Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons^™

Fisheries Science Update - West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource - October 2021, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

The West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource (WCDSR) is halfway into a 20-year recovery plan following a period of overfishing in the 1990s and 2000s.

This latest assessment provides an important “health check” on the recovery status.

The recovery plan is based on maintaining recreational (including charter) and commercial sector’s total fishing mortality below catch limits and protecting key spawning aggregations to recover the WCDSR by 2030.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) tracks recovery progress by undertaking weight of evidence stock assessments of WCDSR indicator species dhufish and pink snapper every 3-5 years.

The latest science shows …

Investigating The Impact Of Land Use On Avian Diversity And Abundance In Areas Surrounding Mabamba Swamp, Uganda, Sydney Marie Jones

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the impact of wetland-adjacent land use on avian species richness and abundance areas surrounding Mabamba Swamp, Uganda. Four types of land use were investigated: Eucalyptus plantations, wetland-edge agricultural fields, residential areas, and mature secondary forests. A total of 40-morning point counts were conducted for ten days in late November and late December of 2021. One-way ANOVA tests and Tukey’s HSD tests revealed significant differences in mean avian richness and abundance between all sites except residential areas and Nkima Forest. Additionally, Nkima Forest was found to contain the most number of specialist …

Retrato De Una Economía En Movimiento: Retos De La Economía Sustentable En San Francisco De Borja, Quijos, Napo, Meghan Mary Edwards

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Esta monografía presenta la situación económica actual en el Valle Quijos, en la parte occidental de la provincia de Napo, Ecuador. La mayoría de los residentes son gente campesina, que se dedica a la ganadería y la lechería. Se encuentran en la zona de amortiguamiento de dos parques nacionales, y mientras la población está creciendo, la gente tiene cada vez menos espacio entre las áreas protegidas, que ha generado conflictos sociales y conflictos ambientales, que incluyen la deforestación, la caza ilegal, y la erosión de las áreas pendientes. La monografía investiga el turismo y la ganadería tecnificada como algunos posibles …

A Phenological Analysis Of Páramo Vegetation Along An Altitudinal Gradient: The Influence Of Camelids On Andean Flora In The Páramo Of Chimborazo, Ecuador, Tessa Seifried

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study hopes to reveal the mechanisms behind camelid-plant interactions in the Chimborazo province of Ecuador, which is known for having a large population of domesticated alpacas (Vicugna pacos), along with wild vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna) that were reintroduced into the area 30 years ago. These camelid species, especially vicuñas, are understudied within Ecuador in regards to their effects on plant composition, diversity, and spatial phenology. To gain a better insight into this topic, three sites were chosen: a site inhabited by only vicuña, a site inhabited by only alpaca, and a site inhabited by both species. The vicuña site sat …

A Ladder Of Endemicity: A Pioneering Study Of Anuran Communities Along An Elevational Gradient In The Eastern Andean Cloud Forests, Ecuador, Ella Halbert

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Per unit of area, Ecuador is home to the most herpetofauna of any region on Earth, yet many ecosystems are under researched. Positioned between the Eastern Andes and the Amazon rainforest, the Río Pastaza Basin of Ecuador has been the recent focus of anuran biodiversity surveys and is home to many endemic species. This study aimed to determine how the anuran community composition of a vertical transect in the Llanganates National Park varied between elevations. A 7-day expedition was conducted along a new trail up Abitagua Range spanning 1,050 m in elevation. Each night, visual encounter surveys were employed to …

A Biological Assessment Of Water Quality In El Placer, Ecuador: The Effect Of Agriculture On Stream Health And The Quality Of Historical Versus Current Drinking Water Sources, Danielle Kleinberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Although fresh water is one of Ecuador’s most abundant resources, high quality drinking water for its inhabitants is scarce (Wingfield et al., 2021). The most prevalent sources of water pollution in Ecuador are domestic waste, silver and gold mining, oil production, and agricultural chemicals (Buckalew et al., 1997). El Placer, a village located in Tungurahua, Ecuador, is highly dependent on agriculture as a source of income. The first objective of this study was to determine the effect of agriculture on the El Placer’s Tía Anita Stream through comparing the water quality at three sites with varying agricultural influence. The second …

An Eventful Past Predicting A Bizarre Future: Assessing The Influence Of Ocean Circulation On Key Fish Species In Icelandic Waters. An Analysis Of Past Circulation Records In Order To Predict The State Of Demersal Fish Stocks In Future Climate Scenarios, Matthew Engfer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Feedback-driven changes in North Atlantic Ocean circulation are affecting marine ecosystems off the coast of Iceland and are predicted to have differing outcomes by 2100. In this study, data reflecting Icelandic fish stock distributions was compiled on a map with oceanographic temperature and depth in order to observe patterns of population changes with changes in ocean currents. After evaluating past temperature effects on demersal fish stocks, future habitat predictions were estimated in weaker ocean circulation scenarios. A number of assumptions were made in order to pinpoint a correlation between ocean temperature and fish habitat. Iceland’s unique location and climate offers …

Wildflower Pollen Quality In Roadside Habitats, With Particular Emphasis On Hedera Helix, Aoife Mcmullin, Paul Hamilton

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

The quality of air is of more significance today than ever before. Human population growth and pollutants emitted through fossil fuel consumption put pressures on air quality. It is widely acknowledged that atmospheric pollutants negatively impact human health; the same is also true for the health of wildlife and plants exposed to these pollutants (Brunekreef & Holgate, 2002; EEA, 2019; Schiavoni, et al., 2017). Pollen and seed formation of flowering plants have been affected when grown in areas of poor air quality (Azzazy, 2016; Sénéchal, et al., 2015). The purpose of this research was to assess pollen of …

Rabbit Control: Rhdv1 K5, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

The national release of the Korean strain of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus, RHDV1 K5, took place during the first week of March 2017. It was the first time in 20 years a new rabbit biocontrol agent had been released into Australia, and was part of a 20-year national biocontrol plan for rabbits. More than 600 release sites were selected, including 110 sites in Western Australia (WA).

RHDV1 K5 is a naturally occurring Korean variant of the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV). Its release was expected to boost management and help slow the increase in rabbit numbers. RHDV1 K5 does not …

Pollination Habitat And Flower Plating For City Beautification, Jim Speer

2021 Spring Reports (Sullivan)

The City of Sullivan identified needs to improve sustainable infrastructure and green space in Sullivan, IN through their Quality of Life plan. Students in ENVI460 were tasked with providing recommendations for their daily operations and site plans that could improve habitats and attractiveness for the community and tourists. Students provided recommendations for native habitat planting and community involvement/education. They also provided site recommendations for community garden and green space updates.

Quantifying The Combined Effect Of Abiotic Factors On The Decomposition Of Organic Matter In Semiarid Grassland Soils, Elnazsadat Hosseiniaghdam

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Grassland ecosystems play a critical role in the global carbon cycle, and their cumulative carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions can be affected by animal grazing where litter (i.e., dead plant material) is trampled into the soil. However, the subsequent effects of trampling on litter decomposition are not well understood. Meanwhile, abiotic factors, especially temperature and soil moisture, are known to strongly affect litter decomposition. Due to the very small number of published studies that have considered litter placement, either litter on top of soil or litter mixed with soil as a factor in litter decomposition under different temperature and …

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons And The Microbiomes Of Two Benthic Species, Samantha Ells

Master's Theses

The presence of oil has been shown to affect the microbiomes of the water column, sediments, and organisms, both by altering the diversity and the composition of those microbial communities. If the microbiome is altered it may no longer provide benefits to its host organism, impacting its ability to survive. Thus, it is important to understand the effects of large-scale contamination events including the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This study set out to examine the effects of oil exposure on the microbiome of two benthic species, southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) and eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) to further understand the effects …

Net Geochemical Release Of Base Cations From 25 Forested Watersheds In The Catskill Region Of New York, Sara C. Nieman, Chris E. Johnson

Civil and Environmental Engineering - All Scholarship

Chemical weathering of minerals is the principal mechanism by which base cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, and Na⁺) are released and acidity is neutralized in soils, bedrock and drainage waters. Quantifying the release of base cations from watershed soils is therefore crucial for the calculation of “critical loads” of atmospheric acidity to forest ecosystems. We used a mass-balance approach to estimate the rate of release of base cations in 25 headwater catchments in the Catskill region of New York, an area historically subject to high inputs of acid deposition. In 2010-2013, total net …

Life Cycle Assessment Of Packaging Systems For Enteral Nutrition Products: Multilayer Pouch And High-Density Polyethylene Bottle, Martina Krueger, Benedikt Kauertz, Claudia Mayer

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

Environmental performance of alternative packaging options for a given product application increasingly comes into awareness, both at the end consumer level as well as in the field of business-to-business communication. The purpose of the study presented here is to examine the environmental performance of a multilayer pouch for packing of enteral nutrition products. To achieve this, a life cycle assessment has been conducted. As an attributional full cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment it compares environmental impacts of a comparable lighter multilayer pouch vs. two different comparable heavier high-density polyethylene bottles (covering the weight range of high-density polyethylene bottles on global markets …

Intangible Cultural Heritage: A Benefit To Climate-Displaced And Host Communities, Gül Aktürk, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Climate change is borderless, and its impacts are not shared equally by all communities. It causes an imbalance between people by creating a more desirable living environment for some societies while erasing settlements and shelters of some others. Due to floods, sea level rise, destructive storms, drought, and slow-onset factors such as salinization of water and soil, people lose their lands, homes, and natural resources. Catastrophic events force people to move voluntarily or involuntarily. The relocation of communities is a debatable climate adaptation measure which requires utmost care with human rights, ethics, and psychological well-being of individuals upon the issues …

The Potential Influence Of Abiotic Conditions On Mussel Species Abundance In San Francisco Bay, Alexandra G. Farrell, M. Christina Vasquez Dr.

Honors Thesis

Climate change has negatively altered seawater conditions, which may have severe implications for marine ecosystems. Mussels are susceptible to environmental changes since they are primary consumers and filter-feeding bivalves. Two species of particular interest to the West Coast of the U.S. are Mytilus galloprovincialis and M. trossulus. M. trossulus is native to the California Coast and was historically prevalent from Southern California to Washington. However, with increased shipping and rising seawater temperature, M. galloprovincialis, an invasive species from the Mediterranean, pushed the species range of M. trossulus poleward. M. trossulus is more tolerant of cold seawater with variable salinity while …

Quantifying The Leaching Of Nutrients And Metals In A Pasture Soil As Affected By Excreta Of Ruminants Fed Alternative Diets, Ian Kennedy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The leaching of nitrate through the soil profile and into adjacent water systems has been a leading cause of water pollution and results in the loss of a valuable nutrient from animal production systems. Forage-based animal production systems may be improved through manipulation of animal diets that incorporate tannins and total polyphenolic compounds with feed, increasing the amount of nitrogen (N) retained by an animal/decreasing rates of digestion and altering the N-containing compounds that are excreted and deposited onto soil. Incorporating the forage legumes sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneate [Dumont de Courset] G. Don) and lablab (Lablab purpurues L.) into the …

Evaluation Of Carbon Accounting Tools Available To Mixed Farming Enterprises In Western Australia, Richard Brake

Climate Science Published Reports

In recent years consumers and the general public have become increasingly more cognisant of the environmental impact, through the emitting of greenhouse gases measured as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), that the production of goods and services they consume have on the world. Global corporate businesses either through desire or market driven necessity are at the forefront of measuring and reducing their carbon footprint and in doing so placing pressure on suppliers to reduce theirs.

The impact of carbon emissions from agricultural enterprises and the role that the agricultural industry plays in the level of carbon emitted or sequestered continues to …

Dynamic Microclimate Boundaries Across A Sharp Tropical Rainforest–Clearing Edge, Eric A. Graham, Mark Hansen, William J. Kaiser, Yeung Lam, Eric Yuen, Philip W. Rundel

Biology Faculty Scholarship

As landscapes become increasingly fragmented, research into impacts from disturbance and how edges affect vegetation and community structure has become more important. Descriptive studies on how microclimate changes across sharp transition zones have long existed in the literature and recently more attention has been focused on understanding the dynamic patterns of microclimate associated with forest edges. Increasing concern about forest fragmentation has led to new technologies for modeling forest microclimates. However, forest boundaries pose important challenges to not only microclimate modeling but also sampling regimes in order to capture the diurnal and seasonal dynamic aspects of microclimate along forest edges. …

The Effect Of Changing Substrate On Arctic Aquatic Invertebrates Abundance, Tom Dolman

Michael D. Wilson Symposium

Climate change is directly affecting tundra ecosystems in northern regions, and warming temperatures have caused discontinuous permafrost and thawing sediments across the region. This project investigates how increasing erosion and the foraging patterns of migratory snow geese may degrade habitat for aquatic invertebrates in the upper Mast River, located in Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada. In the past two decades, many of the important species of aquatic invertebrates have shown declines. Declining invertebrate populations are predicted to affect aquatic ecosystems and decrease the resources available to shorebirds and waterfowl, which breed and migrate through this area.

Assessing And Mapping The Spatial-Temporal Change In Forest Phenology Of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Using Moderate Resolution Satellite, Bailey Ytterdahl

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study focuses on coastal forests in Kenya that have some of the highest variety of flora and fauna, specifically Arabuko Sokoke Forest. Arabuko Sokoke Forest is located 110 miles north of Mombasa and 18 kilometers south of Malindi. This forest is known to be a worldwide biodiversity hotspot that is home to endemic and rare plants and animals. Within the Arabuko Sokoke Forest ecosystem, there are two main issues that challenge the conservation of the area. First, there has been more competition for land, primarily for agriculture and development. Second, there is an increase demand for forest resources due …

Taxonomic Annotation Of Near-Coral Seawater Microbiota In Kilifi, Kenya, Megan Ruoff

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The general objective of this study was to analyze the microbiome of seawater above a coral reef in Kilifi, Kenya. Specific objectives included establishing a baseline microbiota profile, classifying the identified organisms at various taxonomic levels, and conjecturing about reef health from the presence or absence of bioindicator species including Vibrio bacteria. Sequenced 16S rRNA gene sequences from seawater samples at Kuruwitu Conservancy in Kilifi, Kenya were taxonomically classified by exact matching employing the Dada2 software package and the naïve Bayesian classifier method with 97% similarity cut off. The seawater microbiota contained mostly Proteobacteria (73.28%), followed by Bacteroidetes (14.08%) and …

An Assessment Of Terrestrial Decapoda Diversity Across Three Ecological Zones In Mida Creek, Kenya, Reese Yount

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mangroves make up one of the most effective natural remedies at combating climate change today. They represent great commercial interest worldwide and yet, are being degraded at an unsustainable rate. If successful mangrove conservation plans are to be implemented for our posterity, mangrove ecosystems need to be better understood at the community level. Mangrove crabs make up the most diverse and populace mangrove inhabitants. They are classified as ecosystem engineers and their potential for being used as bioindicators makes them integral to assessing mangrove health. Yet, their diversity and distribution patterns are not well understood. The aim of this study …

Non-Breeding Ecology Of Loggerhead Shrikes In An Intensive Agricultural Region, Emily Rose Donahue

Student Theses and Dissertations

As intensive agriculture has transformed much of the landscape across central North America, many grassland species have had to learn to adjust these new, highly homogeneous habitats while facing steep population declines. The Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus; hereinafter shrike) is one such declining species that persists in these agricultural landscapes. However, we lack information on the sustainability of these populations, and shrike non-breeding ecology, as for most passerines, remains understudied. Specifically, little is known about non-breeding behavior, diet, survival, site fidelity, and habitat selection. If survival, space use, and habitat selection metrics differ between demographic groups within non-breeding populations also …

Plant Community Response To The Combined Effects Of Elevation, And Simulated Nutrient And Sediment Loading In Sagittaria Lancifolia-Dominated Wetlands, Donnie Day

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal wetlands are experiencing threats to their long-term sustainability brought about by the combined effects of relative sea-level rise and human modifications to hydrology, sediment delivery and nutrient loading. Restoration and management strategies can include adding sediment to the surface of deteriorating marshes to facilitate positive feedbacks among elevation, plant productivity, sediment trapping, and accretion; however, if delivered using nitrate-enriched river waters, belowground biomass and soil organic matter pools may be negatively affected, resulting in the acceleration of wetland loss. Overall, there is limited information on the combined effects of nutrient loading, sedimentation, and flooding dynamics in regulating feedbacks among …

Solutions Human Centered Approach To Conservation, Illustration Department, History, Philosophy, + The Social Sciences Department

Illustration Course Work & Materials

"These essays were were written and illustrated by students at the Rhode Island school of Design in February, 2021. Their perspectives are entirely personal and reflect their efforts within a 5.5-week fused studio/seminar course that was centered on the Sixth Mass Extinction and how biodiversity is changing because of humans. Discovering that science communication is more than delivering just the facts, students were invited to research a topic of personal interest that is relevant to human impacts on biodiversity. Through analysis of data and other scientific information, each sought to synthesize their research and opinions on their topic through a …

Evaluating A Commercially Available In-Duct Bipolar Ionization Device For Pollutant Removal And Potential Byproduct Formation, Yicheng Zeng, Prashik Manwatkar, Aurelie Laguerre, Marina Beke, Insung Kang, Akram S. Ali, Delphine K. Farmer, Elliott T. Gall, Mohammad Heidarinejad, Brent Stephens

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We conducted a series of experiments to evaluate the gas and particle removal effectiveness and potential for byproduct formation resulting from the operation of a commercially available in-duct bipolar ionization device. Laboratory tests were conducted with the ionizer installed in a small air handler serving a large semi-furnished chamber. Chamber experiments were conducted under (i) normal operating conditions to characterize the impact of the ionizer on concentrations of particles (0.01–10 μm), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and aldehydes, and (ii) particle injection and decay conditions to characterize the impact of the ionizer operation on particle loss …

Taking An Environmental Ethics Perspective To Understand What We Should Expect From Eia In Terms Of Biodiversity Protection, Alan Bond, Jenny Pope, Angus Morrison-Saunders, Francois Retief

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

As a globally mandated decision-support tool, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has the potential to contribute to the protection of biodiversity, which is increasingly under threat because of human activities. Concern over its ability to do this, however, has led to the addition of trade-off rules, Ecosystem Services Assessment (ESA), and biodiversity offsets. But given that EIA is set in a political decision-making context, what is reasonable to expect of EIA? In this paper we seek to explore what level of biodiversity protection we can expect EIA to support (and therefore whether these additions are worthwhile). Our point of departure is …

Temporal Invariance Of Social-Ecological Catchments, Mark A. Kaemingk, Christine N. Bender, Chris Chizinski, Aaron J. Bunch, Kevin L. Pope

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Natural resources such as waterbodies, public parks, and wildlife refuges attract people from varying distances on the landscape, creating “social-ecological catchments.” Catchments have provided great utility for understanding physical and social relationships within specific disciplines. Yet, catchments are rarely used across disciplines, such as its application to understand complex spatiotemporal dynamics between mobile human users and patchily distributed natural resources. We collected residence ZIP codes from 19,983 angler parties during 2014–2017 to construct seven angler–waterbody catchments in Nebraska, USA. We predicted that sizes of dense (10% utilization distribution) and dispersed (95% utilization distribution) angler–waterbody catchments would change across seasons and …

Roost Use And Movements Of Northern Long-Eared Bats In A Southeast Nebraska Agricultural Landscape, Christopher Fill, Craig R. Allen, John F. Benson, Dirac Twidwell

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Bats are important bio-indicators of ecosystem health and provide a number of ecosystem services. White-nose Syndrome and habitat loss have led to the decline of many bat species in eastern North America, including the federally threatened northern long-eared bat, Myotis septentrionalis. White-nose Syndrome was only recently found in Nebraska, which lies on the western extent of this species geographic range. To better understand how this forest-dependent species persists in an agriculturally dominated landscape amid a growing number of pressures, we investigated the roosting habits of this bat at the Homestead National Monument of America, located in southeast Nebraska. We …