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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons™

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Natural Resources and Conservation

2018

University of Montana

Articles 1 - 8 of 8

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Policy Analysis: Alaska Salmon Hatcheries, Jessica Eller Jan 2018

Policy Analysis: Alaska Salmon Hatcheries, Jessica Eller

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Using an adapted Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) - Evaluation, this study analyzes policy regulating Alaska salmon hatcheries to evaluate its effectiveness at sustaining wild salmon runs.When Alaska became a state in 1959, its salmon industry was suffering from years of overfishing. Runs were at an all-time low, prompting constitutional drafters to mandate management of salmon via the sustained yield principle. The hatchery system that operates today and is responsible for a third of the commercial catch each year was put in place in the 1970s to help supplement depressed salmon runs. The effects of hatchery salmon on wild salmon populations …

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40 Years On The International Flathead: An Assessment Of Transboundary River Governance, Jedd Sankar-Gorton Jan 2018

40 Years On The International Flathead: An Assessment Of Transboundary River Governance, Jedd Sankar-Gorton

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Global population growth, climate change, and industrialization, are putting extreme pressures on worldwide freshwater supplies (Cosens 2010). Of the global freshwater supplies, transboundary water sources play a crucial role in sustaining populations. Over 40% of humans on Earth rely on a transboundary river or lake for access to water, and 90% of the world’s population lives in countries that share bodies of water with at least one other country (UN 2008). Taken together, the motivations for improving governance of transboundary water systems have never been stronger. To meet the challenges associated with transboundary water governance, researchers working at multiple scales …

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Mountain Pine Beetle Induced Changes To Lodgepole Pine Forest Stand Dynamics At Lubrecht Experimental Forest, Ben G. O'Connor Jan 2018

Mountain Pine Beetle Induced Changes To Lodgepole Pine Forest Stand Dynamics At Lubrecht Experimental Forest, Ben G. O'Connor

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

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A Decade Of Governing The Blackfoot Community Conservation Area (Bcca): Community Involvement And Landscape Connectivity Through Public Private Partnerships, Alexander A. Barton Jan 2018

A Decade Of Governing The Blackfoot Community Conservation Area (Bcca): Community Involvement And Landscape Connectivity Through Public Private Partnerships, Alexander A. Barton

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In recent decades, non-governmental organizations have acquired and established community forests and conservation areas in the U.S. However, there have been few empirical studies on their governance. This study focuses on the Blackfoot Community Conservation Area (BCCA) in the Blackfoot watershed of Montana, created in 2005. The BCCA is a 41,000 acre mosaic of private, state, and federal lands, including 5,600 acres known as the “Core” located near Ovando mountain and owned by the Blackfoot Challenge, a local watershed organization and leader in grassroots conservation. This research examined the definitions, activities and lessons learned over the past decade with regard …

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Watershed Management Tools: Hazardous Site Case History, Reference Stream Analysis, And Gis Analysis Of Fire Risk, Patrick Doyle Jan 2018

Watershed Management Tools: Hazardous Site Case History, Reference Stream Analysis, And Gis Analysis Of Fire Risk, Patrick Doyle

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

My portfolio explores some tools that are used to protect or assess watershed health and the experiences and lessons I learned during my time in the Environmental Studies program. The first piece in my portfolio is a case study that looks at the history of pollution ad cleanup of the kraft pulp mill along the Clark Fork River. In my study, I look closely at the EPA’s investigation of the site and the community’s reaction to the findings. In my second piece, I describe my field and lab experience working for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. During this time, …

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Home Is Where The Food Is: Causes And Consequences Of Partial Migration In Elk, Kristin Jennifer Barker Jan 2018

Home Is Where The Food Is: Causes And Consequences Of Partial Migration In Elk, Kristin Jennifer Barker

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Migratory and non-migratory ungulates often coexist in partially migratory populations, but the mechanisms that drive and maintain different migratory behaviors within the same herd are poorly understood. In western North America, increasing numbers of elk (Cervus canadensis) reside on low-elevation winter range year-round. These residents can cause issues associated with crop damage, potential for disease transmission to livestock, and reduced effectiveness of harvest management strategies. Because migrants transfer nutrients, alter carnivore distributions, and structure vegetative communities across seasonal ranges, reductions in migratory behavior raise ecological as well as management-related concerns. This work investigated the factors affecting migratory behavior …

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Large-Scale Photovoltaic Solar Implementation: Montanan Stakeholder Opportunities And Challenges, Erika Mickelson Jan 2018

Large-Scale Photovoltaic Solar Implementation: Montanan Stakeholder Opportunities And Challenges, Erika Mickelson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Large-scale photovoltaic (PV) solar projects were operationalized in the 1990s resulting in a plethora of studies focusing on environmental, economic, technological, and policy studies. Minimal research investigates the similarities and differences between conveners using PV solar technology. This case study evaluates stakeholder perceptions regarding project management, project design, and external factors influencing the success of large-scale PV solar projects convened by a qualifying facility, regional utility company, and electric co-operative in Montana. Respondents revealed concepts were similar across conveners; yet, emphasized unique implications for each convener. The results indicated the importance for all conveners to incorporate marketing strategies, local interests …

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Predictive Spatial Modeling Of Wildfire Occurrence And Poaching Events Related To Siberian Tiger Conservation In Southwest Primorye, Russian Far East, Conor N. Phelan Jan 2018

Predictive Spatial Modeling Of Wildfire Occurrence And Poaching Events Related To Siberian Tiger Conservation In Southwest Primorye, Russian Far East, Conor N. Phelan

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) populations worldwide have been drastically reduced in number over the past several decades. The Primorye region of the Russian Far East remains one of the final strongholds for the estimated 400 Siberian tigers remaining in the wild. As a flagship species, Siberian tigers play a crucial socio-economic role in helping agencies and non-profits to motivate, fund, and implement broader conservation efforts. Even while defended by organizations such as the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Siberian tigers in Primorye face an onslaught of threats to their continued existence. Profound land use changes due to the …

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