Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons^™

Regime Shifts And Panarchies In Regional Scale Social-Ecological Water Systems, Lance Gunderson, Barbara Cosens, Brian C. Chaffin, Craig Anthony (Tony) Arnold, Alexander K. Fremier, Ahjond S. Garmestani, Robin Kundis Craig, Hannah Gosnell, Hannah E. Birge, Craig R. Allen, Melinda Harm Benson, Ryan R. Morrison, Mark C. Stone, Joseph Hamm, Kristine Nemec, Edella C. Schlager, Dagmar Llewellyn

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

In this article we summarize histories of nonlinear, complex interactions among societal, legal, and ecosystem dynamics in six North American water basins, as they respond to changing climate. These case studies were chosen to explore the conditions for emergence of adaptive governance in heavily regulated and developed social-ecological systems nested within a hierarchical governmental system. We summarize resilience assessments conducted in each system to provide a synthesis and reference by the other articles in this special feature. We also present a general framework used to evaluate the interactions between society and ecosystem regimes and the governance regimes chosen to mediate …

Environmental Health, Tessa Oliaro

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

There is a very important intersection between the environment, public health, and socioeconomic factors (Braveman, 2014). These include waste disposal, water use and quality, road safety, ecosystem services, and many more. Environmental health stresses, “the health impacts of physical, chemical, and biological agents in the environment and workplace, and learns to develop strategies to measure and control major environmental health problems both locally…and in settings around the globe” (UC Berkeley School of Public Health, 2017). This overarching umbrella can have emphases in environmental epidemiology, exposure science, climate change, ergonomics, home and industrial hygiene, and molecular epidemiology. Exploring each of these …

There's More Than $ Involved When It Comes To Understanding Costs Of Fracking, Ali P. Gordon

UCF Forum

Several of society’s next grand challenges relate to the production of electrical energy.

A Spatial Relationship Between Stream Slope Stability And Water Quality Within An Urban Watershed In Rock Island, Il, Joseph Teresi

Celebration of Learning

The consistently observed phenomenon of highly altered streams and degraded water quality draining urban areas across the U.S is described as the urban stream syndrome. Rock Island, Illinois, contains a population of nearly 39,000 people, and houses industrial and logistical businesses amidst a city of aging infrastructure. Streams occupy ravines that have incised into the Quaternary loess plateau, flowing south towards the Rock River and north or west towards the Mississippi River. In an attempt to understand better the severity of Rock Island’s urban stream syndrome, this project analyzed stream slopes within the Rock Island watershed to categorize their level …

Financial Assessment Of Agricultural Lands At Risk To Coastal Salt Marsh Migration In Relation To Climate Change Induced Sea Level Rise In Dorchester County, Maryland, Jewell Porter

Sustainability and Social Justice

The increasing rate and effects of sea level rise is a major environmental concern in the Chesapeake Bay. This paper evaluates the impacts of rising sea level on coastal salt marshes and the surrounding agricultural lands at risk in Dorchester County, Maryland to build off existing environmental monitoring work performed by NOAA’s Sentinel Site Program. The results of the spatial analysis were used to estimate monetary benefits to incentivize farmers to protect these marshes by making their land available for marsh migration to occur. Looking at three scenarios of sea level rise and marsh migration, grain crops (corn, soybeans, and …

Leed O+M Materials Audit: Blumel Hall, Emily Murkland, Taylor Stone, John Dea, Kristen Purdy

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

• This report provides the Campus Sustainability Office with an objective, third party Materials Audit for Blumel Hall in Portland, Oregon. The data collected for this audit provides Campus Sustainability Office with insight into Blumel’s current waste composition and diversion rate as well as identifies opportunities to improve recycling, composting, and areas for reduction of materials consumption. Community Environmental Services (CES) conducted Materials Audits for 100% of Blumel Hall’s landfill-bound, commingled recycling, glass bottles and jars recycling, and compost streams during a 24-hour period.

Gouldian Finch Non Breeding Population And Habitat Assessment 2017: Ord-East Kimberley Expansion Project - Weaber Plain Development Area, Save The Gouldian Fund

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

As part of the requirement for State approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, an assessment and regular monitoring of the endangered Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae) is required during the operation of the Ord River Irrigation Area Weaber Plain Development Project in the Kimberley, Western Australia. This report details the findings from the habitat and vegetation surveys of non breeding Gouldian finches (October 2016 – April 2017).

Geomorphic Characteristics And Sediment Transport In Natural And Channelized Reaches Of Big Barren Creek, Southeast Missouri, Matthew S. Thies

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Channelization, levee construction, and gravel mining are land management practices that are used for flood control. However, they often alter the balance between sediment supply and available sediment transporting power in streams, causing channel instability. Streams can respond to instability through channel incision and sediment aggradation which can degrade riparian habitat, increase flood risks, and cause property damage. These problems have been observed along segments of Big Barren Creek, which drains 190 km² of the Missouri Ozarks in Mark Twain National Forest. Field assessment and modeling methods were used to evaluate the spatial distribution of channel instability along the upper …

Deposition Patterns And Rates Of Mining-Contaminated Sediment Within A Sedimentation Basin System, S.E. Missouri, Joshua Carl Voss

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Flooding events exert a dominant control over the deposition and formation of floodplains. The rate at which floodplains form depends on flood magnitude, frequency, and duration, and associated sediment transport capacity and supply. While it is known that sediment in the Big River is contaminated from historical mining, little is known about the patterns and rates of deposition on floodplains, especially those that have been modified for remediation purposes. The goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of flood characteristics and topography on contemporary deposition patterns and rates in a sedimentation basin system located within a floodplain along …

Competition Amplifies Drought Stress In Forests Across Broad Climatic And Compositional Gradients, Kelly E. Gleason, John B. Bradford, Alessandra Bottero, Anthony W. D'Amato, Shawn Fraver, Brian J. Palik, Michael A. Battaglia, Louis Iverson, Laura Kenefic, Christel C. Kern

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Forests around the world are experiencing increasingly severe droughts and elevated competitive intensity due to increased tree density. However, the influence of interactions between drought and competition on forest growth remains poorly understood. Using a unique dataset of stand-scale dendrochronology sampled from 6405 trees, we quantified how annual growth of entire tree populations responds to drought and competition in eight, long-term (multi-decadal), experiments with replicated levels of density (e.g., competitive intensity) arrayed across a broad climatic and compositional gradient. Forest growth (cumulative individual tree growth within a stand) declined during drought, especially during more severe drought in drier climates. Forest …

Epbc 2010/5491: Weaber Plain Development Project Annual Environmental Report - 1st May 2016 To 30th April 2017, Department Of State Development

Reports

This 2017 Ord EPBC Compliance Report has been developed in accordance with Condition 3 of the Federal Environmental Approval for the Weaber Plain Development Project, EPBC 2010/5491.

Ord River Irrigation Area Stage 2: M2 Supply Channel - Compliance Assessment Report 2016 - Statement 938, Stratagen

Reports

The WA Minister for State Development (the proponent) has approval to develop land for irrigated agriculture across the Weaber, Keep River and Knox Creek Plains, located north-northeast of Kununurra in the eastern Kimberley region of WA and extends to the Keep River estuary in the Northern Territory. The area of development (M2 Area) is immediately northeast of the existing Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA), with proposed development representing the second stage of the ORIA scheme. It comprises approximately 76 000 ha (including Buffer Areas) and a key part of the development is main irrigation channel (the ‘M2 channel’), that extends …

Assessment And Characterization Of Microbial Communities In Salt Affected Soils On Galveston Island, Elaine Fowler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After Hurricane Ike in 2008, Galveston Island was flooded with sea water that left the soil and groundwater of the island with elevated sodium concentrations. As part of a long-term study that aims to restore plant life to the island, various soil amelioration techniques are being evaluated. Samples from bedded and non- bedded plots treated with gypsum, mulch, or both were assessed for microbial populations. Samples collected in July and October 2016 were cultured on Tryptic Soy Agar (bacteria enumeration), Pseudomonas Agar, Actinomycete Agar, and Rose Bengal Agar (fungi enumeration). Bacteria populations ranged from 4.07 to 5.12 log CFU/gram and …

Psu Urban Center Building Leed Eb Materials Audit Report, Emily Murkland, Taylor Stone, John Dea, Kristen Purdy

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

This report provides the Campus Sustainability Office with an objective, third party Materials Audit for Portland State University’s Urban Center Building in Portland, Oregon. The data collected for this audit provides Campus Sustainability Office with insight into Urban Center’s current waste composition and diversion rate as well as identifies opportunities to improve recycling, composting, and areas for reduction of materials consumption. Community Environmental Services (CES) conducted materials audits for 100% of Urban Center’s landfill-bound, commingled recycling, glass bottles and jars recycling, and compost streams during a 24-hour period.

Continental-Scale Homogenization Of Residential Lawn Plant Communities, Megan M. Wheeler, Christopher Neill, Peter M. Groffman, Meghan Avolio, Neil D. Bettez, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, Rinku Roy Chowdhury, Lindsay Darling, J. Morgan Grove, Sharon J. Hall, James B. Heffernan, Sarah E. Hobbie, Kelli L. Larson, Jennifer L. Morse, Kristen C. Nelson, Laura A. Ogden, Jarlath O'Neil-Dunne, Diane E. Pataki, Colin Polsky, Meredith Steele, Tara Trammell

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Residential lawns are highly managed ecosystems that occur in urbanized landscapes across the United States. Because they are ubiquitous, lawns are good systems in which to study the potential homogenizing effects of urban land use and management together with the continental-scale effects of climate on ecosystem structure and functioning. We hypothesized that similar homeowner preferences and management in residential areas across the United States would lead to low plant species diversity in lawns and relatively homogeneous vegetation across broad geographical regions. We also hypothesized that lawn plant species richness would increase with regional temperature and precipitation due to the presence …

Beach Form, Change, And Mangrove Interactions Along Galleon Fish Sanctuary, South Coast Jamaica, Kayla Marie Geier

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Shoreline erosion is a problem around the world that is getting worse as sea level rises and populations expand into coastal areas. It is important to identify areas at the greatest risk for shoreline erosion so environmental planners will have the knowledge and time to mitigate potential resource losses. The Galleon Fish Sanctuary in St. Elizabeth Parish is a 6 km stretch of shoreline along the south coast of Jamaica composed of mangrove forests, sand beaches, and coral reefs. This study assesses shoreline form and composition in the sanctuary in order to provide new information about the relationships between beach …

Environmental And Climatic Constraints On Large-Scale Camelina Production In Eastern Arkansas, Benjamin Robert Tracy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Camelina sativa is a cold weather crop that is typically grown in semi-arid environments in the Western United States, usually as a spring crop, but sometimes during the winter. Research analyzing climate data and soil hydrology is important to better understand the environmental and terrain conditions necessary for Camelina farming wherever it is proposed for large-scale production. This study focused on various conditions and constraints pertaining to the potential for Camelina as a crop biofuel in Eastern Arkansas. Due to interest in the economic potential of crop biofuels in this area, and in particular the low input costs for Camelina, …

Riparian Buffered Sinkholes In The Blue River Watershed, Colin Copler

Undergraduate Theses

Riparian vegetation along streams has many positive effects on water quality and macroinvertebrate communities, especially in agricultural areas. Some of these effects include erosion prevention, pollutant removal, and lower summer water temperatures. There has been much research done examining the link between these riparian areas and streams; however, riparian vegetation is understudied in karst areas. Karst is a geologic formation that is composed of limestone, which dissolves in groundwater, forming sinkholes. Thus, the question this paper seeks to investigate is does riparian vegetation around sinkholes in a karst plain influence water quality within a watershed? Water quality, land cover, and …

Water Quality Of The Cache River Watershed, Arkansas: Contributions Of Agricultural Activity In Sub-Watersheds To Nutrient, Sediment And Lead (Pb) Contamination And Potential Toxicity Implications To Aquatic Organisms, Mary Katherine Kilmer

Student Theses and Dissertations

As the world population grows and agricultural production expands, increased stress is placed on many waterways. Water quality is often degraded and can serve as a source for areas of downstream environmental impacts. Of particular concern is the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, a result of agricultural inputs from the Mississippi River Basin. One watershed identified as a potential source for this hypoxic zone is the Cache River Watershed in northeastern Arkansas. This watershed has approximately 67% of its land in row-crop production. Waterways within this watershed have poor water quality because of excessive turbidity, nutrients, pathogens and metals. In …

Using Freshwater Mussels As An Indicator For River Water Quality, Joseph Gerland, Will Titone, Ariana Clark, Brad Michael

Undergraduate Research Conference

Using the freshwater mussel to monitor water quality is a practical and advantageous way to use nature’s indicator species. River water quality is an important measurement that is constantly monitored for many purposes. The sampling involved with monitoring can be very costly and time-consuming. Using mussels as indicator species could save money and time. So, this project has been dedicated to exploring the applications and reality of using freshwater mussels to monitor river quality.

Past, Present, And Future Of Ecological Integrity Assessment For Fresh Waters, Lauren M. Kuehne, Julian D. Olden, Angela L. Strecker, Joshua J. Lawler, David M. Theobald

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

One of the most influential environmental laws in the US – the 1972 Clean Water Act – included the visionary objective of maintaining and restoring aquatic ecological integrity. However, the efficacy of the Act depends on how integrity is assessed. Reviewing the assessment literature for fresh waters over the past 40 years, we found evidence of methodological trends toward increased repeatability, transferability, and robustness of assessments over time. However, implementation gaps were revealed, based on the relatively weak linkages to freshwater policies, stakeholder involvement, emerging threats, and conservation opportunities. A related survey of assessment practitioners underscored the disparity between need …

Paper Or Plastic? A Comparison Of The Carbon Emissions Of Grocery Bags, Hannah Tuomi

Undergraduate Research Symposium 2017

Paper and plastic grocery bags, as well as reusable bags (non-woven polypropylene), all can be used to carry out purchases from the store. While these different bag types serve essentially the same function, how do their environmental impacts differ? One way to measure environmental impact is by examining a bag’s entire life cycle. A product’s life cycle encompasses various stages starting with the extraction of raw materials, going through production and then use, and ending with a waste management option (e.g. landfill or recycling). Life cycle assessment is a tool to evaluate one or more impact areas of a product …

Impact Of Road Salts (Nacl) On Winter Water Quality In Mill Brook, Westbrook, Maine, Devin Page

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

Mill Brook is approximately 5 miles long and is an important migration route for Alewife during the spawning season. Mill Brook stretches from Highland Lake, Westbrook, Maine to the Presumpscot River in Portland, Maine and is surrounded by relatively well-protected forest land. However, chloride concentrations still rise from the upper end of the brook to the end: preliminary data, collected in the winter of 2017, showed an increase in mean chloride concentration from 37.28mg/L +/- 25.61mg/L at the start of Mill Brook to 51.25mg/L +/- 11.63 mg/L at the end of the brook. Chloride concentrations increase in the winter due …

Weather Variability And The Tourism Industry: A Panel Data Analysis, Carmela Coppola

Honors Projects in Economics

Increasing weather variability around the world has led to many researchers examining the impacts of weather variability on vulnerable industries. For example, the tourism industry can make up a large portion of an economy’s growth, with some of the most dependent countries relying on tourism for over 40% of GDP (World Travel & Tourism Council 2014). In an attempt to better understand the relationship between weather variability and the tourism industry at the country level, this study employs a series of fixed effects panel regression models to analyze the impact of rainfall and temperature on tourism levels and growth rates …

Small-Scale Farming Of Sandfish (Holothuria Scabra) At Unguja Ukuu, Zanzibar, Claire Hacker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The biological and social components of sandfish farming were studied at Unguja Ukuu, Zanzibar. Measurement of temperature and depth, along with quadrat sampling of substrate and sea cucumbers, led to recommendations for future management of depth, biomass per area, disease and crabs, and substrate. Interviews revealed the role and potential benefits of sea cucumber farming for communities. Several barriers to, and complications with, the expansion of sea cucumber farming were also identified. This study provided information for improvement of this farm and hoped to spread knowledge of sandfish farming to Zanzibaris, who may benefit economically from the practice.

Increasing Population, Urbanization And Climatic Factors In Lagos State, Nigeria: The Nexus And Implications On Water Demand And Supply, Amidu Owolabi Ayeni Dr.

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

This study examines the impact of population, urbanization, and climate on water supply in Lagos State. Population baseline data used for this research were based on provisional census data of 1963, 1973, 1991 and 2006. Information on water production, demand and supply for this study were cleaned from the Nigerian Bureau of statistics (NBS), Lagos State Water Corporation reports of different years and relevant literature on Lagos water supply and demand. Urbanization assessment were based on multi-temporal imageries from Landsat MSS, TM, NigeriaSat-1 and Landsat ETM+ for 1975, 1995, 2007, and 2015 respectively. The Census data revealed that the population …

Analyzing Environmental Kuznets Curves Using A Systems Dynamics Approach, Amreen Ahmad

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

This paper studies the Environmental Kuznets Curve by examining the relationship between CO2 emissions and GDP per capita data for 200 countries worldwide from the time period of 1950- 2015. We use multiple dynamical models - including linear, exponential and feedback models – to search for and quantify the Kuznets effect, the downward shaped U curve in the time-series of environmental quantities. Using the Bayesian Information Criterion to perform model comparison, we determine that there is weak evidence of the Kuznets curve existing in all countries and slightly stronger evidence for it in the OECD and BRICS countries. We discuss …

What, Where, Why: A Survey Of Felidae Populations At Enashiva Nature Refuge, Tanzania, Lucrecia Aguilar

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As felid populations worldwide continue to deteriorate due to human activities, understanding how felid species utilize various landscapes, along with what factors affect such use or disuse, becomes essential to the preservation of these species. While previous research has examined felid populations around the world, many species and locations remain understudied. This study surveyed felid species at Enashiva Nature Refuge (ENR) in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem to determine (1) what felid species are present at ENR, (2) where these species generally occur, and (3) why felids reside at ENR in low or high numbers. Through the use of opportunistic camera trapping, …

Modeling Gross Primary Production Of Midwest Maize And Soybean Croplands With Satellite And Gridded Weather Data, Gunnar Malek-Madani

Department of Geography: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The gross primary production (GPP) metric is useful in determining trends in the terrestrial carbon cycle. Models that determine GPP utilizing the light use efficiency (LUE) approach in conjunction with biophysical parameters that account for local weather conditions and crop specific factors are beneficial in that they combine the accuracy of the biophysical model with the versatility of the LUE model. One such model developed using in situ data was adapted to operate with remote sensing derived leaf area index (LAI) data and gridded weather datasets. The model, known as the Light Use Efficiency GPP Model (EGM), uses a four …

Droughtscape, Spring 2017, National Drought Mitigation Center

DroughtScape: Quarterly Newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (2007–2023)

Contents

Drought center helps islands reduce drought vulnerability

2017 sees above-average precipitation, warmer temps

California pulls out of drought

After tech transfer, training Tunisia launches first drought map

Drought center releases 2016 annual report

Book chapter focuses on drought and health

U2U wraps up, brings useful tools to farmers

Survey finds drought info leads to better decisions