Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Institution
-
- University of Vermont (15)
- The University of San Francisco (8)
- Central Washington University (5)
- Claremont Colleges (4)
- Portland State University (3)
-
- University of Montana (3)
- Walden University (3)
- California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (2)
- City University of New York (CUNY) (2)
- Minnesota State University, Mankato (2)
- South Dakota State University (2)
- University of Kentucky (2)
- University of Southern Maine (2)
- Wilfrid Laurier University (2)
- Clemson University (1)
- Fordham University (1)
- Illinois State University (1)
- Michigan Technological University (1)
- Old Dominion University (1)
- The University of Southern Mississippi (1)
- Union College (1)
- University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (1)
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (1)
- University of New Orleans (1)
- University of San Diego (1)
- University of South Carolina (1)
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville (1)
- University of Texas at El Paso (1)
- University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (1)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (1)
- Keyword
-
- Conservation (4)
- Corporate Social Responsibility (3)
- Discourse (3)
- GIS (3)
- Resilience (3)
-
- Water (3)
- Desalination (2)
- Development (2)
- Environment (2)
- Environmental (2)
- Gulf of Mexico (2)
- Montana (2)
- Natural resource management (2)
- Planning (2)
- Policy (2)
- Tourism (2)
- Ursus americanus (2)
- Vermont (2)
- Accountability (1)
- Acid Mine Drainage (1)
- Adirondack Park (1)
- Africa (1)
- Agriculture (1)
- Agroforestry (1)
- Alaska fisheries (1)
- Algonquin Provincial Park (1)
- Alliaria Petiolata (1)
- Allowance (1)
- Alpine Meadows (1)
- Amazon (1)
- Publication
-
- Graduate College Dissertations and Theses (15)
- Master's Projects and Capstones (7)
- All Master's Theses (5)
- Theses and Dissertations (5)
- Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers (3)
-
- Pomona Senior Theses (3)
- Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies (3)
- All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects (2)
- Electronic Theses and Dissertations (2)
- Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports (2)
- Master's Theses (2)
- Masters Theses (2)
- Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive) (2)
- Thinking Matters Symposium Archive (2)
- All Dissertations (1)
- Capstones (1)
- Dissertations (1)
- Dissertations and Theses (1)
- Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open (1)
- Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects (1)
- Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository (1)
- Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations (1)
- Graduate Theses and Dissertations (1)
- Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (1)
- Honors Theses (1)
- Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences (1)
- Open Access Theses & Dissertations (1)
- Scripps Senior Theses (1)
- Student Theses 2015-Present (1)
- Theses (1)
Articles 1 - 30 of 74
Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Brooklyn Trash Problems, Christina Diaz
Brooklyn Trash Problems, Christina Diaz
Capstones
Walk through the streets of New York and at some point you’ll inevitably pass by a wafting smell of garbage, but residents of North Brooklyn are handling more than their share of the smelly load and they’re tired of getting dumped on.
A newly formed coalition of neighbors and environmental activists has begun a turf war against Brooklyn Transfer LLC, a waste transfer station located on Thames Street in East Williamsburg, which handles private commercial waste through Five Star Carting.
Link to Map: https://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=1769408
Restoring The Mississippi River Delta In Louisiana Ecological Tradeoffs And Barriers To Action, Alison Maulhardt
Restoring The Mississippi River Delta In Louisiana Ecological Tradeoffs And Barriers To Action, Alison Maulhardt
University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
This study investigates the Louisiana 2012 Coastal Master Plan’s ability to reconcile conflicting economic and ecological demands on coastal resources. The Louisiana Coastal Master Plan was unique in combining flood control and coastal restoration under one authority. However, the objectives of flood control and coastal restoration can be in conflict. The plan was also unique in its approach of restoration from a working coast perspective. However, the objectives of ecological restoration and economic productivity do not always agree. By conducting semi-structured interviews with major coastal stakeholders, this research will explore how the planning process has accommodated the views and values …
Utilizing Ecological Connectivity In California Desert Wilderness Preservation, Lauren Kahal
Utilizing Ecological Connectivity In California Desert Wilderness Preservation, Lauren Kahal
Master's Projects and Capstones
The Wilderness Act of 1964 gave the federal land management agencies—the National Park Service, United States Forest Service, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management—the authority to identify, propose, and manage lands as wilderness. Wilderness, once approved by Congress for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System, is offered the highest form of land preservation in the nation. However, the wilderness identification process used by the implementing agencies is based on a half-century old statute with an aging definition of wilderness. While designated wilderness can protect the plant and wildlife communities within its borders from direct anthropogenic …
The Role Of The State, Multinational Oil Companies, International Law & The International Community: Intersection Of Human Rights & Environmental Degradation Climate Change In The 21st Century Caused By Traditional Extractive Practices, The Amazon Rainforest, Indigenous People And Universal Jurisdiction To Resolve The Accountability Issue, Marcela Cabrera Luna
Master's Theses
Local, national and international conventions that protect indigenous sovereignty and their territories, where many of the resources are extracted from by multinational corporations (MNCs) particularly oil, the number one commodity of the world and cause of climate change, continue to be jeopardized because of the lack of a clear international legal framework that can protect them and potentially hold multinationals accountable for their actions. These practices are causing not only environmental issues to the indigenous and surrounding communities, but climate change is in fact, the real human rights issue of the 21st century and it affects everyone. By using …
Proactive Environmental Strategies: Managing A Corporate Culture Shift Toward Sustainability, Mark E. Calub
Proactive Environmental Strategies: Managing A Corporate Culture Shift Toward Sustainability, Mark E. Calub
Master's Projects and Capstones
The roles and responsibilities of Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) professionals have expanded over the last several decades. Initially focused solely on reducing a firm's ecological impact, many EHS professionals are now tasked with managing a firm's cultural shift towards sustainability. EHS professionals need to develop proactive environmental strategies that further interconnect the environmental, social, and economic performance goals of the firm. Using a concept analysis and integrative literature review approach, the research examines the evolving role of corporate environmental management and evaluates strategic management tools for environmental compliance, environmental performance, and corporate sustainability. The research reveals that the role …
Iodine-131: Measurement And Application Of A Novel Tracer In Lake Michigan, Michael Patrick Montenero
Iodine-131: Measurement And Application Of A Novel Tracer In Lake Michigan, Michael Patrick Montenero
Theses and Dissertations
Iodine-131 is a short-lived (half-life=8.0233 days), gamma emitting, radiopharmaceutical that, when excreted by patients, enters aquatic systems via sewage effluent discharged from water reclamation facilities (WRFs). Here, I report on 131I activities in the nearshore of southwest Lake Michigan in the vicinity of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is the first report on 131I activity in any of the Great Lakes of North America.
The flux of 131I from Milwaukee’s two WRFs was monitored from July 2013 to December 2014. Mean discharge of 131I from the Jones Island WRF was (0.664 ± 0.012)×108 Bq d-1 (mean effluent 131I activity: ~0.25 Bq L-1; …
Niche-Based Modeling Of Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium Vimineum) Using Presence-Only Information, Nathan Bush
Niche-Based Modeling Of Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium Vimineum) Using Presence-Only Information, Nathan Bush
Masters Theses
The Connecticut River watershed is experiencing a rapid invasion of aggressive non-native plant species, which threaten watershed function and structure. Volunteer-based monitoring programs such as the University of Massachusetts’ OutSmart Invasives Species Project, Early Detection Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) and the Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE) have gathered valuable invasive plant data. These programs provide a unique opportunity for researchers to model invasive plant species utilizing citizen-sourced data. This study took advantage of these large data sources to model invasive plant distribution and to determine environmental and biophysical predictors that are most influential in dispersion, and to identify …
Wildlife Crime And Other Challenges To Resource System Resilience, Patricia Anne Raxter
Wildlife Crime And Other Challenges To Resource System Resilience, Patricia Anne Raxter
Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations
Although wildlife crime has exploded in Africa over the past decade —“commercial poaching” now kills an estimated eight percent of the continent’s elephant population each year—some governments have proven more successful than others at protecting wildlife and preserving habitats. To explain this variation, this study examines how the policies of three states (Kenya, Tanzania, and Botswana) have enhanced or undermined the resilience of the continent’s elephant ecosystem. Using the social-ecological system framework, the study illustrates how each state’s changing practices have either exacerbated the stresses wrought by wildlife crime or successfully protected local populations from poaching. The study finds that …
Does Gender Matter? Human Elephant Conflict In Sri Lanka: A Gendered Analysis Of Human Elephant Conflict And Natural Resource Management In A Rural Sri Lankan Village, Katherine Eileen Griffin
Does Gender Matter? Human Elephant Conflict In Sri Lanka: A Gendered Analysis Of Human Elephant Conflict And Natural Resource Management In A Rural Sri Lankan Village, Katherine Eileen Griffin
Dissertations and Theses
This study is a gendered analysis of natural resource management at the local scale of a poor rural Sri Lankan village in a conservation buffer zone. This village experiences destruction of forests and human elephant conflict. The objective of this study is to gain an in-depth knowledge of residents' use and understandings of environmental resources, and to investigate if gender helps shape these factors. This study relies on a social sustainability conceptual framework. It tracks participation of local women and men in natural resource management, and in conservation within and outside of the Bibile community. Local nongovernmental organizations focus on …
Transportation And Sanitation Drivers Of Land Use/Land Cover Change: Loss Of The Jamaica Bay Wetlands, Margaret Joy Cytryn
Transportation And Sanitation Drivers Of Land Use/Land Cover Change: Loss Of The Jamaica Bay Wetlands, Margaret Joy Cytryn
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis presents an analysis (1830-2014) of the historical events of land use/land cover change in the Jamaica Bay estuary, identification of the agents of change, and a perspective on the potential drivers of transportation and sanitation in land use/land cover change.
Conduits Of Communion: Monstrous Affections In Algonquin Traditional Territory, Ian S.G. Puppe
Conduits Of Communion: Monstrous Affections In Algonquin Traditional Territory, Ian S.G. Puppe
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
This project investigates the legacies of shifting land tenure and stewardship practices on what is now known as the Ottawa Valley watershed (referred to as the Kitchissippi by the Omamawinini or Algonquin people), and the effects that this central colonization project has had on issues of identity and Nationalism on Canadians, diversely identified as settler-colonists of European or at least “Old World” descent and First Nations, Métis and Inuit (Lawrence 2012).
Focusing on historical and contemporary political and social issues related to Algonquin Provincial Park and its establishment, this project explores; 1) Competing claims levied by First Nations Peoples, local …
Factors Affecting Terrigenous Sedimentation In Coastal Bays With Coral Reefs: Implications For Monitoring The Effectiveness Of Watershed Restoration, Whitney Sears
Theses
In the Caribbean, sedimentation has been identified as a serious threat to coral reef communities. Although land-based sediment delivery to coastal waters harboring coral reefs occurs under natural conditions, human activities in the watersheds above reefs increases the erosion and delivery of terrigenous sediment to the reefs. Delivery of terrigenous sediment into marine areas below developed watersheds affects sedimentation rates, alters the composition and texture of sediments that are suspended in the water column, and/or sediments that are deposited on the sea floor and on corals.
St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands is an ideal location to study the effects of …
Utilizing Inventory Data And Public Opinion To Develop An Urban Tree Management Plan For Oak Ridge, Tn, Thomas E. Jennings
Utilizing Inventory Data And Public Opinion To Develop An Urban Tree Management Plan For Oak Ridge, Tn, Thomas E. Jennings
Masters Theses
Proper management by a trained urban forester is essential for the health of urban trees, due to the adverse growing conditions they face. Unfortunately, many cities do not have the luxury of employing an urban forester for various reasons, which is the case for the City of Oak Ridge, TN. This study utilized inventory data of the street trees, park trees, and trees surrounding the municipal complexes in Oak Ridge, as well as evaluated park visitor satisfaction in three of the city parks through the use of a survey to aid in the development of an urban tree management plan. …
Rock Creek Restoration Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Report, Daniel Bedell
Rock Creek Restoration Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Report, Daniel Bedell
Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports
Stream restoration is widely used to rebuild habitat for native fisheries, but it is not well understood how current habitat reconstruction practices affect biological diversity. Citizen Science programs have potential to provide supplemental macroinvertebrate data for effectiveness monitoring of reach-scale restoration projects but variability in training, experience and collection methods can make interpretation difficult. The Clackamas Water Environment Services Watershed Health Education Program (WHEP) is an example of a Citizen Science-based program actively collecting biological data from restored streams. The purpose of this project was to use WHEP student-collected data to detect benthic macroinvertebrate community responses to stream restoration practices. …
Temporal Changes To Fire Risk In Disparate Wildland Urban Interface Communities, Nicola C. Leyshon
Temporal Changes To Fire Risk In Disparate Wildland Urban Interface Communities, Nicola C. Leyshon
Master's Theses
Since 1990, thirteen fires over 100,000 acres in size have burned in California seven of which were recorded to be some of the most destructive wildfires of all time (California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection 2013). To aid the development of policy that reduces the destruction caused by wildfires, it is important to evaluate how risk changes through time in communities that are expanding into fire-prone areas. The objective of this study is to discover how the likelihood of structural loss is changing in WUI as newer; more fire resilient structures replace older structures on the edges of the …
Controlling Carbon: A Study Of National And Regional Emissions Trading Systems, Jordan Pulling
Controlling Carbon: A Study Of National And Regional Emissions Trading Systems, Jordan Pulling
Honors Theses
The release of carbon and other chemicals into the atmosphere is a growing environmental problem. The use of carbon-based processes is at an all-time high with the continued growth in carbon-fueled transportation, electric power generation and other carbon-intensive industrial processes. With climate change increasingly threatening the daily lives of Earth's population, many countries are beginning to take steps to reduce their impact on the Earth and its climate. Over the last decade, carbon markets have been established in 18 countries worldwide. While all of these emissions trading systems have similarities, each also has some unique traits, including differences in allowance …
Evaluation Of The Feasibility Of Struvite Precipitation From Domestic Wastewater As An Alternative Phosphorus Fertilizer Resource, Amanda R. Bird
Evaluation Of The Feasibility Of Struvite Precipitation From Domestic Wastewater As An Alternative Phosphorus Fertilizer Resource, Amanda R. Bird
Master's Projects and Capstones
Finite phosphate rock ore reserves are estimated to be exhausted in 100 to 150 years. Phosphate rock ore is the single global source material for phosphorus fertilizer production. Once these reserves are gone, agricultural production will be negatively impacted. There are currently no alternative phosphorus resources. However, phosphorus concentrations present in human excrement traveling through domestic wastewater treatment facilities is being disposed of directly to the environment, often resulting in pollution problems. Recovering phosphorus from wastewater with struvite precipitation systems at wastewater treatment plants can alleviate future phosphorus scarcities. Evaluation of phosphorus recovery through struvite precipitation at wastewater treatment plants …
Ecodistricts In San Francisco: The Implementation Of Neighborhood Regional Planning And Its Potential Effects On Environmental Resilience, Elizabeth M. Juvera
Ecodistricts In San Francisco: The Implementation Of Neighborhood Regional Planning And Its Potential Effects On Environmental Resilience, Elizabeth M. Juvera
Master's Projects and Capstones
Ecodistricts, or neighborhood-scale, community-driven areas of sustainable development, have emerged internationally and within the U.S. to create models of adaptive environmental design and advanced urban infrastructure. Central SoMa is the first ecodistrict to be planned and implemented in San Francisco, with the intention of revitalizing and greening this urbanized region of the city. At this time, the Central SoMa area has very low biodiversity levels, inefficient infrastructure, and poor water management capabilities. Through the implementation of ecodistricts in San Francisco, the city can integrate physical and behavioral sustainability measures from existing ecodistricts such as permeable surfaces, green roofs, stormwater management, …
Surface And Subsurface Application Of Chemical Dispersants And Associated Ecosystem Impacts, Adam V. Radpour
Surface And Subsurface Application Of Chemical Dispersants And Associated Ecosystem Impacts, Adam V. Radpour
Master's Projects and Capstones
Chemical dispersants are applied to spilled oil in marine environments when other, less controversial, methods are not adequate for the incident. They are considered to be a response method as opposed to a direct cleanup method, with the intended goals of reducing risk of exposure to sensitive shorelines, reducing environmental injury to surface-dwelling sea birds and marine mammals, and facilitating the biodegradation of spilled oil into the water column.
For this research, both surface and subsurface application of dispersants were evaluated in terms of oil characteristics and volume, and oceanic and atmospheric conditions. More data exists to support the effectiveness …
Assessment Of Risks And Benefits For Pennsylvania Water Sources When Utilizing Acid Mine Drainage For Hydraulic Fracturing, Frederick R. Davis
Assessment Of Risks And Benefits For Pennsylvania Water Sources When Utilizing Acid Mine Drainage For Hydraulic Fracturing, Frederick R. Davis
Master's Projects and Capstones
The use of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) in the hydraulic fracturing process increases the complexity of a polarizing topic. Many stakeholders see a potential to provide relief to multiple environmental problems while others see it as another threat to the Pennsylvania water supply so many parties depend on. This research will evaluate data from Pennsylvania state agencies and additional academic research regarding AMD and fracking to assess potential benefits, risks, and complications for Pennsylvania watersheds when using AMD in the fracking process.
Chapter 1 presents background information on energy demand and hydraulic fracturing, as well as energy sources and industrial …
Groundwater Banking In Imperial Irrigation District: Planning For Future Water Scarcity On The Colorado River, Sara Morton
Groundwater Banking In Imperial Irrigation District: Planning For Future Water Scarcity On The Colorado River, Sara Morton
Master's Projects and Capstones
Urban and rural economies throughout the southwestern United States and Mexico rely on surface water imported from the Colorado River. The Imperial Irrigation District (herein IID or District) has rights to use 3.1 million acre-feet (MAF) per year of Colorado River Water (Regional Water Management Group 2013 and Imperial Irrigation District 2009). Of this water entitlement, IID uses 97 percent for agricultural production. In addition, IID supplies water to San Diego and Los Angeles urban areas.
The population reliant on Colorado River water is expected to rise from approximately 40 million people today, up to 76 million people over the …
The Human And Environmental Effects Of Cbrn Weapons, Brendan M. Doran
The Human And Environmental Effects Of Cbrn Weapons, Brendan M. Doran
Student Theses 2015-Present
Since the first use of modern weapons of mass destruction during the First World War, the World has lived in fear of these horrifying instruments of death. Gripped by this fear, countries around the world have continued to research, develop, and test these weapons in the spirit of mutually assured destruction. Over the years, science and warfare have continually refined their methods of human extermination, bringing forth some of the most terrifyingly effective weapon systems ever devised. However, the testing and use of these weapons is often a step into the unknown. The repercussions of deploying these weapons are sometimes …
The Power Behind The Controversy: Understanding Local Policy Elites' Perceptions On The Benefits And Risks Associated With High Voltage Power Line Installation In The State Of Arkansas, Rachael Marie Moyer
The Power Behind The Controversy: Understanding Local Policy Elites' Perceptions On The Benefits And Risks Associated With High Voltage Power Line Installation In The State Of Arkansas, Rachael Marie Moyer
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Following a proposal for the installation of high voltage power lines in northwest Arkansas, a controversial policy debate emerged. Proponents of the transmission line argue that such an installation is inevitable and necessary to efficiently and reliably support the identified electric load in the region. Opponents claim that the lines will degrade the natural environment and hamper the tourism-based local economy in affected regions, notably in Ozark Mountain areas. This study seeks to understand how local policy elites perceive the benefits and risks associated with proposed transmission lines, which is a critical step in comprehending the formation and changes of …
Spatial, Temporal And Demographical Analysis Of Gulf Of Mexico Research Priorities, The Effect Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Stephen Hiller Sempier
Spatial, Temporal And Demographical Analysis Of Gulf Of Mexico Research Priorities, The Effect Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Stephen Hiller Sempier
Dissertations
A set of twenty equally-weighted national ocean research priorities were define in 2007, but it was not clear if these priorities applied for the Gulf of Mexico. A series of three longitudinal surveys of people who conduct research, sponsor research or use research for professional or recreational purposes was released that focused on the twenty research priorities and asked people how they rated each. A convenience sampling method was employed, which suggests that the results are constrained to the survey respondents and should not be extrapolated to a larger population. More than 1,500 people completed the 2013 GMRP survey and …
Values Assigned To National Parks By Hispanics In The United States: Castillo De San Marcos And Fort Matanzas Nm And Great Smoky Mountains Np, Carla Mora-Trejos
Values Assigned To National Parks By Hispanics In The United States: Castillo De San Marcos And Fort Matanzas Nm And Great Smoky Mountains Np, Carla Mora-Trejos
All Dissertations
The integrity of Parks and Protected Areas (PPA) depends on management that acknowledges their position as part of the socio-cultural context and demonstrates awareness and attention to ethnic and racial dimensions of the communities adjacent to these areas. The Unites States National Park Service has dedicated resources and effort to determine ways to keep units in the national park service relevant in a changing world. The fastest growing and second largest demographic in the Unites States is the Latino or Hispanic population. Very little has been published about this rapidly growing population of Latin Americans residing in the United States …
Digitization Of Disturbance History For Swanton Pacific Ranch From 1989 To 2015, Daniel Mcquillan
Digitization Of Disturbance History For Swanton Pacific Ranch From 1989 To 2015, Daniel Mcquillan
Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences
No abstract provided.
The Blue Heron Wetland Restoration Project: Eradication Of Ludwigia Peploides Ssp. Montevidensis From The Blue Heron Wetlands Of Portland, Or, Alexander Staunch
The Blue Heron Wetland Restoration Project: Eradication Of Ludwigia Peploides Ssp. Montevidensis From The Blue Heron Wetlands Of Portland, Or, Alexander Staunch
Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports
The Blue Heron Wetland Restoration Project (BHWRP) is an ongoing community driven effort to eradicate Ludwigia peploides ssp. montevidensis from a 3.5 acre ephemeral wetland in Portland, OR. Established in summer 2011 by the East Columbia Neighborhood Association (ECNA), the BHWRP consisted of an herbicide efficacy pilot study, widespread eradication effort, and establishment of a stewardship program. Ludwigia peploides ssp. montevidensis is an emerging threat to northwestern Oregon and the infestation within the Blue Heron Wetlands (BHW) represented one of the first known infestations of L. peploides ssp. montevidensis within the State of Oregon.
First observed within the BHW in …
An Outdoor Classroom To Improve The Student Experience And Connect The Community, Chelsea Malacara
An Outdoor Classroom To Improve The Student Experience And Connect The Community, Chelsea Malacara
Thinking Matters Symposium Archive
An opportunity to learn outdoors unites students to their surroundings and closes the gap between human and nature. Outdoor spaces contribute to ecological literacy and are critical to a well-rounded education. The University of Southern Maine community places emphasis on environmental stewardship through classroom instruction and campus projects. The Gorham campus has 9 acres of wooded area plus unused greenspace. I am proposing the construction of an outdoor classroom. The proposal will include interviews from various stakeholders, a site assessment, and a digital and 3D model of the outdoor classroom that will be created per the Site Planning and Design …
Habitat Fragmenta-On In The Sebago Lake Watershed, Jared Lank
Habitat Fragmenta-On In The Sebago Lake Watershed, Jared Lank
Thinking Matters Symposium Archive
The goal of this research was to evaluate the extent of land use change occurring in the Sebago lake watershed of southern Maine. The primary data set used was Landsat 7 Near Infrared satellite imagery of the region which was analyzed with ESRI’s ArcGIS soQware. Data was clipped to the Portland Water District’s sub watershed shape file and analyzed with the soQware’s image analysis ‘difference’ tool which calculates the differences in pixel values between to raster datasets. The 2013 Landsat reclassifica-on was compared to 1987, 1995 and 2009 reclassifica-ons. NOAA’s Habitat Priority Planner plugin tool was also u-lized in order …
Investigating Seed Dispersal Distances And Long Distance Dispersal Mechanisms Of The Invasive Plant, Alliaria Petiolata, Christopher Loebach
Investigating Seed Dispersal Distances And Long Distance Dispersal Mechanisms Of The Invasive Plant, Alliaria Petiolata, Christopher Loebach
Theses and Dissertations
Alliaria petiolata, an herbaceous plant, has aggressively invaded North American woodlands. It has been extensively studied to understand why it is a successful invader, but certain aspects of its biology have been understudied such as seed dispersal distances and long distance dispersal mechanisms (LDDM). My thesis experimentally measured A. petiolata seed dispersal distances and determined if epizoochory (external animal transport) is a LDDM. To measure dispersal distances, seed traps were placed around three A. petiolata seed point sources to capture dispersed seeds at increasing distances away from the point sources. Eight mathematical functions that describe dispersal distances were fitted to …