Environmental Sciences Commons^™

Les Forêts, Les Charbonniers, Et L’Avenir Une Analyse De La Filière Charbon Dans Le District De Fianarantsoa, Bronwen Stanford

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Fire Making Fuel: How A Surface Fire In A Primary Forest Affected The Availability Of Potential Fuel One Year Later, Alex Leckie

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Fires affect millions of hectares of tropical forests around the world. These fires result in great environmental damage and economical losses. Many farmers are dependent on fire for managing their lands and many times their fires accidentally spread into forests via fuels on the forest floor. This study attempted to analyze and quantify the difference of potential fuel in a primary forest which burned one year before and an unburned part of the same forest at a primary forest fragment surrounded by farms and with a history of anthropogenic accidental fires burning it. This was done by making three sample …

Assessment Of Small-Scale Biogas Systems And Their Widespread Dissemination In Can Tho City, Viet Nam, Tracy Zhu

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Mekong Delta hosts suitable conditions for promoting the widespread dissemination of biogas systems, such as tropical temperatures, high population density, and widespread animal husbandry. The low-cost polyethylene biodigester (BD) is the most common model in the Mekong Delta, although concrete and brick biodigesters have been implemented to a lesser extent. Biogas systems offer a wide range of benefits, such as improving water quality, enhancing integrated farming systems, and meeting rural energy demand while improving public health. Many projects, especially through Can Tho University (CTU), have promoted the installation of biogas systems, but little research has been done to follow …

Effectiveness Of Cane Toad Eradication Methods: Arakwal National Park, Matthew Miller

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The cane toad (Bufo marinus) is a pest throughout Australia. Not only is it poisonous to native predators, it also consumes or out competes native fauna. It has only recently entered into Northern New South Wales where the site for this study is located, at Arakwal National Park. This study aims to discover the most effective method of cane toad eradication in the National Park.

Over the course of 18 days, three traps were set and rotated between 9 different sites. Traps were set at sunset and cleared at sunrise. The three traps used were; (1) Pitfall style trap by …

Decision Modeling: Why Farmers Do Or Do Not Convert To Organic Farming, Ryan Locke

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines why farmers in Northern New South Wales, Australia do or do not convert to organic farming from conventional farming practices. Organic agriculture provides a production alternative that may be environmentally and nutritionally beneficial. Because the structural settings of economy and society influence decision-making on an individual basis at the farm level, discussions of policy must consider why farmers do, or do not, convert to organic farming. Ultimately, the successfulness of a policy depends on the effectiveness of motivating individual action. A hierarchical decision tree was created using ethnographic decision tree modeling. Elimination criteria, motivational criteria, and constraints …

Sea Urchin Predation In Misali Island Marine Park, Nicole Esclamado

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The populations of sea urchins and their main predators, triggerfish (Balistidae), wrasses (Labridae) and emperors (Lethrinidae), were studied in the extractive and non-extractive zones of the Misali Island Marine Conservation Area in order to (1) evaluate the applicability of a sea urchin-sea urchin predator model developed in Kenya’s fringing reefs, (2) gain baseline data on Misali’s coral reef, and (3) evaluate the recovery status of the protected zone. This study revealed the predictive power of the sea urchin-sea urchin predator model for the reef ecosystem of Misali Island. As expected, a decline in sea urchin predators as a gross trophic …

Interpreting Nature In Australia Through Poetry: A Personal Anthology Written Within The Erosion Caldera Of Northern New South, Kyla Allon

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My Independent Study Project (ISP) involved traveling within the erosion caldera of northern New South Wales, mainly WWOOFing (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) and writing environmental poetry about the places where I lived and worked. I began by researching past Australian environmental poets so that I could have a strong basic understanding before commencing my own writing. I lived in four different locations within the erosion caldera and strove to form a strong sense of place that is reflected in my poetry. Ultimately, I produced an anthology of poems that capture my responses to the natural environments that I experienced. …

Impacts Of Salt Production On Pemba, Lauren Wolchok

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The economic, social, and environmental impacts of salt production were studied on the eastern coast of Pemba Island. Solar salt production is associated with the clear cutting of mangrove forests, which are significant as soil stabilizers, animal habitats, and as an economic resource. An environmental assessment of this industry is necessary to determine whether the socio-economic gains from salt production justify the environmental costs. Interviews with owners, employees, and day laborers from 20 salt farms were conducted to assess the general sustainability of the industry. The average annual owner income was determined to be approximately 570 000 Tsh, while employees …

Un Estudio De La Palma De Ramos, Ceroxylum Alpinum, En La Zona Intag, Ecuador, Lupe Moscoe

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study addresses the endangered wax palm species, Ceroxylum alpinum, in the Ecuadorian cloud forest zone of Intag. Attention has recently arisen regarding this plant because the yellow-eared parrot, Ognorhynchus icterotis, which depends on it for food and nesting, is in critical danger of extinction. Much of this attention has targeted the use of wax palm fronds on Palm Sunday, but this investigation shows that this is only one of the many threats to the palm. Environmentalists in Intag are currently undertaking reforestation projects in community reserves to save the palm, but little is known about its development. This study …

The Development Of Environmental Consciousness And Identity In Surfing Subculture, Alex Mass

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since the 1960’s and 1970’s, surfing has exuded the stereotype of a laid-back, environmentally conscious and left-wing culture, a connotation often spread through media outlets such as movies, television, and music that encourage the idea. While the stereotype is often known and widely accepted, no studies could be found that actually tested this view. Using a series of interviews and surveys of the New Ecological Paradigm, this study investigated the formation of environmental consciousness and identity in surfing subculture in order to examine the accuracy of such stereotypes, and analyse the effect that such generalized views have on the formation …

Factors Affecting The Distribution And Health Of The Intertidal Coral Goniastrea Aspera On The Reef Flat In Geoffrey Bay, Magnetic Island, Julia Smith

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The intertidal zone can be a harsh environment, presenting many challenges to the organisms inhabiting it. Given its dynamic nature, it is surprising that it is sometimes able to sustain systems as delicate and sensitive as coral reefs. Many organisms have adapted to life on the intertidal reef flat, and one of the most prominent on the northeastern coast of Australia is the massive coral Goniastrea aspera. The mechanisms driving the distribution of this species are not entirely understood; this study investigated the potential role of microhabitat, as well as that of actual physical characteristics of the colonies, in the …

Fire Management In The Top End And The Kimberley, Katie Brownson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Wildfire is becoming an increasingly big problem in the Top End and Kimberley region. In the last fire season, a region the size of Victoria and Tasmania combined burned (Gardner, 2005). This tendency towards extremely intense and extensive Late dry season wildfires is having serious economic and environmental impacts. While all land use objectives depend on healthy county, many people with more economic interests in the land fail to understand the complex ecological effects of fire, and the implications of these effects on their land use goals. Aboriginal people, on the other hand, have a very good handle on the …

Drowning Shangrila: Balancing Environmental Protection With Development In China, Tessa A. Vennell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Tibetan Buddhism And Culture In Sustainable Development (A Case Study Of Yubeng Village), Frazer Lanier

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

During a lecture by Li Bo, of CBIK (the Center for Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge a Chinese NGO), I was given a glimpse into the role that culture plays within poverty alleviation and environmental conservation. While poverty alleviation aims to develop community economies, this goal is usually seen as being in conflict with environmental conservation because it requires the use of environmental resources. This is a common misperception. According to Gou Jing’s article Gateway between Culture and Nature， “man’s touch bestows nature with culture” (Guo Jing 12). The interaction between nature and humans is the foundation for culture and the …

¿Qué Vale Más: El Agua O El Oro? Las Implicaciones De Y Reacciones Al Proyecto Minero Pascua Lama, Leni Wolf

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The mining project Pascua Lama has attracted much attention for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, the location of the project is such that any type of environmental problems, whether it be contamination of the water or destruction of the masses of ice that lie in the project zone, could have detrimental affects on the entire valley and the 70,000 people who live there. However, there are many other important aspects of the project, such as the question of economic growth, the process of citizen participation in its evaluation, and the relations among the various actors involved and affected …

Análisis Del Desarrollo Sustentable En La Industria Del Salmón En Chile, Theresa Mohin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The focus of this independent study project is sustainable development, in the context of the Chilean salmon industry. The project centers on the environmental impacts of the salmon business, from its introduction as a fledgling industry in the eighties, to its arrival as one of the most important exporting markets in the Chilean economy. The discussion focuses on the economic history of the salmon industry, its environmental consequences, and the role of the government in environmental regulation, to discover whether or not current environmental programs in place are in fact sustainable. I conclude that while the efforts of the Chilean …

Coral Reef Tourism And Conservation In Bocas Del Toro: An Analysis Of Ecotourism And Its Tour Guide-Based Components, Rebecca Kayes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Tourism of the coral reefs in Bocas del Toro is an important economic activity but also potentially harmful to the environment, creating an ecologically and economically unsustainable situation and doubts that the region engages in “ecotourism.” Coral reef tourism was analyzed with a specific emphasis on tours, tour guides, tourist motivations, tourist education and conservation-related activities. Research methods included participant observation in the tourism world in Bocas, interviews with guides, tourists and community members, and a tourist survey. Though local popular opinion disagrees, data collected shows tourism in Bocas does not emphasize reefs or reef conservation, a potentially catastrophic situation …

Agroecology Of The Naso-Teribe: The Management And Conservation Of Traditional Agroecological Systems, Maisie Ganz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The term “agroecology” is used to describe the sustainable design and management of agricultural systems by the application of ecological concepts and principles. The resulting agroecosystems, often practiced by indigenous or poor farmers in marginal environments without access to external technologies, are systems of food production that integrate cultivated crops into surrounding ecosystems. The Naso-Teribe, an indigenous community of approximately 3,800 individuals living in the forests of western Panama, practice a complex agroecological system. The Naso farmers’ agricultural practices contribute to, and are dependent on, the biodiversity of resources available. The ways in which Naso farmers manage, maintain, and preserve …

Periodismo Medioambiental, Peter Weisberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

INTAG is a community run, environmental newspaper that serves the county of Intag on the western slopes of the Andes in northern Ecuador. For the month of November 2005, I worked for the newspaper, writing articles and researching ways in which the paper can increase communication among different organizations that formed over the last eleven years of resistance to proposed mining. After interviewing eleven community leaders, I conclude that the paper can 1) do more to elicit the participation of groups that are currently inactive and 2) maintain its ecological position while gaining credibility by constructively criticizing the anti-mining community …

The Role Of Malagasy Women In Community Development: Analyzing The Potential For The Creation Of A Women’S Association For Alternative Livelihoods In Ifaty, Amanda Fencl

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Integrated Conservation and development projects (ICDPs) have increased in number worldwide as conservation organizations have to come to terms with the importance of involving and addressing the needs of local human populations to order to achieve their conservation goals. Madagascar’s unique biodiversity, environmental degradation, and plaguing poverty has made ICDPs crucial in achieving national goals of tripling the area of natural heritage conserved and poverty reduction through socially, economically, and ecologically sustainable development. In order to understand how such sustainable development can be achieved, it is essential to spend time enhancing one’s understanding of the local mentality and worldview. On …

The Survival Of The Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri Oerstedi): The Habitat And Behavior Of A Troop On The Burica Peninsula In A Conservation Context, Liana Burghardt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The conservation status of Central American Squirrel monkeys (Saimiri oerstedi) on the far southern coast of Peninsula Burica in Panama was assessed over the course of a 13 day study period. Four troops of squirrel monkeys (67 individuals) were located on the southern coast of Peninsula Burica. Using information from local sources it can be estimated that up to 7 troops (157 individuals) live in the 7-8 km2 study site. These troops are sharing an estimated 80 ha of habitat which compared to past studies is a fairly low amount of habitat.

One troop of squirrel monkeys which is fed …

Natural Loggers: Leaf Cutter Ants As Pests In Northwestern Ecuador, Aaron Honig

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The biological world is under attack. All across the world in every continent and sub-continent biological diversity is rapidly decreasing (Wilson, 1999). As the human population continues to exponentially increase, especially in Third World countries where biological diversity reaches its peak, countless diverse biological habitats are threatened by accelerating human consumption and the growing needs of growing human populations. In Ecuador, only 1% of the original tropical forest remains, as a result of the accelerating need of viable agricultural tracts for Ecuador’s relatively poor farmers, as well as the unsustainable harvest of valuable hardwood tree species endemic to Ecuador’s primary …

Transmission Of Environmental And Conservation Knowledge In Andohahela National Park, Mika S. Nagasaki

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Andohahela National Park : Legends and Laws

The legendary forests of Andohahela National Park (N.P.) have long been respected as a source of inspiration and life for the Anosy region in the extreme southeast of Madagascar. Hundreds of years ago, according to various oral traditions, Prince Mana offered himself as a sacrifice in order to quench the drought that brought war and famine to his people, the Tahela (a clan of the Anosy tribe). Zanahary, the Malagasy creator, responded by unleashing the rains and springs in the mountains, which made the land fertile again, and stopped the wars. In gratitude, …

Environmental Sustainability And The Traditional Tibetan Home, Katherine Shrader

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In Tibetan Buddhism, the srivatsa, or glorious endless knot, reminds one of the truth of reality. Six right-angled, intertwined strands flow endlessly together, each one connected to the other, each one giving form to the next. So flows reality. Looking past the illusion of isolation, the endless knot illustrates the interdependence and mutual cooperation that runs the world.

No event, no living being has the ability to stand by itself, completely unaffected and unaffecting. All phenomena are intertwined. Every human action, however big or small, impacts the world in some way. The endless knot unveils the truth of reality so …

Art And Democracy In Environmental Decision Making, Audrey Stewart

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Global doctrines on sustainable development emphasize public participation as a tenet of environmentally responsible development. Given the Czech government’s tepid stance towards implementing sustainability measures, much impetus for realizing them will have to come from other facets of Czech society, including the public. In spite of the nearly populist feel of a mounting environmental movement in the late 1980s, after the Velvet Revolution the Czech public remained relatively disengaged from environmental involvement. Traditional decision-making venues within the Czech Republic now actively exclude the public from participating, while other pressures stemming from history and present also diminish the public impetus for …

Using The Trees To Understand The Forest: Evaluating The Risks Of The Panama Canal Amplification Project, Caroline Gross

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For over a decade, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) and its United States predecessor have contemplated a Canal Amplification Project to allow larger boats to pass through the Panama Canal. This project, as it is currently understood, would involve the construction of a new, “third” set of locks with greater capacity, the widening of channels within the Canal, and the flooding of approximately 45,000 hectares of land currently occupied by campesinos/as. Since the passage of a 1999 law that expanded the definition of the Panama Canal Watershed by 63 percent, some campesinos/as have united to oppose the flooding of their …

A Comparison Of Anuran Species Richness Between Primary And Secondary Forest In São Francisco Do Pará, Michael Reichert

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Deforestation in the Amazon has become a serious conservation issue. The process of destruction of primary forest results in the creation of secondary forest that differs from primary forest in a number of important ways. Anurans (frogs and toads) are one group that may be affected by the loss of primary forest and creation of secondary forest areas, and are an important focus for conservation efforts. Previous studies on anuran reactions to loss of primary forest have been few and inconclusive. This study examined anuran species richness in an area of primary and secondary forest in order to determine whether …