

A Qualitative Study Investigating The Effectiveness Of The Nts Cab To The U.S. Department Of Energy, Cheryl Freire

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Environmental Management Site Specific Advisory Boards (SSAB) were Implemented by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as means for stakeholder involvement in decision-making and recommendations related to environmental management activities at DOE sites throughout the United States. As part of this process, the Nevada Test Site Community Advisory Board (NTS CAB) was formed in 1995. This project examines the effectiveness of the NTS CAB in aiding the DOE in the decisions made concerning environmental management activities at facilities located in Nevada using secondary data sources and background information. Results show that the NTS CAB is an effective entity and proves …

Study Examining A Doe Proposal To Dispose Of Mixed Low Level Waste At The Nevada Test Site Using An Alternative Landfill Design, Deborah Hart

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Department of Energy has set forth a proposal to use an Alternative Landfill Design (ALD) for the Mixed Low Level Waste disposal facility, in Area 5 of the Nevada Test Site in place of a traditional engineered liner for the facility. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the impasse between the DOE and the State of Nevada regarding the proposal of placing a traditional liner versus the alternative landfill design, using a case study method to provide recommendations to policy makers and the NTS CAB. This project used secondary data to evaluate, and determine the effectiveness of …

Red Bat (Lasiurus Borealis) Habitat Use In Actively Managed Forested Landscapes Of The Virginia Piedmont, Kathryn A. Durkee

Theses & Honors Papers

Bat habitat in the southeastern U.S. is being threatened by rapid deforestation and degradation, yet conservation and management strategies are limited by the paucity of accurate bat demographic and habitat-use data. I conducted summer mist-net surveys to determine species richness, relative abundance, reproductive condition, and sex ratios of the bat species occurring in the Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest in the Piedmont physiographic region of central Virginia. I captured 8 species: red bat (Lasiurus borealis), eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus) , little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) , northern myotis (M septentrionalis ), big brown bat (Eptesicusfascus), evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis), hoary bat (L. …

Conservation Of Grassland Bird Populations On Military Installations In The Eastern United States With Special Emphasis On Fort Campbell Army Base, Kentucky, James J. Giocomo

Doctoral Dissertations

Grassland bird populations have decline significantly over the past 30 years because of the dramatic decrease of native grasslands through clearing of non-forested land for agriculture, and discontinued use of fire. It is imperative to understand the distribution and productivity of these birds and the potential for grassland management to enhance these declining populations, especially in land areas where the landuses may be compatible with grassland bird conservation.

This study was conducted to provide needed basic life history and nest site habitat use information as well as information about populations and potential region-wide habitat availability to enhance current and future …

The Challenge Of Realizing Sustainable Natural Resource Management On Private Lands: Problems And Promise, Jamey L. Pavey

Doctoral Dissertations

Today’s natural resource problems are more complex than ever and many have yet to be effectively addressed in the United States by regulations or management policies. The challenges presented by these problems require new approaches to the governance of natural resources in the United States. These approaches must recognize that the governance of natural resources is not only a technical task, but a social process. The management of natural resources on private lands presents a unique set of problems and a unique set of opportunities to provide environmental benefits. However, without adequate incentives, landowners are unlikely to manage their land …

Quantifying Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition As A Nonpoint Source Pollution And Its Potential Effects On The Mullica River-Great Bay Ecosystem, Jennifer Haag

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

To characterize atmospheric nitrogen deposition and its potential impact on the Mullica River-Great Bay Estuary, atmospheric sampling was conducted at Rutgers University Marine Field Station in Tuckerton, New Jersey from March 2004 to March 2005. A total of 52 precipitation samples were collected on an event basis using a MIC wet-only automatic precipitation sampler. A total of 23 aerosol samples were also taken during this period of time with a high-volume aerosol sampler. Chemical analysis was performed using a Dionex Ion Chromatograph to determine the concentrations of nitrate and ammonium in precipitation and associated with aerosols. Nitrate concentrations for precipitation …

Climatic And Lithogenic Controls On Soil Organic Matter-Mineral Associations, Rota Wagai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interactions of organic matter (OM) with soil mineral phases strongly affect the storage and dynamics of soil OM as well as other ecosystem processes. This study examined aspects of organo-mineral associations in soils at different scales. First, I assessed the potential controls of climate and parent rock type on organo-mineral associations using two sets of undisturbed tropical forest soils developed on two contrasting rocks along an altitudinal gradient in Borneo, Southeast Asia. Density fractionations showed that OM stored in surface mineral soils partitioned towards plant detritus fraction under cooler climates on both rock types. Thus climate exerted stronger control on …

Characteristics Of Ungulate Behavior And Mortality Associated With Wire Fences, Justin L. Harrington

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I studied the characteristics of fence mortality in pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and elk (Cervus elaphus) along roads in Colorado and Utah from June 2004 to June 2005. I defined a direct-fence mortality as a carcass caught directly in a fence and an indirect-fence mortality as a carcass on the ground within 10 m of a fence. I estimated an average annual direct mortality occurrence of 0.25 mortalities/km (0.078 mule deer mortalities/km, 0.113 pronghorn mortalities/km, and 0.061 elk mortalities/km). The highest fence-mortality rates for ungulates occurred during August, which coincided with …

Simulated Browsing Impacts On Aspen Sucker's Survival And Growth, Koketso Tshireletso

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Western forests dominated by aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) are highly regarded by most resource managers for their ability to provide a variety of benefits (Bartos and Mueggler 1982, Mueggler 1988). They noted aspen to be beneficial for production of livestock forage, wildlife habitat, and scenic beauty, and they are a potentially valuable source of wood products. However, in the West, communities are concerned about the dwindling acreage of aspen. The decline of aspen has been partly attributed to excessive ungulate browsing (Smith et al. 1972, Collins and Urness 1983, Bartos and Campbell 1998). Long-term grazing exclosures have also revealed …

Identifying Temporal Trends In Treated Sagebrush Communities Using Remotely Sensed Imagery, Eric D. Sant

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The sagebrush shrub steppe ecosystem is of great concern to researchers, conservationists, and the general public because of the documented declines associated with it. Monitoring in the past has generally been point-based and lacking in long-term data. To overcome these deficiencies, an automated method of monitoring was developed using GIS and remote sensing.

Geospatial layers of vegetation, soils, fire history, roads, streams, and springs were acquired and processed to characterize selected monitoring locations. A temporal set of Landsat satellite imagery for the past 30 years was normalized to reduce the effects of sun angle, haze, and sensor change. After normalization, …