Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons^™

The Economic And Environmental Impact Of Shinkansen And High-Speed Rail Infrastructure: A Comparative Analysis Of Economic Growth And Carbon Emissions Reduction, Dillan R. Victory

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The development of Japan's high-speed rail system, the Shinkansen, has played a pivotal role in the country's post-war economic resurgence. Introduced in 1964 with the Tokaidō Shinkansen, this transformative infrastructure investment significantly reduced travel times, bolstered economic activity around station hubs, and facilitated regional development by enabling urban decentralization. This paper explores the long-term economic benefits of high-speed rail, including its impact on land value, business expansion, and carbon emissions. The case study of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen, Japan's latest maglev project, underscores both the economic promise and the political resistance to expansion, particularly in regions such as Shizuoka.

Using …

Investigating Woody Vegetation Recruitment Post Riparian Enhancement Extraction Along The Baduwa't, Rize Martins De Oliveira, Wiley Hughes, Owen Lenox

Forestry, Fire, & Rangeland Management Senior Capstones

The Baduwa’t River in Humboldt County, California, faces a legacy of channelization, poor land management, and severe flooding that has left high, dry floodplain terraces disconnected from the river and dominated by invasive vegetation. In response to sediment deficits during drought years, Riparian Enhancement Extractions (REEs) were introduced as an alternative gravel mining method that simultaneously presented opportunities for habitat restoration. This study evaluates five REEs along the Baduwa’t to identify the construction features and site conditions that promote successful riparian vegetation establishment. Findings show that REEs can create seasonal wetlands conducive to native riparian habitat reestablishment, when excavation is …

Assessing Understory Along The Elk River (Hikshari') In Headwaters Forest Reserve, Humboldt County, California, Julie R. Meyers, Aliyah M. Ingram, Caleb N. Larkin, Joshua L. Carpenter

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

Northern California’s extensive logging history and lack of forest management has altered old-growth coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forests, leaving dense, homogenous second and third-growth forest stands. This has led to the use of modern restoration techniques such as variable density thinning (VDT) which aims to rehabilitate old-growth forest conditions by improving stand heterogeneity and light availability for understory species. Our study was done in Headwaters Forest Reserve (HFR) along the Elk River (Hikshari’) Trail in Humboldt County, California. Initially, the project was supervised by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Arcata Field Office. However, the 2025 U.S. government …

Resource Assessment Report No. 1: Mid-West Scallop Resource 2024 Assessment, Jason How, Arani Chandrapavan, Rachel Marks

Resource Assessment Reports

The Mid-West Scallop Resource (Resource) is only accessed by the Abrolhos Islands Mid-West Trawl Managed Fishery (AIMWTMF). The AIMWTMF is the second largest scallop fishery in Western Australia. Access is limited to the 10 licences granted to access the Resource, which are managed through a range of, gear controls, catch rates and seasonal closures. They access saucer scallops, Ylistrum balloti (formerly Amusium balloti) using otter trawls fished over predominantly sand. The fishery was certified by the Marine Stewardship Council in 2021, with the fishery entering re-certification in 2026.

In 2024, 95.7 t meat weight (478.5 t whole weight) of saucer …

Navigating Wastewater: Minnesota Mining Wastewater Permit Challenges And Evolving Compliance Standards, Madelaine Adamich

Journal of Earth and Life Science

February of 2021 marked the beginning of Minnesota clearly establishing that groundwater qualifies as a Class 1 water in a legal battle involving United States Steel, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, WaterLegacy, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Minnesota Court of Appeals, and eventually the Minnesota Supreme Court (MNSC). Minnesota has a water classification system, as required by the federal Clean Water Act, with 7 classes of use. Class 1 waters are waters used for domestic consumption (MPCA 4, n.d.). According to Minnesota Statute § 7050.0220, the acceptable level for sulfate is 250 mg/L in Class 1 …

Aquatic Invertebrate Populations In Roadside Wetlands In Relation To Water Characteristics, Ellen P. Isakson

Journal of Earth and Life Science

The continual habitat destruction and draining of wetland systems makes the need to understand the ecology of roadside wetlands all the more necessary. Roadside wetlands provide valuable habitat to countless aquatic invertebrates, which can provide insight into the health of the wetland system due to their diversity. The objective of this study was to analyze the populations of aquatic invertebrates in roadside wetlands in relation to water characteristics such as pH, salinity, conductivity, water depth and temperature, and dissolved oxygen. This was done by collecting samples of invertebrate populations from roadside wetlands, in addition to data on water quality characteristics …

Consumption Pressure In Estuaries Peaks At Intermediate Salinities, Catherine E. De Rivera, Amy A. Larson, Benjamin G. Rubinoff, Luna R. Soto, Seth L. Wright, Edwin D. Grosholz, Gregory M. Ruiz, Andrew L. Chang

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The nature and strength of biotic interactions change along stress gradients, but the importance of these interactions across estuarine gradients is under studied. Here, we examined how consumption varies across estuarine salinity gradients by deploying standardized baits (‘squidpops’) to measure consumption pressure along the gradients of five estuaries in Oregon, USA. The relationship between consumption and stress was nonlinear: consumption pressure peaked slightly at mid salinity and decreased at low salinity, especially as temperature increased, in the five estuaries studied. This finding does not support either of two existing models for consumption across gradients, including the Consumer Stress Model and …

Selective Nutrient Incorporation May Underestimate Heterotrophy Of A Mixotrophic Reef-Building Coral, Connor R. Love, Marleen Stuhr, Michael D. Fox, Veronica Z. Radice, Maoz Fine, Kelton W. Mcmahon, David L. Valentine

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mixotrophic reef-building corals acquire nutrition via photosynthate translocation from endosymbiotic microalgae and by heterotrophic prey/particle capture. Heterotrophy promotes resistance to, and recovery from, environmental stress, but quantifying coral heterotrophy remains difficult due to complex resource exchanges within the coral holobiont. We interrogated the response of multiple biomarkers to coral heterotrophy using fatty acid profiling and stable isotope analysis of Stylophora pistillata grown along a controlled feeding gradient from pure autotrophy to pure heterotrophy. We found that fatty acids and nitrogen were effectively incorporated into both coral host and symbiont tissues, while carbon, which is the primary target for conventional heterotrophy …

Swimming In Sh*T: Quantifying Lagoon Flushing Impacts On Fecal Indicator Bacteria In Surf Zones Of Three Beaches On The East End Of Long Island, Ny, Brody C. Eggert

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis investigates how lagoon flushing influences fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations—specifically enterococcus bacteria—in the surf zones of East Hampton and Southampton, New York. Focusing on the coastal lagoons of Georgica Pond, Sagg Pond, and Mecox Bay, the study analyzes how episodic inlet openings and environmental conditions affect enterococcus levels at adjacent recreational beaches. Using over 700 observations from the Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) database, I construct a series of statistical models ranging from ordinary least squares to mixed effects frameworks; this thesis shows my process in developing this model. My analysis reveals that open inlets between …

Valuating The Impact Of Unexploded Ordnance (Uxo) In Savannakhet, Laos Through Ecosystem Services Assessments, Nathan Lu

Pitzer Senior Theses

Unexploded ordnance (UXO) impact on countries is not well-documented, since post-war surveys or data collection are often hindered by a lack of appropriate funding and reparation. In Laos, UXO has hardly been cleared since 1964 and thus leaves room for spatially and temporally analyzing the severity of environmental and economic degradation in the area. This study uses the framework of ecosystem services, particularly carbon stock, as a way to provide quantitative metrics of impact to local governments and stakeholders. Through remote sensing data in Savannakhet Province, evidence-based land-use change data was spatially analyzed with geocoded UXO bomb mission locations and …

Restoring Rattlesnake Creek: Using Citizen Science To Assess The Ecological And Morphological Impacts Of Dam Removal In Western Montana, Bethany Blakey

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

As dam removals increase in frequency across the U.S., most research has focused on the impact of larger dam removals, despite the removal of small dams being much more common. Given the hundreds of small dams in Montana, this research uses citizen science data collected over eight years spanning before and after a 2020 small dam removal in Rattlesnake Creek, Montana, to investigate impact on stream ecology and morphology. We analyzed pebble count grain size distributions and aquatic macroinvertebrate biotic indices from 2017 to 2024 to assess changes in sediment transport and macroinvertebrate population as well as evaluate the efficacy …

Analyzing Seasonal Wind Trends And Climate Change Impacts Along The East Coast Of The United States (1990-2022), Avery L. Wilson

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study investigates long-term trends in ocean wind intensity and variability along the U.S. East Coast between 1990 and 2022 using ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis data. Focusing on monthly maximum, mean, and standard deviation (STD) of wind speed at 10 meters above the surface, linear regressions were performed to analyze long-term trends. Results indicate a significant increase in wind intensity and variability in the northeastern region, particularly during winter months, which may forecast more frequent and intense cyclonic activity such as Nor’easters. Conversely, a weak decreasing trend was observed in the south. These shifts have implications for ocean-atmosphere dynamics, including vertical …

Geochemical Assessment Of Sediment Flux In A Sediment Core From A Tidal Flat In A Tropical Estuary, Olumide Ajulo

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Sediment flux in estuaries is influenced by both natural processes and anthropogenic activities. Understanding the historical and current trends in sediment flux inputs and geochemical composition are essential for evaluating the estuary’s response to natural and human-induced changes and for developing effective environmental management strategies. The tropical Wouri Estuary in Cameroon receives water and sediment inputs from three main rivers draining urban, industrial, and agricultural areas, as well as different rock terrains. The complex inputs into the estuary can significantly affect sediment flux, consequently impacting the ecosystem. Thereby making an understanding of the temporal variations in sediment inputs in the …

Draft Final Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Unreclaimed Sites: Ur-03 Site Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Berkeley Pit And Discharge Pilot Project Quarterly Pilot Project Report Third Quarter 2024, Atlantic Richfield Company, Mark Thompson

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Thermal Stratification Patterns Of A Shallow Polymictic Boreal Shield Lake And The Effectiveness Of Models In Predicting Shallow Lake Thermal Profiles, Matthew Roberts

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Thermal stratification is a core process of lakes which plays a critical role in shaping the ecological dynamics of lakes, influencing major processes like nutrient cycling and oxygen availability. For shallow polymictic lakes, thermal stratification patterns present some unique differences due to the complex and variable nature of these lakes. In this thesis, I examined thermal stratification in a shallow polymictic lake in northwestern Ontario during the ice-free season of 2019 to investigate the frequency, duration, and driving factors of thermal stratification. The lake underwent 146 separate stratification events, with a median duration of 2 hours per event, with a …

Comprehensive Analysis Of Environmental Particulate Matter: Chemical Composition And Microbial Assessment, Uyen T. L. Le

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Rapid industrialization and population growth have contributed to a decline in air quality, with particulate matter (PM) posing particular concern. PM originates from both natural and human sources and often contains toxic chemicals and microorganisms, including potential pathogens. Inhalation of PM is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, underscoring the need to characterize better its chemical and biological composition in understudied region - Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The present thesis is a culmination of three main parts. Part 1 will describe the use of the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay to quantify the oxidative potential of PM through DTT consumption of redox-active field …

An Economic And Production Analysis Of Seaweed Farms In California And The Pacific Northwest, Brian Donovan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Since the early 2010s, the seaweed aquaculture industry has steadily expanded in the United States, with states like Alaska, Maine, Hawaii, and Connecticut leading the way in the development of this emerging sector. However, information gaps remain concerning certain aspects of the domestic seaweed aquaculture industry. The purpose of this study was to examine the status of the seaweed aquaculture industry along the West Coast of the United States; specifically in the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Seaweed farmers in these states were invited to voluntarily complete surveys asking important production, economic, and commercial questions regarding their operations. Data …

The Relationship Between Plant Density And Microplastic Concentration In The Water In Lake Bemidji, Mn, Arian Garcia

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Microplastics, plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, are an increasing environmental threat, particularly due to their widespread distribution and toxicity. While much research has focused on larger freshwater and marine ecosystems, the presence and impacts of microplastics in smaller inland lakes remain less understood. This study investigates the relationship between plant density and microplastic concentrations in Lake Bemidji, a smaller freshwater lake. A total of 30 water samples were collected across varying vegetation conditions, ranging from open water (0%) to 90% plant coverage. Microplastics were identified and categorized into six morphological types: fibers, fragments, films, spheres/beads, and foam. The samples …

Does Depth Affect Zebra Mussel Length In Scalp Lake?, Zanden Mellen

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Since its first sighting in 1996, zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha have been confirmed in hundreds of Minnesota lakes. Not only were they found in lakes, but they are also found in rivers too. With lack of effective treatments to impede their spread, zebra mussels continue to colonize new areas causing ecological as well as economic harm. The objective of this study was to see if there was a relationship between a zebra mussel length and the depth, they are found using shell length (mm) and depth (cm). The comparison of zebra mussel length and depth was done by performing a …

The Signal Of Airplane Combustion In Soil At A Small Airport In Ohio, Rachel Engels

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Leaded gas has been banned for automobile use in the interest of public health since 1996. However, leaded gas is still used for small piston aircraft so the engine can run safely. To investigate potential environmental impacts of leaded gas, 90 soil samples were taken from around a small airport in Ohio. Soil elemental composition was measured by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), soil organic content determined by Loss-on-Ignition (LOI), and soil ferrimagnetic content measured by magnetic susceptibility. There is an unmistakable airplane fuel combustion signal in the soil at the ends of the runway, where aircraft wait to take off on …

Cover Crops Can Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions From No-Till Maize In Southern Brazil: Insights From A Long-Term Field Experiment, Guilherme Rosa Da Silva, Adam J. Liska, Cimélio Bayer

Adam Liska Papers

Brazil is one of the countries that has the most agricultural area under no-till (NT) management. This research study aims to evaluate life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from maize (M) grain production in agroecosystems that used different cover crops under NT management in southern Brazil. The data for this study were from a long-term 41-year field experiment in southern Brazil. The long-term experiment evaluated the effects of fallow (F) and cover crops (oat (O), vetch (V), cowpea (B), pigeon pea (P), and lablab (L)) on nitrous oxide and methane emissions and soil carbon (C) sequestration in maize agroecosystems. Five cropping …

Complexity, Polycentricity, And Climate Change: An Embedded, Multi-Level Case Study Of A Climate Meta-Network, Timothy Staub

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The earth is in crisis, and without urgent, systemic, and collective global action to address the emerging threat of climate change, we will continue to see catastrophic events impacting humanity, threatening our very survival in many regions of the world. Temperatures will rise, ice shelves will melt, seas will rise, crops will fail, water scarcity from drought and new weather patterns will increase and spread, wildfires will accelerate, and food and water insecurity, violence, and the largest human migration in history will ensue. These climate crises will displace over 1.2 billion people by 2050 at a rate currently exceeding 21.5 …

Seeds In A Pluriverse: Visakha Society For The Protection And Care Of Animals Inclusive Praxis Toward Self-Determined Just Socio-Ecological Territories, Priya Tallam

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

My dissertation focuses on my thesis question: How might an NGO’s grassroots efforts in urban Visakhapatnam, India, propagate living justly with animals we encounter and severely Othered humans, beyond attitudes of guardianship, mitigating universalized harms to nature and society? In a transdisciplinary approach examining grassroots programs, my phenomenological study breaks down an animal advocate’s assertive practices of—inclusivity and decolonialized lived norms, which persistently transcend cultural antagonisms of caste, ability, gender, sex, class, and form/species—toward creating just pluriversal multispecies communities in Visakhapatnam. Universalized urbanization across the planet has driven irreversible socio-ecological transformation marked by record ecosystem decline. Sustaining the urban via …

Canary In The Alpine: Shifts In Snowbed Plant Communities Over Time In The Adirondack Mountains Of New York, Katie Rhodes

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Due to their unique species diversity and vulnerability, alpine snowbed communities have the potential to serve as early detection or ‘canary’ communities that can inform scientific understanding of the timing and physical manifestation of a changing alpine ecosystem. In the summer of 2008, fifteen alpine snowbed vegetation community transects over 5 mountain summits were established and studied in the High Peaks Wilderness Complex within the Adirondack State Park by the New York Natural Heritage Program. Each transect was 5 meters long and encompassed five 1x1 meter subplots. These transects were relocated and surveyed again in the summer of 2024 in …

Final Horseshoe Bend Effluent Line (Hbel) Discharge Structure Surface Enhancements Work Plan, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Draft Final Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area Repository Data Gap Data Summary Report (Dsr), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

This Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area (SBCCA) Repository Data Gap Data Summary Report (DSR) presents the results from the soil sampling activities conducted as specified in the SBCCA Repository Data Gap Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) (referred to herein as the SBCCA Repository Data Gap QAPP; Atlantic Richfield Company, 2024). The information presented in this DSR includes laboratory analytical results from subsurface soil sampling collected from Buffalo Gulch (BG), Butte Reduction Works (BRW), Diggings East (DE), and Northside Tailings (NST) within the SBCCA. This DSR was prepared by Pioneer Technical Services, Inc. (Pioneer), 1101 S. Montana Street, Butte, Montana 59701 …

Revised Final Multi-Pathway Residential Metals Abatement Program Plan, Atlantic Richfield Company, Butte Silver Bow

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Coral Porites Lutea As A Regional And Local Proxy For Sea Surface Temperature In Hong Kong, And The Effects Of Typhoons On Proxy Accuracy, Brenna E. Bell

CMC Senior Theses

Proxies related to the climate have been used as a method to observe long-term changes occurring underwater that span long before we had the capability to measure environmental characteristics. Porites corals have been used as sea surface temperature (SST) proxies due to annual cyclicity in their growth process and mineral composition. As the climate differs globally, it is important to ensure that proxies are accurate regardless of location to measure changes in climate. This study examines Porites lutea corals as an SST proxy in the region of Hong Kong. Potential local differences in SST proxy calibrations within the surrounding waters …

Multi-Sensor Data Fusion And Gis-Drastic Integration For Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment With Rainfall Consideration, Wu Jiazhe, Dai Xinrui, Su Yangcheng, Zheng Xiangtian, Bushra Ghaffar, Rabiya Nasir, Ahsan Jamil, Zeeshan Zafar, Mohammad Suhail Meer, M. Abdullah-Al-Wadud, Rahila Naseer, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In many areas of the world, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, groundwater is the primary source of fresh water, and it supplies around one-third of the world's fresh water. Agriculture is the primary economic sector on the coast in the southern district (Nowshera). More food productivity is required due to the expanding population and diminishing agricultural lands, which increases the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in farming. The current study was conducted in northwestern parts of Pakistan to evaluate the impacts of the frequent use of pesticides and fertilizers in agricultural fields. Nine hydrogeological parameters were considered, and …