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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

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Articles 1 - 7 of 7

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Understanding Conflicts In Natural Resources Management: Using Systems Thinking And Systems Dynamics To Model The Relationship Between The American Prairie Reserve And Neighboring Communities, Amanda Hartman Medaries Sep 2021

Understanding Conflicts In Natural Resources Management: Using Systems Thinking And Systems Dynamics To Model The Relationship Between The American Prairie Reserve And Neighboring Communities, Amanda Hartman Medaries

Biology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Conservation conflict, whether human-wildlife or human-human, and specifically those that include the public as stakeholders, is seen as one of the most influential reasons reintroduction and/or conservation of species or landscapes is difficult to accomplish. This is due to the numerous mental models involved within conflict. In order to help mitigate or mediate said conflict, understanding these mental models and the roles they play within the system is crucial. Unfortunately, adaptive management, which is reactionary, additive, and most often used within these systems, is unable to do so and solutions to the conflict remain elusive. The aim of this study …


Pacific Black Duck Ecology And Habitat Assessment In Aunu'u, American Samoa, And Their Relationship To Other Mallard-Like Ducks Of Oceania, Greater Indonesia, And The Philippines, Marissa Kaminski Aug 2021

Pacific Black Duck Ecology And Habitat Assessment In Aunu'u, American Samoa, And Their Relationship To Other Mallard-Like Ducks Of Oceania, Greater Indonesia, And The Philippines, Marissa Kaminski

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Determining a species’ ecological needs, assessing the quality of their habitat, and determining genetic differentiation and connectivity among populations is essential to their conservation. My dissertation focuses on obtaining such a holistic view for a population of Pacific Black Ducks recently established on the Island of Aunu’u, American Samoa. Specifically, I present the first evaluation of the ecology and habitat of a recently established population of Pacific Black Ducks on the Island of Aunu’u, American Samoa, in Chapter 1, while I assess the genetic connectivity and relationship of this population to other Mallard-like ducks found in Greater Indonesia, Oceania, and …


Improving Environmental Protection: One Imagined Touch At A Time, Luke Ingalls Liska Jun 2021

Improving Environmental Protection: One Imagined Touch At A Time, Luke Ingalls Liska

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Can imagined touch of flora and fauna (i.e., the plants and animals of the natural world) make you more willing to support environmental protection efforts? Across seven studies, I demonstrate that by asking consumers to imagine touching fauna, marketers can encourage consumers to become more engaged in environmental protection efforts. This effect occurs because imagined touch generates haptic imagery, which enhances a consumer’s emotional attachment to fauna. I demonstrate that emotional attachment to fauna induced via imagined touch enhances individual’s willingness to share Facebook posts, improves their willingness to support increased fines for environment-related offenses, and increases the number of …


The Little Things That Count: Mapping Diversity Of West Florida’S Shelf, Nicole L. Seiden Mar 2021

The Little Things That Count: Mapping Diversity Of West Florida’S Shelf, Nicole L. Seiden

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biodiversity is essential to the ecosystem functions responsible for generating the multi-billion-dollar industries that the US relies on for food, storm mitigation, tourism and recreation, but is facing increasing natural and anthropogenic threats. High-resolution diversity data covering large spatial areas would enhance current ecology knowledge and better address conservation concerns in the Gulf of Mexico. However, acquiring and handling data of this nature is resource intensive and has not yet been established. In this study, high spatial resolution data was collected from gastropod living and death assemblages collected over 10 years from the West Florida Shelf (WFS). A multivariate regression …


Shorebird Response To Human-Induced Changes At Three Pinellas County Beaches, Rebecca J. Ruthberg-Campagna Mar 2021

Shorebird Response To Human-Induced Changes At Three Pinellas County Beaches, Rebecca J. Ruthberg-Campagna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Worldwide, shorebird habitat is being destroyed and degraded by development and sea level rise. Shorebirds depend on availability of pristine, undisturbed coastal habitats for resting and feeding during migration as well as for reproduction. Migratory shorebirds using the East Atlantic Flyway visit the Gulf of Mexico Beaches of Pinellas County, Florida as a stopover site during Fall and Spring migration. In addition to hosting migratory species, Pinellas County beaches are home to several year-round resident species that breed during Summer. Pinellas County is the most densely populated county in Florida, and its Gulf Coast is heavily developed with commercial and …


Lack Of Plasticity In Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus) Nesting Behavior And Fecundity In A Translocated Population, Jennifer N. Desha Jan 2021

Lack Of Plasticity In Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus) Nesting Behavior And Fecundity In A Translocated Population, Jennifer N. Desha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lack of Plasticity in Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Nesting Behavior and Fecundity in a Translocated Population


Conservation, Sharks, And The Tragedy Of The Commons: Achieving Human-Nature Holism, Fiona Melady Jan 2021

Conservation, Sharks, And The Tragedy Of The Commons: Achieving Human-Nature Holism, Fiona Melady

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Environmental ethics originates from the idea that the relationship between humans and non-human nature should be considered morally. How we deal with environmental issues depends on our perception of human-environment relationships. Many view nature as something separate from themselves to own, use, and exploit for human benefit; others view nature as something of which humans are a part and having an intrinsic value aside from practicality or usefulness. This thesis examines human-environment relationships through anthropocentrism and ecocentrism and advocates for balancing the two perspectives. Furthermore, this thesis examines the importance of marine environmental conservation, particularly sharks, and how transitioning towards …