Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Clerodendrum Kelli (Lamiaceae), A New Species From Carranglan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines, And Lectotypification Of Clerodendrum Mindorense, David Justin R. Ples, Jacek Patykowski, John Charles A. Altomonte, Adriene B. Tobias, Rene Alfred Anton Bustamante

Biology Faculty Publications

Clerodendrum kelli (Lamiaceae), a new species from the montane forests of Carranglan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines, is described and illustrated. The species shares morphological features with Clerodendrum quadriloculare and C. mindorense, but differs in inflorescence structure, corolla tube length, and calyx shape and color. A lectotype for C. mindorense is also designated. Preliminary conservation assessment places C. kelli in the Critically Endangered category (CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)). This study contributes to Philippine plant biodiversity knowledge and informs conservation strategies.

Assessment Of Fish Community Dynamics, Movement, And Morphology In Relation To Stream Barriers In The Upper Illinois Bayou Watershed, Risa Mccollough

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Intermittent streams are increasingly recognized as vital components of river networks by supporting dynamic fish communities shaped by variable hydrology and habitat connectivity. They are becoming increasingly vulnerable to fragmentation by anthropogenic activities, namely road crossings, dams, and climate shifts that intensify seasonal drying. In response, I conducted two studies in the Illinois Bayou watershed in Arkansas to assess the effects of fragmentation on fish community dynamics and morphology in intermittent streams.

In the first study, I examined temporal fish community dynamics across two barriers: a natural waterfall in Dare Creek and a low-water crossing in Dry Creek. Simultaneously, I …

Investigating The Effect Of Kcl Stress In Raphanus Sativus, Mason P. Oelke

ATU Honors Projects

Potassium is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and development, yet excessive potassium fertilization can induce salt stress with detrimental consequences for crop productivity and nutritional quality. Despite its agricultural relevance, potassium chloride induced stress remains significantly understudied compared to classical sodium-based salinity. This thesis investigates the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of Raphanus sativus to KCl stress using an integrated approach that combines germination assays, mineral profiling, and gene expression analysis.

Radish seeds were exposed to increasing KCl concentrations (0–400 mM) with or without melatonin, TEA, or EDTA. Germination percentage, fresh and dry biomass, and early seedling vigor were …

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Plumed Clover (Trifolium Plumosum Var. Plumosum), Nora Dunkirk

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Plumed Clover (Trifolium plumosum var. plumosum) using NatureServe methodology, 2025.

Citizen's Rare Plant Watch 2025 Recap, Nora Dunkirk

Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank and Plant Conservation Program

Citizen's Rare Plant Watch (CRPW) is a community science program which takes volunteers out to visit populations of rare and threatened Oregon native plant species. Volunteers assess their health and viability, update the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC) state database for rare species, and help contribute to data driven management decisions throughout the state. Housed at Portland State University, this program is open to the public and attracts plant lovers from diverse backgrounds. Each spring, CRPW trains volunteers on methods of data collection, and this year we implemented new technology using Survey123 to streamline population assessments. We focus on species …

Sediment Burial Negatively Impacts The Growth Of Seagrass Posidonia Sinuosa, Chanelle Webster, Nicole Said, Natasha Dunham, Simone Strydom, Kathryn Mcmahon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Burial disturbances affect foundation plant species in marine ecosystems. Deposition of dredge spoil can bury seagrass meadows yet we have limited threshold information to predict the trajectory of impact from burial or possible recovery. To investigate the response to burial by dredge spoil, established seagrass ramets of Posidonia sinuosa were collected from a population in Western Australia and exposed to cutter suction dredge spoil sediment. Plant responses were measured during a burial phase after 2, 4 and 8 weeks to assess the influence of duration to burial depths (0, 1, 4, 8 and 16 cm). Sediments were then removed, and …

Engineering Risk And Indigenous Resilience Toward Intelligent Decision Support For Mining In Ancestral Lands, Izech Brian O. Edwin, King Harold A. Recto

Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering Faculty Publications

Mining within ancestral territories reveals an ongoing conflict between technical viability and Indigenous consent. This collaborative study, conducted by an engineering scholar and a policy researcher of Indigenous heritage in Benguet among the Ibaloi and Kankanaey peoples, investigates how risk transparency and policy alignment can bridge existing divides, while formulating principles applicable to other Indigenous mining contexts. The study provides an initial evaluation of the feasibility of a proposed large-scale mining operation within a risk-informed, data-driven governance framework. Three elements of engineering risk were assessed utilizing literature-derived and proxy parameters: (1) Land degradation is indicated by a Soil Productivity Index …

Detecting Prescribed Fire, Haying And Grazing Events Via Remote Sensing To Create Grassland Disturbance Landcovers For The Ring-Necked Pheasant (Phasianus Colchicus), Megan A. Baldissara

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation developed disturbance detection models to fulfill the need for remote sensing landcover products describing grassland structure. The use of landcover products derived from remote sensing is increasing over time in pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) research. Such landcover, however, does not provide relevant pheasant structural habitat information (Chapter 1). Pheasants require tall, high-density grassland for nesting, tall grassland with medium density for brood rearing, and tall grassland for wintering. Time since disturbance can serve as a proxy for structure, as it shapes vegetation by removing biomass and resetting succession. Disturbance is easier to detect than structure with current …

Mountain Communities During A Time Of War: A Case Study Of The Hutsul Region In The Carpathian Mountains Of Ukraine, Pavlo Rybaruk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the ethno-ecological technologies employed by the Hutsul people within the highland agrarian economy of the Carpathian Mountains. Over centuries, the Hutsuls have developed ethno-ecological technologies that maintain ecological integrity while supporting community livelihoods.

The study addresses three primary research questions: What are the most important ethno-ecological technologies of the Hutsul highland economy? How might these traditional ethno-ecological practices be applied to economic, agricultural, and tourism development in the Hutsul region? How might these traditional ethno-ecological practices be combined with contemporary approaches to encourage sustainable development in the region?

The research explores the devastating impact of the Russian …

Data-Driven Evaluation Of Sustainable Waste-To-Energy Pathways For Intelligent Urban Systems, Izech Brian O. Edwin, King Harold A. Recto

Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering Faculty Publications

The handling of municipal solid waste (MSW) in swiftly urbanizing Philippine cities poses intricate energy and governance challenges. In Baguio City, reliance on landfills has reached critical levels due to diminishing capacity, rising transport costs, and opposition to trash transfers by nearby LGUs. Although shaped by unique topographical and governance constraints, Baguio’s situation reflects issues faced by other rapidly growing Philippine cities; therefore, analyzing it offers insights for national MSW decision-making. This study applies a triple bottom line (TBL) framework to assess three management scenarios: (1) Status Quo, where all MSW is landfilled with no energy recovery; (2) Landfill with …

Detecting Prescribed Fire, Haying And Grazing Events Via Remote Sensing To Create Grassland Disturbance Landcovers For The Ring-Necked Pheasant (Phasianus Colchicus), Megan Amy Baldissara

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation developed disturbance detection models to fulfill the need for remote sensing landcover products describing grassland structure. The use of landcover products derived from remote sensing is increasing over time in pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) research. Such landcover, however, does not provide relevant pheasant structural habitat information (Chapter 1). Pheasants require tall, high-density grassland for nesting, tall grassland with medium density for brood rearing, and tall grassland for wintering. Time since disturbance can serve as a proxy for structure, as it shapes vegetation by removing biomass and resetting succession. Disturbance is easier to detect than structure with current …

Ai-Based Mapping Of Offshore Wind Energy Around The Korean Peninsula Using Sentinel-1 Sar And Numerical Weather Prediction Data, Jason Sung-Uk Joh, Son V. Nghiem, Menas Kafatos, Jay Liu, Jinsoo Kim, Seung Hee Kim

Institute for ECHO Articles and Research

Offshore wind farm projects are being promoted in the seas surrounding the Korean Peninsula to secure renewable energy. To support site selection, offshore wind resource maps were generated using deep neural networks trained on Sentinel-1 SAR imagery, numerical weather prediction data, offshore wind observations, sea surface temperature, and bathymetry. The deep neural network (DNN) framework consisted of six sub-models targeting eastward and northward wind components across three regions—the Yellow Sea, Korea Strait, and East Sea—to account for spatial heterogeneity. The proposed models outperformed existing approaches, achieving mean absolute errors (MAE) ranging from 1.31 to 1.69 m/s and correlation coefficients (CC) …

Indigenous And Tribal Nation Scientists And Universities, Elizabeth A. Sumida Huaman, Stephen J. Smith

Critical Internationalization Studies Review

No abstract provided.

Retaining The Herd: Habitat Restoration Efforts Increase Patch Retention Times In Mule Deer, Jack Rasmussen

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Across much of their range, and the State of Utah, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) populations have been declining. Declines in herd numbers can be attributed to alterations to historic habitats through the introduction of exotic annual grasses and the encroachment of pinyon-juniper forests on sagebrush ecosystems, changing resource availability. To combat habitat alterations, the Utah Department of Natural Resources has implemented various habitat restoration treatments through the Watershed Restoration Initiative , broadly to remove exotic species and decrease pinyon juniper woodland encroachment. We investigated how mule deer patch retention times differ on eight different habitat restoration treatment types during summer …

Nepenthes Megastoma (Nepenthaceae), A Micro-Endemic Pitcher Plant From Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Palawan, Philippines, John Charles A. Altomonte, John Paul R. Collantes, Vernaluz Mangussad, Rene Alfred Anton Bustamante, Alastair S. Robinson

Environmental Science Faculty Publications

Nepenthes megastoma is described and illustrated as a new species from the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Palawan Philippines. This carnivorous tropical pitcher plant is currently known from just three locations in the Mount Saint Paul karst formation, where it grows on vertical limestone walls. Morphologically, N. megastoma is characterised by its highly branched stems, campanulate pitchers, peltate tendril exsertion, dimorphic upper pitchers, and unidirectionally upturned female flowers. It is assessed as Critically Endangered under the IUCN Red List criteria, based on its restriction to three subpopulations comprising few total individuals. Pitcher morphology …

Spatial Patterns Of Salamander Density Across Human Disturbance Gradients In Warner Parks​, Siobhan M. Day

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Amphibians are sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance, making them valuable indicators of recreational impacts in urban parks. This study examines salamander occurrence across five research sites within Warner Parks, Nashville, Tennessee, which differ in trail density and foot traffic intensity. Salamander observations were compiled from two sources: field surveys conducted in Summer 2025 and iNaturalist records spanning the past 10 years. For spatial analysis, each site was defined by a 200 m radius buffer to include local habitat, and trail networks were further buffered at 10 m, 25 m, and 50 m to quantify salamander occurrence relative to trail proximity using …

Seagrass Persistence In The Indian River Lagoon And Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida, Kelly Kibler, Melinda Donnelly, Vincent Encomio, Madison Giuntoli, Manisha Thenuwara, Brice Bennett, Laura Andrade Barron, Mariam Sonbol, Wynter Raine Seppala, Namritha Ramakrishnan, Jennifer Jordan Báez, Beth Orlando, Irene Arpayoglou, Melissa Meisenburg

Indian River Lagoon Shorelines

The spatial dataset: UCF_seagrasspersistence_IRL_LWL.shp was created with support from the Indian River Lagoon National Estuaries Program and Florida Sea Grant. These projects cumulatively led to creation of a living shoreline restoration prioritization model and hydrodynamic habitat suitability models for 1,550 km (963 miles) of estuarine shorelines in Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and Lake Worth Lagoon (LWL). The dataset presented herein represents persistence of seagrass throughout waters of the IRL and LWL.

Predicting An Uncertain Future: Conservation Easements And The Difficulties Created By Speculative Valuations, Travis L. Strickler

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Energy Input-Output Meta-Analysis Reveals Algal Diesel Struggles To Break Even (Supplemental Information), Michelle Arnold

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1. Algal biofuels have been investigated as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels for transportation in the United States since the 1970s. Yet after five decades of development, scalability and implementation remain limited. To evaluate the state of progress, this study harmonized energy inputs and outputs across 39 papers, encompassing 508 observations on the production of algal biofuel energy return on energy investment (EROEI) in the United States. The analysis produced a mean EROEI of 1.01—essentially the break-even point—irrespective of system boundaries. This is lower than bioethanol (2.8) and far below oil (8.7). Life-cycle analysis results showed that hydrothermal liquefaction in …

Increasing Complexity Leads To Declining Productivity Of Innovation In The Algal Biofuel Industry (Supplemental Information), Michelle Arnold

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Liquid biofuels are widely promoted as renewable, lower-emission alternatives to fossil fuels. Yet despite their promise, this sector faces a critical constraint: a long-term decline in the productivity of innovation. This decline—measured by a decreasing number of patents per inventor—suggests that generating technological breakthroughs is becoming more difficult, expensive, and uncertain. As innovation becomes more resource-intensive, the feasibility of replacing petroleum with liquid biofuels grows more tenuous. This is especially problematic given the pre-existing technical disadvantages of biofuels, including their relatively low energy return on energy investment (EROEI) and energy density compared to fossil fuels. Our findings show that the …

Data Accompanying "Landscape Composition Surrounding Restoration Projects Modulates Use By Wildlife: A Case Study Of Mule Deer In Utah", Jaylin Solberg

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With mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), hereafter, deer, populations in decline, wildlife managers have increased their efforts to improve factors that limit population growth. In the State of Utah (hereafter, Utah), these efforts have included habitat restoration which is expected to improve environmental conditions for deer. Some of these efforts include pinon-juniper removal, prescribed burning, and spraying of invasive plant species. Although previous work has demonstrated the local impacts of restoration on deer populations, it is unknown how the environmental conditions in the landscape surrounding restoration treatments may modify local restoration impacts. Identifying how both local and landscape-scale conditions influence deer …

Assessing Soil Quality Indicators In Agricultural Fields Of Western Kentucky, Kassidi D. Metcalf, Elizabeth J. Hiter, Sean J. Walters, Anna C. Griggs

Scholars Week

Assessing Soil Quality Indicators in Agricultural Fields of Western Kentucky

Kassidi Metcalf, Elizabeth Hiter, Sean Walters, & Anna Claire Griggs

Mentor Dr. I.P. Handayani

Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Murray, KY, USA

Abstract

Improving soil quality in Western Kentucky has been highlighted as a way to help mitigate the effects of modern agricultural practices and climatic effects. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different cropping and management practices on soil quality indicators for sustainability. The indicators of soil quality focused on in this experiment were soil water holding capacity (SWHC), soil water content …

A Remote Sensing Assessment Of Illegal Gold Mining And Its Impact On Forests In Amansie West District, Ghana, Mina Poku Agyemang

Scholars Week

Forest degradation, driven primarily by human activities such as agriculture, urbanization, and mining, leads to biodiversity loss, soil erosion, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. In Ghana, illegal mining, known as ‘galamsey,’ poses significant threats to land and forest resources, damaging ecosystems and affecting public health (Aboka et al., 2018). Despite mining's contribution to Ghana's GDP, the negative impacts of illegal mining may outweigh its economic benefits. Between 2018 and 2023, Ghana lost approximately 5.9% of its forest cover while mining areas expanded by 1,917.6% (Abugre et al., 2025). This alarming situation necessitates an investigation into the changes in land use …

Advancing Environmental Monitoring At Verde River Headwaters State Park Through Integrated Remote Sensing Technologies, Ronny Schroeder, Noah Morales, Colton Weeks, Reiner Zimmermann, Erika Podest, Hank Vincent

Sustainability Conference

The establishment of Verde River Headwaters State Park in Chino Valley, Arizona, marks a significant conservation milestone with the acquisition of 734 acres of the historic Del Rio Springs Ranch by the Trust for Public Land in March 2024. Now under the stewardship of Arizona State Parks & Trails (ASPT), this site encompasses Sullivan Lake, Del Rio Springs, critical riparian habitats, and historically significant landmarks including the 1863 Arizona territorial capital and 1920s Fred Harvey Farm structures. This initiative yields substantial benefits, including annual water savings within the Prescott Active Management Area, the extension of the Peavine National Recreation Trail, …

A Century Of Sediment Metal Contamination Of Mar Menor, Europe's Largest Saltwater Lagoon, Irene Alorda-Montiel, Valentí Rodellas, Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Albert Palanques, Andrea G. Bravo, Júlia Rodriguez-Puig, Aaron Alorda-Kleinglass, Carlos Green-Ruiz, Marc Diego-Feliu, Pere Masqué, Javier Gilabert, Jordi Garcia-Orellana

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Coastal enclosed ecosystems, such as lagoons, are vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts because they favor the accumulation of contaminants from the surrounding watersheds, particularly in their sediments. Europe's largest saltwater lagoon, the Mar Menor (SE, Iberian Peninsula), is a highly impacted ecosystem and the first in the continent to be granted personhood rights. Based on a high-resolution spatial and temporal dataset, we present the historical reconstruction of metal contamination in this ecosystem during the last century. Our results highlight that sediment metal contamination has been mainly driven by the development of the mining industry in the nearby Sierra Minera de Cartagena-La …

Rare, Threatened And Endangered Zoology Species Of Oregon (2025), Jesse Laney, Eleanor P. Gaines, Lindsey K. Wise, Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

This publication provides a 2025 update to the rare, threatened, and endangered zoology species of Oregon. Species lists are also provided in Excel format.

The Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC) is part of the Institute for Natural Resources (INR) located at Portland State University (PSU). ORBIC maintains extensive databases of Oregon biodiversity, concentrating on rare and endangered plants, animals and ecosystems. Since its creation in 1979 as the Oregon Natural Heritage Program, ORBIC has been part of the Natural Heritage network. ORBIC is a constituent member of NatureServe, a non-profit organization with a mission to provide the scientific basis for …

Park Reclamation: Tackling Invasive Species At The Oconee River Greenway In Milledgeville, Ga, Christine Mutiti

Academic Affairs

This project focused on the ecological restoration of a kudzu-invaded section of the Oconee River Greenway while integrating high-impact learning into the Environmental Methods and Measurements (ENSC 2000) course at GCSU. Kudzu (Pueraria montana), a Category I invasive species, has significantly disrupted native plant communities at the site, making it an ideal setting for applied learning and ecological intervention. The project engaged students in authentic environmental research by involving them in every stage of the process including problem assessment, methodology design, field implementation, data collection, and reflection.

Students initiated the first phase of invasive plant removal using mechanical …

Microclimatic Conditions In Shulgan-Tash Cave (Southern Ural, Russia): Implications For The Preservation Of Eastern Europe’S Largest Paleolithic Art Collection, Olga Chervyatsova, Rayan Akhmedyanovb, Nailya Saifullina, Ludmila Kuzmina, Mihael Kotov, Yuri Dublyansky

International Journal of Speleology

This study presents the results of a long-term investigation of the microclimatic conditions in Shulgan-Tash Cave (Southern Urals, Russia), which hosts the largest assemblage of Upper Paleolithic paintings (ca. 16.3–19.6 ka) in Eastern Europe. The cave exhibits two distinct seasonal ventilation regimes – winter and summer – differentially influence its two levels of galleries. In the Lower Level, which contains 83% of the images, near-atmospheric CO₂ concentrations persist year-round, and temperature variations associated with seasonal infiltration events are minimal (1.0–1.3°C). By contrast, the Upper Level, including the decorated Hall of Paintings, is affected by downdrafts of CO₂-rich …

Chemical Analyses Of Soil Samples, Johan Du Toit, Shantell Garrett

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Results of chemical analyses of soil collected in the foothills of the Henry Mountains, south-central Utah, in the fall of 2020.

Plant Biomass (Dry) Per Square Meter, Johan Du Toit, Shantell Garrett

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Results of plant biomass clippings (dry mass / square meter) conducted in the foothills of the Henry Mountains, south-central Utah, over 2012-2022.