Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Ecosystem Transitions And State Changes Rapidly Alter The Coastal Carbon Landscape: Evidence From The Chesapeake Bay Region, Alexander Jason Smith

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The coastal landscape is a naturally shifting mosaic of distinct ecosystems that are rapidly migrating with climate change. While directional changes in climate, such as warming and sea level rise, are fundamentally reorganizing the coastal landscape, ecosystem function, especially carbon storage, is affected to an unknown degree. This dissertation presents four chapters that examine the role of ecosystem transitions in coastal carbon dynamics across a range of spatial scales – within individual ecosystems, between two ecosystems, and at the landscape between an array of ecosystems. Ghost forests, or the marsh-forest ecotone, serves as an ideal example of a migratory ecotone. …

Artificial Illumination Of Trawl Gear Components To Reduce Pacific Halibut (Hippoglossus Stenolepis) Bycatch In The U.S. West Coast Groundfish Bottom Trawl Fishery, Derek Jackson

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) is a prohibited species for the U.S. West Coast Bottom Trawl Fishery and in the last decade, there has been a concentrated interest in the use of artificial illumination serving as a potential bycatch reduction device. Previous studies conducted off the coast of Oregon have found that the addition of green light-emitting diodes to the bridles of low-rise, cutback trawls greatly reduced the number of Pacific halibut caught. However, recent regulation changes now permit high-rise trawls, a gear configuration that fishes a very different volume of water than the previously permissible gear profile, in areas where …

Environmental Education In The Classroom: Selected Early-Career Teachers' Experiences Navigating Pre-Service And In-Service Activity Systems, Sarah Mcguire Nuss

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Recent publications argue that to prepare teachers of all grade levels to be confident and competent in incorporating environmental education into their classrooms, pre-service teacher training is effective (e.g., J. T. McDonald & Dominguez, 2010). But the systems in which teachers learn and work are complex, making professional learning about, and implementation of, environmental education both disparate and limited (Franzen, 2017). This study sought to understand the nature of participants’ experiences within and between teacher preparation and in-service learning systems as they relate to environmental education. Cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) provided a framework to allow for deeper understanding of …

Achieving Equitable Offshore Wind Development: Lessons From European Stakeholders, Kacey Hirshfeld

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The Biden Administration has set aggressive offshore wind energy goals, aiming to have 30 gigawatts of offshore energy in place by 2030. This amount of energy has the potential to power 10 million homes (White House, 2022), helping the administration to reach larger clean energy goals. In Virginia, Dominion Energy aims to have 2.6 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2026, enough to power up to 660,000 homes (Dominion Energy).

While the upcoming offshore wind energy development will create clean energy and green jobs, the ocean is no longer an open field for development and already supports a complex matrix …

Mattanock Town Restoration Plan, Katlin Mccarter Grigsby

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Mattanock Town's Restoration Plan is a science-based restoration process that evaluates the site's history, the tribal history, and the most current research to maximize native habitats, enhance coastal resilience, and reconnect the Nansemond people to the local river. Restoration priorities include increasing native plant species, incorporating oyster habitat, and addressing erosion. This plan details how synthesizing existing and new physical, biological, and cultural information can help the Nansemond Indian Nation prioritize projects that benefit their community and the surrounding environment.

Development Of 3d And 360 Gis-Based Models To Visualize Projected Sea Level Rise In Coastal Virginia, Candice M. Vinson

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Science communication is a skill that can be strengthened with practice. Like any skill, it helps to know what you need to practice in order to get better at it. When presenting information to an audience, the skill of science communication comes into play as early as the first draft of a presentation. As you think about how you will tell your story to the audience, you likely consider including text on slides, images, graphs, maps, or even videos. However, it is crucial to remember that accessibility barriers are something we must often consciously work to rid our presentations of, …

Exploring Pah Partitioning In Oysters Using Immunological Techniques, Kristen Madison Prossner

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Anthropogenic activities such as oil spills are major sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollution in the environment. Bivalves such as C. virginica can accumulate high levels of PAHs in tissue due to a limited metabolic capacity for these compounds. Accordingly, bivalves have served as key biomonitoring species for contaminants and exposure to PAH through seafood consumption can also be an important risk to human health due to the toxic and carcinogenic potential of these compounds. For evaluating bivalve PAH levels, conventional analyses are limited due to extensive time and expense and unreliability. This work demonstrates the application of immunological …

From Field To Shore: Policy Improvements To Better Protect Ecosystem And Human Health From Poultry Wastes In Virginia, Rachael A. King

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Commercial poultry production is a large industry with economic importance in Virginia. However, mismanagement of manures and wastes generated from the poultry industry can be a serious threat to ecosystem and human health. Primarily, there is a concern about nutrient pollution related to runoff and infiltration of poultry wastes. High nutrient loading can cause groundwater contamination, eutrophication, and harmful algal blooms (HABs). Additional concerns include metals, antibiotics, and pesticides that can be found in poultry wastes. To determine existing threats to ecosystem and human health from the poultry industry, Virginia policies regulating the industry are reviewed and their strengths and …

Tracing Atlantic Sea Scallops Using Radio Frequency Identification (Rfid) Technology, Will Shoup

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Traceable seafood can be linked back to its origin and method of catch. Improving the traceability of marine organisms involves establishing a transparent Chain of Custody (CoC) by collecting data at checkpoints throughout the supply chain, from ship to shore to store. This report explores the feasibility of integrating Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology into the United States Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery in order to improve traceability. This report serves as a forward-looking evaluation of RFID technology that is intended to inform interested stakeholders of its functionality and capabilities. It is not intended to serve as a management …