Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Plant Community Composition And Structure Monitoring For Scotts Bluff National Monument, 2012 Annual Report, Isabel W. Ashton, Michael Prowatzke, Stephen K. Wilson

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

the last remnants of native mixed-grass prairie in the region. The Northern Great Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network (NGPN) surveyed 8 long-term monitoring plots in Scotts Bluff National Monument in 2012 as part of an effort to better understand the condition of plant communities in the park. We measured plant diversity and cover, estimated tree and shrub density, looked for the presence of exotic species that are of concern to park management, and evaluated the amount of human and natural disturbance at all plots. This effort was the second year in a multiple-year venture to document the current …

Water Law In The United States And Brazil - Climate Change And Two Approaches To Emerging Water Poverty, David N. Cassuto, Rômulo S. R. Sampaio

David N Cassuto

This article examines two of the major water legal regimes in theAmericas—that of Brazil and the United States. Both countries haveextensive wet and dry regions and both hydro-regimes face a significantthreat from global warming. Brazil, for instance, is home to betweeneight and fifteen percent of the world’s fresh water, and its fast-growingeconomy and population present major challenges in management andallocation. The U.S. also faces major water allocation problems resultingfrom past settlement policies; unsustainable reclamation projects; andalso fast-growing domestic, industrial and agricultural demand. In the United States, water has traditionally been perceived as arenewable and limitless resource, a cultural legacy that …

U.S. Energy Policy: The Burdens Of The Past And Moving Forward, John P. Banks

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

Since the oil embargo of 1973, the United States has struggled to implement a sustainable and comprehensive national energy policy. Forging a consistent policy approach has been complicated by more recent emerging trends: how to combat global climate change, the continued emergence of viable alternative energy options, and the hydrocarbon renaissance.

This presentation will discuss several major themes that have impacted energy policy-making since the 1970s and how they are reflected in key issues debated in the current election year. It will then pose some thoughts on how to move away from the burdens of the past and move forward.

Agenda: 2012 Energy Justice Conference And Technology Exposition, University Of Colorado Boulder. Center For Energy & Environmental Security, University Of Colorado Boulder. Colorado European Union Center Of Excellence, University Of Colorado Boulder. Presidents Leadership Institute

2012 Energy Justice Conference and Technology Exposition (September 17-18)

Co-sponsored with the Colorado European Union Center of Excellence and the Presidents Leadership Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder.

The ability to harness energy is fundamental to economic and social development. Worldwide, almost 3 billion people have little or no access to beneficial energy resources for cooking, heating, water sanitation, illumination, transportation, or basic mechanical needs. Energy poverty exacerbates ill health and economic hardship, and reduces educational opportunities, particularly for women and children. Specifically, access to efficient and affordable energy services is a prerequisite for achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) relating to poverty eradication.

In response, the UN …

Analysis Of Bank Failure And Size Of Assets, Guancun Zhong

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The financial health of the banking industry is an important prerequisite for economic stability and growth. Bank failures in the United States have run in cycles largely associated with the collapse of economic bubbles. The number of bank failures has increased dramatically over the last thirty years (Halling and Hayden, 2007). In this thesis, we try to address the following two questions: 1) What is the relationship, if any, between a bank's asset size and its likelihood of failures? 2) How can we use statistical tools to predict the numbers of bank failures in the future? Various modeling techniques are …

Seismic Site Classifications For The St. Louis Urban Area, Jaewon Chung, J. David Rogers

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Regional National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) soil class maps have become important input parameters for seismic site characterization and hazard studies. The broad range of shallow shear-wave velocity (V_S30, the average shear-wave velocity in the upper 30 m) measurements in the St. Louis area results in significant uncertainties between the actual spot values and the averaged values used to assign NEHRP soil classes for regional seismic hazard studies. In the preparation of an NEHRP site classification map of the St. Louis urban area, we analyzed 92 shear-wave velocity (V_S) measurements, supplemented by 1400+ standard penetration …

Cenozoic Tectonic Evolution Of The Central Wassuk Range, Western Nevada, Usa, Benjamin E. Surpless

Geosciences Faculty Research

The central Wassuk Range of western Nevada is ideally located to investigate the interplay of Basin and Range extension and Walker Lane dextral deformation on the margin of the Basin and Range province. To elucidate the Cenozoic evolution of the range, the author conducted geologic mapping, structural data collection and analysis, geochemical analysis of igneous lithologies, and geochronology. This research delineates a three-stage deformational history for the range. A ~15 Ma pulse of ENE-WSW directed extension at high strain rates (~8.7 Ma) was immediately preceded by the eruption of andesites and was accommodated by high-angle, closely spaced (1-2 km), east-dipping …

Scotts Bluff National Monument, Plant Community Resource Brief, Isabel Ashton, Mike Prowatzke

United States National Park Service: Publications

2011 Monitoring Status

Overview

In 2011, the first year of vegetation monitoring by the Northern Great Plains Network Inventory and Monitoring staff at Scotts Bluff National Monument, efforts resulted in the documentation of 79 plant species. This was the lowest number of species among parks sampled in 2011. Graminoid (grass and grass-like plant) species accounted for only 21 (27%) of the total species, but graminoid cover was much higher than that of any other plant type. Forbs were much more diverse, but did not provide as much foliar cover.

The 5 most abundant native non-graminoids were winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata …

Factors Affecting Information And Communications Technology Adoption Of Small Businesses: Studies In China And United States, Jie Xiong, Sajda Qureshi

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Small businesses in China and United States generate the largest share of economic activity and employment. As the driving force behind the economic growth of both countries, Information and Communications Technology (ICTs) has fundamentally shaped the two countries. This research-in-progress paper reports the research model we conduct to analyze the factors that will affect ICTs adoption of small businesses in both countries. The purpose of the paper is to (1) report proposals of the current status of the research project (2) build an understanding of ICTs adoption in both countries (3) build the framework to explore the relationship between ICTs …

Analysis Of Information And Communications Technology Adoption Between Small Businesses In China And The United States, Jie Xiong, Sajda Qureshi

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This paper reports on two case studies, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) adoption among small businesses conducted in both United States and China. One small business from Nebraska (United States of America) and one small business from Sichuan (China) were chosen for comparison. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a comparative case study based on the ICT adoption among small businesses in China and the United States. This paper will: (i) build an understanding of small business ICT in both areas, (ii) explore the relationship between the ICT development in less cutting-edge areas of China and the …

A Review Of National Msw Generation Assessments In The United States, David J. Tonjes, Krista L. Greene

Technology & Society Faculty Publications

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is generated in very large quantities (probably, between 200 and 400 million tonnes per year) in the United States (US). MSW is generated at millions of places and there is no one precise, general definition for MSW that is generally applied, despite US Environmental Protection Agency efforts. As an element of both commerce and politics, reporting may be framed towards particular ends. Therefore, the two best known assessments of the quantity of US MSW production differ by approximately 50%. The assessors understand some of the reasons for the differences, but our analysis suggests that there are …

Law Of The River Apportionment Scheme: Short Summary Of Laws, Jason Robison, Colorado River Governance Initiative, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center, Western Water Policy Program

Books, Reports, and Studies

8 p. ; 29 cm

Does The Upper Basin Have A Delivery Obligation Or An Obligation Not To Deplete The Flow Of The Colorado River At Lee Ferry?, Colorado River Governance Initiative, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center, Western Water Policy Program

Books, Reports, and Studies

24 p. ; 29 cm

Law Of The River Apportionment Scheme: Categorization Of Laws, Jason Robison, Colorado River Governance Initiative, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center, Western Water Policy Program

Books, Reports, and Studies

29 p. ; 29 cm

Law Of The River Apportionment Scheme: Compilation Of Laws, Jason Robison, Colorado River Governance Initiative, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center, Western Water Policy Program

Books, Reports, and Studies

52 p. ; 29 cm

Respective Obligations Of The Upper And Lower Basins Regarding The Delivery Of Water To Mexico: A Review Of Key Legal Issues, Colorado River Governance Initiative, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center, Western Water Policy Program

Books, Reports, and Studies

65 p. ; 29 cm

History And Evaluation Of National-Scale Geochemical Data Sets For The United States, David B. Smith, Steven M. Smith, John D. Horton

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Six national-scale, or near national-scale, geochemical data sets for soils or stream sediments exist for the United States. The earliest of these, here termed the ‘Shacklette’ data set, was generated by a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) project conducted from 1961 to 1975. This project used soil collected from a depth of about 20 cm as the sampling medium at 1323 sites throughout the conterminous U.S. The National Uranium Resource Evaluation Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (NUREHSSR) Program of the U.S. Department of Energy was conducted from 1975 to 1984 and collected either stream sediments, lake sediments, or soils at more …