Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Gavel And The Camera: Environmental Law And Photojournalism's Relationship To Appalachian Identity, Emily S. Patton

Honors Theses

Both the federal government and photojournalism have played a substantial role in the “othering” of Appalachia while simultaneously attempting to save it. Examining both institutions demonstrates the exploitative processes that alter the perception of rural communities and their surrounding environment. Stacey Kranitz’s archival exhibit, As It Was Give(n) To Me, internalizes this precarious role of the camera in a region heavily journalized. By inhabiting the area for years, establishing close relationships, and researching the documented history of Appalachia, Kranitz’s work becomes her livelihood in the dissolution of profession vs. personal. She is critical of past projects whose objective portrayal of …

The Impact Of Water Infrastructure Inequality On Marginalized Communities, Indra Khalsa

Honors Theses

America’s current system of water infrastructure poses a threat not only to the environment but also to public health. The water crisis reveals the stark inequalities that exist from both an environmental justice and a social justice perspective. There is a growing concern that without adequate investment from federal resources, the problems related to this issue will only worsen the longer they are neglected. There is little information about how specific environmental and social factors combine with water infrastructure to create long-term infrastructure inequalities. However, this thesis explores the disparities in water infrastructure affordability, vulnerability patterns, and environmental hazards. It …

Trophic Relationships Between Tadpoles And Other Aquatic Organisms In Sub-Tropical Ponds, Kira Cates

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

There Must Be Something In The Water: A Comparative Study Of Ground Water Contamination In The U.S.A. And Canada, Kathleen Spooner

Honors Theses

The regions of Nova Scotia and New Hampshire are naturally susceptible to arsenic water contamination due to their geological makeup. These locations are relatively rural, with many of their citizens reporting low incomes and lacking education, the majority of which are unaware of the risk of arsenic poisoning. There is also a high dependency on private wells which are not regulated in terms of water quality under federal law in both countries. Arsenic water pollution is undetectable as it is both odorless and tasteless and potentially very dangerous, and therefore water testing must be performed on wells, which is currently …

Pre-Juvenile Naked Goby (Gobiosoma Bosc) Age And Growth, Annamaria Deitz, Juliana Harding

Honors Theses

Due to the abundance of larval naked gobies, Gobiosoma bosc, within the estuarine ichthyoplankton, it is important to understand their age and growth. Naked gobies are a largely distributed, both geographically and within an estuary, small, benthic fish species. There are 3 pairs of otoliths, calcium carbonate structures within the ear canal, that detect vibrations and record the age of the fish, both daily and annually. Using laboratory-reared gobies of a known age (Tremont et al. 2015), daily signatures on the sagittal otoliths were first validated to be daily, then a growth curve for the wild caught larvae was …

Assessing The Invasive Potential Of Najas Minor In Maine, Kaitlin M. Volk

Honors Theses

Najas minor (European naiad), a relatively new invasive aquatic plant to the state of Maine, is thought be spreading more aggressively than previous invasive aquatic plants have. Once established, N. minor grows into dense monocultures that replace all native plant species, leading to a disruption in ecosystem functioning, a loss in food and habitat for invertebrates and fish, and a decrease in the recreational value of a waterbody. Understanding the natural history of N. minor – how it is dispersed and how long seeds can survive – is important for understanding the invasive potential of the species. However, no previous …

Predictors Of Exotic Plant Species In United States National Parks, Rachel S. Fried

Honors Theses

Invasive species are recognized as a major threat to biodiversity. Understanding what factors facilitate invasion is of great conservation value, as this will allow for more specific and targeted conservation efforts related to non-native species. Knowledge of factors that contribute to invasion play an important role in conservation of particularly unique habitats, such as the iconic United States National Parks. Though National Parks have some legal protections against some forms of habitat degradation, they are still vulnerable to the introduction of non-natives. The purpose of this study is to characterize species invasion in National Parks and identify what environmental conditions …

Effects Of Timber Harvest On Avian Abundance And Diversity, Mckenzie Brandon

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Automated Household Tracking System, James Triola

Honors Theses

The past few years have seen the highest recorded amount of waste produced in America. Despite several options of responsible wasting, landfills are still bearing the brunt of waste deposits. Although recycling is a common practice, it is still not accomplished with maximum efficiency, and composting is even less common in areas where it is not legally mandated. Food scraps and byproducts that could otherwise have been broken down in proper composting methods continue to pile up in landfills where they breakdown into methane gas. Although there is no easy answer to the complex problem that is consumer waste, the …

Missing The Trees For The Forest: The Socioecological Significance Of Dispersed Farmland Trees In Northern Ethiopia, Jacob A. Wall

Honors Theses

Scattered trees are prominent features in the agricultural landscape of the Ethiopian highlands. The dry Afromontane forests of the Amhara Region in northern Ethiopia have faced centuries of deforestation - the FAO estimates only 3% of the region is forested today. The remaining landscape has been largely converted into agricultural and grazing lands, with the exception of some limited government-protected lands, as well as thousands of small forest fragments left around Orthodox Churches (“church forests”). But while a growing body of scholarship has highlighted the ecological and cultural importance of church forests and other natural forest fragments, the roles of …

Controlling Carbon: A Study Of National And Regional Emissions Trading Systems, Jordan Pulling

Honors Theses

The release of carbon and other chemicals into the atmosphere is a growing environmental problem. The use of carbon-based processes is at an all-time high with the continued growth in carbon-fueled transportation, electric power generation and other carbon-intensive industrial processes. With climate change increasingly threatening the daily lives of Earth's population, many countries are beginning to take steps to reduce their impact on the Earth and its climate. Over the last decade, carbon markets have been established in 18 countries worldwide. While all of these emissions trading systems have similarities, each also has some unique traits, including differences in allowance …

The Nature Conservancy And Aquatic Invasive Species, Rachel Ross

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Cost Benefit Analysis Of The Keystone Xl Pipeline, Daniel Carr

Honors Theses

The Keystone XL pipeline is one of the most controversial topics in North America over the last five years. The debate is based on the trade‐off between Canadian oil sands as a usable energy resource and the environmental effects associated with the extraction and refining of the oil. The green house gasses emitted from the extraction and refining of oil sands produces several environmental concerns that make the proposed pipeline controversial. On the other hand, Canadian oil companies see a significant benefit from the ability of Canadian oil reaching international markets. TransCanada, a 79.99 percent owner of the pipeline, conducted …

Proving Widespread Deforestation Of The Ancient Mediterranean As Myth: A Detailed Examination Of How Anthropogenic Activities During Antiquity Affected The Mediterranean Landscape, Carolyn Hooper

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the debate surrounding the possible deforestation of the ancient Mediterranean landscape through anthropogenic activities. Until the ancient Mediterranean landscape is understood more clearly, it is impossible to impose current beneficial land-use laws in order to conserve and preserve the future landscape of the region. Currently there are three predominant views surrounding the debate: (1) deforestation did occur and drastically altered the landscape from a forested region to a more desert-like region, (2) human activities did not cause deforestation, rather the Mediterranean has always been home to a distinct and resilient landscape that is able to regenerate following …

The Effect Of Azo Textile Dyes On Gross Primary Production And Community Respiration In An Artificial Environment, Theresa L. Petzoldt

Honors Theses

Azo dyes are the largest category of textile dyes in production today, with over 100,000 tons of dye produced yearly in the United States. Ten to fifty percent of this dye is not fixed to the fabric during the textile production process, and is therefore discarded as effluent. Because dye waste is difficult to process in wastewater treatment facilities, it is important to understand how this waste affects aquatic systems using a whole ecosystem approach. This study used an artificial stream to model the effects of four azo dyes on benthic biofilm production and respiration. Dyes were found to have …

The Effect Of Canopy Organization On The Photosynthesis Of Sphagnum, Brian Solinsky

Honors Theses

With climate change becoming a greater problem the ability of plants to photosynthesize and sequester carbon becomes more important for us to understand. Sphagnum moss stores more than a third of the world’s soil carbon. Much is understood about the physiology of Sphagnum, but what is generally not understood is the effect of variation in canopy organization in Sphagnum: why are they both rough and smooth? This study examined whether different canopy structures influenced how the canopy uses different angles of light for photosynthesis. The first step was modeling photosynthesis in two simulated structures (rough and smooth) as the angle …

Metallic Mineral Mining In Maine, Kaitlyn Bernard

Honors Theses

In 2012 the Maine State Legislature passed a bill directing the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to rewrite the regulations governing metallic mineral mining in Maine. The bill was introduced after pressure from Maine’s largest private land owner and timber company, J.D. Irving, Limited. The company has a lucrative mineral deposit on one of their landholdings in northern Maine and is interested in pursuing a mining development project. The bill aimed to streamline the regulatory framework around mining operations and make the permitting process more conducive to mineral development throughout the state. The 2012 Maine Metallic Mineral Mining Act …

The Politics Of Rsfs: An Antidote To Reversing The Resource Curse In Latin America?, Sarah Gagnon

Honors Theses

Over the past three decades, the world has become highly globalized. As such, most countries around the world depend on exports for a large portion of their national income. However, some countries’ dependency on exports is extreme, especially those that heavily rely on natural resource commodities. Despite the natural resource wealth that these commodities grant countries, due to the instability of global prices and the intensive focus of the resource extraction industry, scholars have theorized this type of dependency as a “resource curse.” The resource curse is a paradox where countries that are so rich in natural resources have not …

The State Of Sustainable Transportation At Union College: A Transportation Audit Of Union College Students And Faculty, Benjamin Engle

Honors Theses

Union College has established a Climate Action Plan with the goal of carbon neutrality by 2060 as part of its commitment to sustainability. A significant component of Union’s carbon footprint, however, is student and faculty transportation. The purpose of this research was to analyze the transportation behavior of students and faculty to determine the carbon emissions that result from the use of various transportation methods. Two campus‐wide surveys were conducted; one was distributed to students and the other targeted faculty. For comparison purposes, survey questions were designed to be compatible with, but more focused than, those of a survey conducted …

Wind Energy: Do The Benefits Outweigh The Costs?, Scott E. Fixman

Honors Theses

As wind energy continues to increase in demand, research to reduce the overall impact of turbines on birds will greaten, resulting in lower turbine‐induced avian and bat mortality. It is important that wind energy continues to increase in energy production per year, as it is one of the safest and most viable renewable energy sources available today.

Sustainable Cities As The Gateway To The Future: A Case Study Of New Rochelle, Andrea B. Grenadier

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the characteristics of sustainable cities and uses New Rochelle, New York as a case study to further describe initiatives synonymous with green communities. Five prominent topics of sustainable cities and urban planning are discussed within the literature review and later mirrored throughout the case study of New Rochelle. These topics include, smart growth, energy efficiency, green buildings, transportation, and recycling. The mayor of New Rochelle and Sustainability Coordinator completed questionnaires and their responses contributed to an assessment of the contemporary issues facing sustainable cities.

Cameras, Satellites, And Surveys: A Multi-Platform Approach To Monitoring Lake Conservation Behavior, Daniel D. Homeier

Honors Theses

Shoreline buffers are essential to maintaining lake water quality and there are numerous methods for their assessment. There is uncertainty in the benefits and drawbacks of different shoreline buffer assessment methods. In this study I explore three methods of remotely assessing shoreline buffers in the Belgrade Lakes Region of Maine: household surveys, geotagged shoreline photos, and satellite imagery. By comparing these three methods I will evaluate their accuracy and applicable scale when used to assess the presence and quality of shoreline buffers.

I used both parametric and non-parametric analysis to (1) evaluate the relative accuracy of 154 household surveys in …

The Northwest Forest Plan: Up To Our Neck In Owls?, Ashley N. Horvat

Honors Theses

Traversing across the vast Pacific Northwest with the Northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina), one would experience a dynamic landscape that ranged from areas shrouded with ancient forests, mountains dotted with dense young forests, large swathes of empty habitat from clearcuts, and corridors filled with canopies and a plethora of life. The once vibrant forests that blanketed the Pacific Northwest in an abundance of life and sheltered these rare owls in their canopies were threatened by the removal of these primordial giants in these forests. The wild salmon that journey in record numbers through the cold rivers and …

The Impacts Of Land Use And Development Patterns On Water Quality Of The Belgrade Lakes, Ian M. Mccullough

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the impacts of patterns of land use and development on water quality in the Belgrade Lakes on a regional scale. Regional research and cooperation could identify key areas in the watershed where development or changing land use could have the greatest negative influences on lake water quality. Past work has centered on water chemistry, nutrient dynamics, development and economic factors but there has been no comprehensive analysis of land use and development history for the entire Belgrade Lakes Region. The Belgrade Lakes are a chain of 7 lakes in central Maine connected …

Learning The Lay Of Their Land: Data Recording By Maine Land Trusts, Patrick John Roche

Honors Theses

Land trusts have led the recent, rapid expansion in private land conservation in the US. As they have grown, many questions have emerged as to the value of their conservation efforts, especially in the long-term. To address this data gap, studies have evaluated easement restrictions and the characteristics of land trust protected property. I take a novel approach by investigating the data that land trusts record about their protected properties and its impact on their capacity to protect conservation values. I surveyed 55 land trusts operating in Maine about data they record in baseline documentation reports. A majority (82%) had …

The Gilboa Dam And Its Possible Failure: What It Means For Nyc And Upstate New York, Kelly C. Owens

Honors Theses

The majority of the NYC water supply is provided by a system of dams and reservoirs that have been created in upstate New York. As the owner of this water supply system, NYC is responsible for managing each of the dams and reservoirs within the system. This responsibility includes upholding dam regulations in order to ensure the safety of the citizens of the surrounding area and to lesson any environmental impacts that may occur due to the water supply system. Of the 30 dams owned by NYC, however, 25 of them have been identified at a high-hazard level according the …