Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Absorption Properties Of Dissolved And Particulate Matter In Turbid Productive Inland Lakes, Giorgio Dall'olmo, Anatoly A. Gitelson

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The objective of this study is to extend the knowledge on the absorption properties of turbid productive lakes by describing the spectral characteristics of a_CDOM, a_nap and a_φ spectra measured in an agriculturally dominated region of North America (Nebraska, USA).

Three-Band Model For Noninvasive Estimation Of Chlorophyll Carotenoids And Anthocyanin Contents In Higher Plant Leaves, Anatoly A. Gitelson, Galina P. Keydan, Mark N. Merzlyak

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Leaf pigment content and composition provide important information about plant physiological status. Reflectance measurements offer a rapid, nondestructive technique to estimate pigment content. This paper describes a recently developed three-band conceptual model capable of remotely estimating total of chlorophylls, carotenoids and anthocyanins contents in leaves from many tree and crop species. We tuned the spectral regions used in the model in accord with pigment of interest and the optical characteristics of the leaves studied, and showed that the developed technique allowed accurate estimation of total chlorophylls, carotenoids and anthocyanins, explaining more than 91%, 70% and 93% of pigment variation, respectively. …

Ecophysiology Of Two Native Invasive Woody Species And Two Dominant Warm-Season Grasses In The Semiarid Grasslands Of The Nebraska Sandhills, Kathleen D. Eggemeyer, Tala Awada, David A. Wedin, F. Edwin Harvey, Xinhua Zhou

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Populations of Pinus ponderosa and Juniperus virginiana are expanding into semiarid Sandhills grasslands in Nebraska. To evaluate the physiological basis of their success, we measured the seasonal course of leaf gas exchange, plant water status, and carbon isotope discrimination in these two native trees and two native C₄ grasses (Schizachyrium scoparium and Panicum virgatum). Compared to the trees, grasses had higher net photosynthetic rates (A_net) and water use efficiency (WUE) and more negative predawn and midday water potentials (Ψ) in June and July. While leaf Ψ and rates of leaf gas exchange declined for all …

Relationship Between Gross Primary Production And Chlorophyll Content In Crops: Implications For The Synoptic Monitoring Of Vegetation Productivity, Anatoly A. Gitelson, Andrés Viña, Shashi Verma, Donald C. Rundquist, Timothy J. Arkebauer, Galina P. Keydan, Bryan Leavitt, Veronica Ciganda, George G. Burba, Andrew E. Suyker

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Accurate estimation of spatially distributed CO2 fluxes is of great importance for regional and global studies of carbon balance. We applied a recently developed technique for remote estimation of crop chlorophyll content to assess gross primary production (GPP). The technique is based on reflectance in two spectral channels: the near-infrared and either the green or the red-edge. We have found that in irrigated and rainfed crops (maize and soybean), midday GPP is closely related to total crop chlorophyll content. The technique provided accurate estimations of midday GPP in both crops under rainfed and irrigated conditions with root mean square error …

A Comparison Of Presettlement Vegetation And Fire Regimes With Current Patterns In Oak Woodlands And Shrublands Of Sw Oregon, Patricia S. Muir Dr., Paul Hosten Dr.

JFSP Research Project Reports

Fuel reduction efforts on BLM lands in southwestern Oregon are motivated by the need to reduce fire hazard and restore and rehabilitate ecosystems. Successful ecosystem restoration depends, in part, on understanding the target: what ecosystem model is considered natural and healthy for a given area? Oak (Quercus garryana) woodlands and shrublands are two of the most characteristic ecosystems in interior valleys of southwest Oregon, and extensive acreages within these systems are treated annually for fuel reduction. However, these are also two of the least understood ecosystems in the region. We know little about their presettlement attributes, responses to disturbance, or …

Optimal Management Of Groundwater Over Space And Time, Nicholas Brozovic, David L. Sunding, David Zilberman

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

For nearly half a century, groundwater has been portrayed in the economic literature as a typical common property resource. Numerous studies of groundwater extraction have analyzed the externalities imposed by users on each other. A large body of work offers clear prescriptions in the form of optimal policy instruments, and a similarly large body of work advocates the needlessness of any centralized intervention. Yet existing theoretical models of groundwater extraction implicitly make two strong assumptions about the underlying behavior of the resource. First, the spatial distribution of resource users is assumed to be irrelevant. Second, path-independence of the resource is …

An Internet Based Portal For Fire Science And Management In The Southern Region

JFSP Research Project Reports

Task 1 – Organize a technical advisory team and host an initial workshop to explore methods for integrating FRAMES, TTRS, and ESFS websites.

Task 2 – Identify and acquire data, tools, and publications from funded JFSP and NFP projects working with the JFSP and NFP project databases and principal investigators. Also, when possible identify and acquire data and tools used and created by others in the wildland fire community including state agencies, educational institutions, and non-governmental organizations.

Task 3 – Develop and post online FGDC metadata records for all datasets from funded JFSP and NFP projects as well as key …

Le Voragini Catastrofiche Della Florida, Lee J. Florea, Robert Brooks, Tom Turner, Mario Parise

Lee J Florea, PhD, P.G.

The West-Central Florida landscape is worlds away from white-sand beaches and palm trees: gentle rolling hills, dense jungle-like forests, pine tree and palmetto scrub lands, impenetrable cypress swamps, and alligator-laden rivers. Numerous crystal-clear springs offer a glimpse of the hidden world below these wildly-diverse ecosystems. Internationally recognized in the cave diving community, Florida harbors some of the longest and most spectacular underwater cave systems. Lesser known are Florida’s “dry” caves, that rarely have large natural openings and, though often smaller than their aquatic counterparts, the beauty found within can rival the world’s best show-caves. Little was known about caves and …

Community Education In Karst At The Geological Alumni Society Geopark, University Of South Florida, Beth Fratesi, Lee J. Florea

Lee J Florea, PhD, P.G.

No abstract provided.

Promoting Low Impact Development In Your Community, New England Environmental Finance Center

Planning

Low Impact Development (LID) is an approach to stormwater management and site development that is gaining popularity throughout the country. Its attractiveness lies in its potential to lessen off-site stormwater impacts, reduce costs to municipalities and developers, and promote development that is “softer on the land” compared with typical traditional development. The approach, which is applicable to residential, commercial and industrial projects, and in urban, suburban and rural settings, often is linked with efforts by governments and citizens to foster more sustainable communities.

Improving Community Water Conservation Behaviour In Chachoengsao, Thailand, Kuakul Sathapornvajana, Lynne Cohen, Neil Drew, Julie Ann Pooley

EDU-COM International Conference

The issue of water supply throughout the world is of concern for many reasons. A major factor is water pollution by industry, agriculture and residential sectors. Less than 3% of water is fresh and potable, while the remainder is saline. It is projected that by the year 2025, two-thirds of the world‘s population will encounter moderate to severe water shortages. As a result of unsustainable development over the past decade, Thailand has faced pollution problems as well as the depletion of many natural resources. These problems have impacted the country‘s main rivers (Chaopraya River, Thachine River, and the Bangpakong River), …

Zero Effluent Stretch Target (Zest), Orla O'Connor

Theses

The goals of this project were to assess the viability of avoiding water use and of “cascading” water uses, i.e. using outlet water from one process in another activity, possibly with some purification, including the upgrading of the final effluent stream for internal reuse. Water use has been inventoried at FMC Biopolymer, Cork. Avoidance and reduction measures were identified that could reduce water consumption from 49m /hr to 19 m /hr (a reduction in excess of 60%), with an annual saving in excess of €350,000. These projects were assessed for feasibility and implementation. Potential streams that could be subject to …

Fisheries Research Report No 154 - The Development Of A Rigorous Sampling Methodology For A Long-Term Annual Index Of Recruitment For Finfish Species From South-Western Australia., Daniel J. Gaughan, Suzanne G. Ayvazian, G Nowara, M Craine

Fisheries research reports

Final FRDC Report - 1999/153.

This study has determined the optimal strategies to achieve statistically robust indices of recruitment of five key finfish species in south-western Australia. For another two species such indices could not be established. The sampling strategies developed will initially focus on the most appropriate location, month, and lunar phase, after which fine tuning of the sampling activity will be undertaken with respect to time of day, tide height, weather conditions etc. A significant outcome from the project is that five finfish species have a sampling strategy for recruits that can be utilized as a monitoring program …

Explorations In Off-Higway Vehicle (Ohv) Recreation: A High School Driver Education Extension, Allison Brody, Jennell M. Miller, Sky Mcclain, Katharine August

Education about the Environment

The lessons within this curriculum have been designed to meet the following goals:

● To increase knowledge about the natural world OHV recreationists will encounter in their exploration of Southern Nevada;

● To increase knowledge of responsible use of OHVs and principles of Tread Lightly! and Leave No Trace (both are nonprofit organizations dedicated to increasing awareness about how to minimize impacts while enjoying public and private lands);

● To increase awareness, knowledge, and understanding of land ethics;

● To allow youth to analyze personal values regarding recreational experiences, including OHV use.

Finicky Fish Finish... Last! Pre-Visit Lessons -- Support Materials (Grade 5), Discover Mojave: Forever Earth

Curriculum materials (FE)

In “Finicky Fish Finish…Last!” students explore what has happened to the Colorado River and the reasons why it is so difficult for the razorback sucker to thrive in a changed environment. Working as ichthyologists (fish biologists) at Lake Mead, students collect water quality data such as temperature, pH, and clarity -- to determine whether current habitat conditions are sufficient for survival of young razorback suckers. Students observe and identify non-native fish in Lake Mead as they learn how the razorback sucker interacts with these neighbors. Students assess whether Lake Mead is still a good habitat for razorback suckers. Using the …

Sauger Population Ecology In Three Missouri River Mainstem Reservoirs, Brian D. S. Graeb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sauger Sander canadensis populations have experienced widespread declines across much of their range. Factors suspected to contribute to these declines include hybridization, exploitation, loss of spawning areas, and general habitat alterations associated with regulated rivers. Several sauger populations within the Missouri River basin are also experiencing similar declines, particularly in the headwaters of Montana, and the lower basin states of Nebraska and Missouri. However, sauger populations in many of the reservoirs in South Dakota (between Montana and the lower basin) have relatively stable populations. Given the paucity of information on factors influencing sauger population ecology in general, and Missouri River …

Terpenes And Carbohydrate Source Influence Rumen Fermentation, Digestibility, Intake, And Preference In Sheep, J. J. Villalba, F. D. Provenza, K. C. Olson

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

We hypothesized that toxins and nutrients in foods interact to influence foraging behavior by herbivores. Based on this hypothesis we predicted that 1) terpenes in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) influence intake and preference in sheep for diets varying in sources of nonstructural (barley grain) and structural (sugar beet pulp) carbohydrates, and 2) these effects are due to the differential effects of terpenes on fermentation products and apparent digestibility of each class of carbohydrates. Lambs were fed 2 isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets with varying proportions of the same ingredients (beet pulp- and barley grain-based diet) or offered a choice between the …

Fire Does Not Alter Vegetation In Infertile Prairie, Johannes M.H. Knops

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The paradigm in prairie ecology is that fire is one of the key factors deter-mining vegetation composition. fire can impact grassland ecosystems in various ways, including changing plant species composition and inducing nitro-gen loss. I found that 17 years of different burning frequencies in infertile grassland had only a minor impact on the vegetation composition and diversity. The only major impact from increasing the frequency of fires was a decrease of Poa pratensis abundance. However, other plant species did not r-spond to the change in Poa abundance. This result contrasts with previous studies in savannas and more productive grasslands, where …

2006 Vegetation Survey Of The Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, Robert F. Steinauer

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

The Valentine National Wildlife Refuge (VNWR), located in north central Cherry County, was established in 1934. Tolstead (1942) studied the grasslands of northern Cherry County, (including the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge) with a focus on describing the dominant species of grassland types and determining the relationships between vegetation distribution and environmental variables and management practices. Additional studies have been conducted by refuge staff on the effects of management, particularly grazing, on vegetation structure. The purpose of this study was to: (1) document all vascular plant species present on the refuge; (2) collect data on rare plant species and high-quality native …

Water Resources Year In Review - Winter 2006, Vol. 19, No. 2, Annis Water Resource Institute

AWRI Reviews

No abstract provided.

Inside Alternatively Powered Vehicles: The Problems And The Possibilities, Roxanne Greitz Miller

Education Faculty Articles and Research

This article explores alternatively powered vehicles.

The Geoprofile Metadata, Exposure Of Instruments, And Measurement Bias In Climatic Record Revisited, Rezaul Mahmood

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Impacts Of Irrigation On 20th Century Temperature In The Northern Great Plains, Rezaul Mahmood

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Predation On The Nesting Ecology Of Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys Terrapin) In The Lower Chesapeake Bay, Victoria Ann Ruzicka

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Puncturing Ability Of Idealized Canine Teeth: Edged And Non-Edged Shanks, Patricia W. Freeman, Cliff A. Lemen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Idealized edged and non-edged indenters, mimicking canine teeth, were used to puncture thin materials and thick materials. Less force was needed for the edged (triangular in cross section) indenter to penetrate thin Mylar, paper, leather, beetle elytra and turkey skin than the non-edged (circular in cross-section) indenter. Oak, grass and magnolia leaves responded equally to both indenters. In thick materials, the edged indenter punctured beetles, shrimp, bananas, and chicken flesh more easily than the non-edged indenter. Apple, tomato and avocado were punctured equally well. The edged indenter directs cracks at the corners so that the material can fold away in …

Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Annual Report 2005, John A. Lucy, C.M. Bain Iii

Reports

The Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program (VGFTP), initiated in 1995, coordinates tagging and a tag-recapture fish database generated through contributed efforts of a dedicated corps of trained marine anglers. Through 2005, the program’s database includes nearly 88,000 records of tag-released fish and approximately 8,300 recaptures.

Shoreline Evolution, Chesapeake Bay And Potomac River Shorelines, Northumberland County, Virginia, C. Scott Hardaway Jr., Donna A. Milligan, Lyle M. Varnell, Christine A. Wilcox, George R. Thomas

Reports

Shoreline evolution is the change in shore position through time. In fact, it is the material resistance of the coastal geologic underpinnings against the impinging hydrodynamic (and aerodynamic) forces. Along the shores of Chesapeake Bay, it is a process-response system. The processes at work include winds, waves, tides and currents, which shape and modify coastlines by eroding, transporting and depositing sediments. The shoreline is commonly plotted and measured to provide a rate of change but it is as important to understand the geomorphic patterns of change. Shore analysis provides the basis to know how a particular coast has changed through …