Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Still Waters Run Deep: Landscaping Practices, Community Perceptions, And Social Indicators For Stormwater Nonpoint Source Pollution Management In Manatee County, Florida, Ann Rebecca Persaud

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stormwater nonpoint source pollution (NPSP) is a result of diffuse sources of pollutants transported by rainfall and surface runoff into stormwater ponds and drainage systems before percolating into the ground. In particular, the nutrients found in fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides applied in excess by homeowners and landscapers can cause a range of issues in stormwater ponds from fish kills to eutrophication. As a result, Manatee County, Florida has issued a fertilizer ordinance with best management practices (BMPs) and a fertilizer black out period to reduce NPSP. This study is aimed at capturing the perceptions of residents which affect stormwater NPSP …

Evaluating Habitat Vulnerability And Sustainability Of Urban Seagrass Resources To Sea Level Rise, Cynthia A. Meyer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The seagrass resource provides essential ecosystem functions for many marine species. This research evaluated the vulnerability and sustainability of the seagrass resource in an urbanized area to the effects of sea level rise. The assessment required analysis of information regarding the biogeography of the seagrass resource, and developing a method to model the spatial extent of the suitable habitat for seagrass, and applying the model to predict the implications of simulated sea level rise scenarios on the seagrass resource.

Examining the biogeography of the seagrass resource required the development of a seagrass monitoring and assessment field survey and a comprehensive …