Environmental Monitoring Commons^™

Identifying Intangible And Biocultural Heritage Elements Toward Environmental Understanding: Engaging Stakeholders Through Art, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Grounded in a case study in Barbuda in the Caribbean, this research examines sustainability from the perspective of what arts and heritage can contribute to community engagement and local and broader understandings about the environment. This article documents a growing body of literature recognizing the role of arts and culture, including local knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), in climate change endeavors. Art and TEK present expansive world views. Contextual information situates research done on the island of Barbuda pre- and post-Hurricane Irma. Visual arts workshops engaged community members in mixed methods research. Results documented cultural elements, particularly intangible and …

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 …

Estimating The Carbon Footprint Of Sheep Production In Western Australia, Tafesse Estifanos, Christophe D'Abbadie, Johnny Machon, Amir Abadi Abadi Ghadim, Gus Manatsa, Paul Mattingley, Ross Kingwell, Kevin Foster

Farm Systems and Economics published reports

Western Australia’s broadacre mixed farming systems combine cropping and sheep production and are the largest component of the state’s agricultural sector. The south west Western Australia (WA) agricultural area hosts about 98% of the state's sheep flock. The sheep industry contributed $1.5 billion to the state’s economy in 2021-22 and accounts for about a quarter of on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Most sheep industry emissions (over 80%) come from methane produced by the sheep. Despite this environmental impact, only 9.9% of Australian sheep producers have estimated their emissions, which limits the industry's ability to monitor and manage carbon footprints effectively. …

The Role Of Floodplain Complexity In Wood Turtle Habitat Use, Laura S. Deming

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Wood turtles occupy cold, low-gradient riverine habitat throughout the northeastern United State and southeastern Canada. Stream alterations, such as dams, channel straightening, and floodplain development have diminished the natural hydrologic and sedimentation regimes that result in complex channel and floodplain geomorphology. Studies throughout the species’ range have quantified many aspects of their habitat, but none have quantified components of geomorphology of wood turtle sites. The goal of this study was to explore the role of stream channel and floodplain geomorphology in wood turtle habitat use, with specific objectives to (1) quantify components of stream channel and floodplain geomorphic complexity, (2) …

Impact Of Urban Development On Uv Exposure: A Clustering And Machine Learning Assessment, Taufik Roni Sahroni Mr., Verdi Yasin, Lulut Alfaris, Reza Ariefka, Ruben Cornelius Siagian, Mohammad Alfin Karim, Nana Rahdiana, Ade Suhara

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

The relocation of Indonesia's capital city is anticipated to promote inclusive economic growth while embracing cultural diversity. However, this transition may affect ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure patterns. The study investigated variations in UV exposure in the IKN region, focusing on urban development factors such as land use and population density that affect public health, sun protection, and skin cancer prevention. The research hypothesized that UV radiation is significantly correlated with these factors. UV Index data from 2010-2023, a hierarchical clustering method, identifies complex data patterns without determining the number of clusters. XGBoost, a machine learning model, was used for handling …

Action Logic And Agenda Game Of Global Methane Emission Control And China’S Countermeasures, Bo Zhang, Jinling Guo, Bing Zhong, Junlian Gao, Guosheng Zhang, He Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Originated from the global response to climate change, methane emission control has evolved into a focus of international climate negotiations in recent years. At present, the agenda for controlling methane emission in global climate governance is basically taking shape, but in the process of shifting from scientific consensus to political consensus, the content of the topic and the focus of the game continue to evolve. To carry out global action, it is necessary to address issues such as the allocation of responsibilities, international rules, climate investment and financing, and risk prevention, as well as the basic capacity guarantees behind them. …

Scientifically Improving Human-Nature Relationship In Desertification Areas, Bojie Fu, Yanxu Liu, Shuai Wang, Junfeng Song, Zejiang Li

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The expansion trend of desertification in China has been fundamentally restrained. In the new era, scientifically improving the relationship between human and nature in desertification areas to promote regional sustainable development has become an important demand for desertification combat in China. We summarize four key challenges to sustainable development in desertification areas, including increasing human demand on water, increasing land use intensity, increasing climatic risk, and insufficient industrial innovation. Based on the theoretical understanding of the coupling relationship between human and nature, the evolution of human-nature relationship in combating desertification can be divided into four stages, namely, extensive land exploitation, …

Overall Promotion Of Integrated Management And Utilization Of Saline-Alkali Land In Northwest China: Conditions, Challenges, And Recommendations, Qi Feng, Xinwei Yin, Meng Zhu, Jutao Zhang, Wei Liu, Haiyang Xi, Tengfei Yu, Linshan Yang, Wen Liu, Zhixiang Lu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Cultivated land is the lifeblood of grain production and the foundation for food security. Saline-alkali land in Northwest China is an important cultivated land reserve resource and a potential granary for guaranteeing national food security, so the high-quality promotion of comprehensive management and utilization of saline-alkali land in Northwest China is a strategic measure to achieve the goal of “storing grain in land and technology”. Based on a profound understanding of the great significance for promoting the integrated management and utilization of saline-alkali land in Northwest China, this study systematically summarizes the quantity, distribution pattern, and utilization potential of saline-alkali …

And Climate Justice For All

DePaul Magazine

DePaul is taking its environmental sustainability and equity prowess to the next level through its Just DePaul and President's Sustainability Committee initiatives that incorporate a climate action plan and student voices. Plus, community partnership courses that involve students in environmental action and justice efforts.

Assessing University Students' Behavior Toward Environmental Sustainability In Pakistan; A Case Study Of Islamabad And Rawalpindi, Shahla Rani

CBER Conference

The rising temperature and unsustainable environmental conditions are worldwide issues, posing critical threats to the ecosystem and human well-being. According to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2022, Pakistan ranks second last among 180 countries, highlighting severe environmental challenges. This study aims to understand the current state of students' behavior toward the environment using the theory of planned behavior. By understanding these behaviors, the research seeks to determine whether students' actions align with sustainable practices. Additionally, the study will review environmental policies in Pakistan and internationally, focusing on the extent to which these policies incorporate behavioral aspects. This research intends to …

Structure Modifications And Alternative Monitoring Designs Of Wildlife Road Mitigation Structures, Madison T. Nadler

Theses and Dissertations

Wildlife mitigation structures are designed to keep animals off roadways while providing them safe passage to the other side and not impeding traffic flow. Camera traps are commonly used to assess the success of these mitigation structures, but there are downfalls to both the methods and structures. Alternative mitigation structure designs are needed to better prevent wildlife from accessing roadways in areas where they should be deterred. Additionally, traditional camera trapping methods do not accurately capture the full wildlife communities that may be utilizing these structures and other survey methods are needed, specifically aimed at small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. …

Optimization For Qinghai-Xizang Plateau Ecological Security Barrier System, Bojie Fu, Yanxu Liu, Wenwu Zhao, Xiaoming Feng, Shiliang Liu, Chiyuan Miao, Xuhui Wang, Chunyang He, Changjia Li, Aizhong Ye, Zhongmin Hu, Zhifeng Liu, Dingyang Zhou

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The ecological security barrier system is a composite system to maintain ecological security and sustainable development within and outside the region. This system enables the maintenance of the structure and function of the ecosystem in the ecological security barrier region relatively shielded from or minimally impacted by external environmental threats, so that forms a multilevel and orderly stable pattern. Over the period from 2000 to 2020, the ecosystem water conservation function was on the rise, and the soil conservation function, net ecosystem productivity, and habitat quality were generally stable in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Comparing the previous three national parks and …

Yellow Crazy Ant, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) are believed to be native to west Africa or Asia. They are not present in Western Australia (WA) and are prohibited.

Yellow crazy ants were first observed in Australia in the early 1900’s on the Cocos-Keeling Islands and Christmas Island, where they have now caused a massive decline in the population of iconic red crabs. More recently, they have been recorded in Queensland, the Northern Territory (NT), and New South Wales (NSW).

Satellite Observations Indicate That Chia Uses Less Water Than Other Crops In Warm Climates, Brian Kirsch, Joshua B. Fisher, Thomas Piechota, Mohammad Hassani, Diego C. Suardiaz, Radhika Puri, Joseph Cahill, Hagop S. Atamian

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Many parts of the world face severe and prolonged drought conditions, stressing the sustainability of water resources and agriculture. Transitioning to water-efficient crops is one strategy that can help adapt to water scarcity. An emerging drought-tolerant crop of interest is chia (Salvia hispanica). Yet, no study has compared its large-scale water use dynamics to those of widely established crops across the globe. Here, we use satellite data over multiple years to assess the water use efficiency of chia, alfalfa, corn, and soybean globally. Results show that chia consumed 13-38% less water than alfalfa, corn, and soy and assimilated …

A Step By Step Shoreline Attribute Analysis For Selected Waterbodies In The Gulf Of Mexico To Promote The Use Of Living Shorelines, Christoper Boyd, Xutong Niu, Taylor R. Horn

Journal of Extension

Living Shorelines are being promoted by coastal extension professionals as a more resilient nature-based solution to control shoreline erosion. The Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences Living Shorelines Suitability Model was run in selected waterbodies within the Gulf of Mexico.

The locations of the selected water bodies, coastal data sets used, and shoreline protection recommendations generated by the Model are presented. A step-by-step statistical analysis conducted through ArcGIS Pro from these selected coastal shorelines will illustrate how extension professionals with novice GIS experience can use the model output to promote living shorelines to coastal property owners, city managers, and developers.

Impact Of Land Use Dynamics On The Water Yields In The Gorgan River Basin, Masoomeh Yaghoobi, Aram Fathi, Shahryar Fazli, Wenzhao Li, Elham Haghshenas, Vahid Shokri Kuchak, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

This research investigates the future dynamics of water yield services in the Gorgan River Basin in the North of Iran by analyzing land cover changes from 1990 to 2020, using Landsat images and predicting up to 2040 with the Land Change Modeler and InVEST model under three scenarios: continuation, conservation, and mitigation. The results indicate significant shifts in agricultural land impacted water yields, which fluctuated from 324.7 million cubic meters (MCM) in 1990 to 279.7 MCM in 2010, before rising to 320.1 MCM by 2020. The study uniquely assesses the effects of land use changes on water yields, projecting a …

Mapping Urban Tree Canopy Using Publicly Available Satellite Data, Rosemary Mcguinness

Theses and Dissertations

This project addresses the need for accessible, cost-effective tools for quantifying spatial and temporal changes in tree canopy cover in urban areas. Urban tree canopy provides a wide range of ecosystem services, including lowering air temperatures, reducing pollution, and mitigating stormwater runoff. Cities around the world have placed the expansion of their urban forests at the center of their sustainability goals. Consistent and timely data on urban tree canopy is essential for urban greening initiatives to succeed. Existing methods of accessing information about urban tree canopy are highly technical, costly, and labor-intensive, while the freely available source of tree canopy …

Green Transition Situations And Development Suggestions For Upstream Petroleum Industry, Lirong Dou, Feng Gao, Yun Peng, Xi Wang, Liang Xiong

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

In the current global energy transition process, which is accelerating overall but with further uncertainty, the global oil and gas industry is showing four major trends: a shift in business structure from oil and gas dominance to multi-energy complementarity, a shift in market structure from globalization to differentiation between the Eastern and Western hemispheres, a shift in policy orientation from radical transition to orderly development, and an expansion of technological innovation from traditional to emerging fields. Governments of various countries and international oil companies have made adjustments to policies, strategic goals, implementation paths, and other aspects based on their own …

Learning From “Nature-Based Solutions” To Promote Optimal Management Of Integrated Ecological Conservation And Restoration In Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, Jun Wang, Bojie Fu, Xiao Zhang, Yanxu Liu, Wenwu Zhao

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau plays an important role as an ecological security barrier for China and the world, where the ecological environment has generally improved in recent years. Nevertheless, the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau still faces management challenges in dealing with the three relationships, namely, key problems and coordinated governance, natural recovery and artificial restoration, and high-quality development and high-level protection. This study proposes the application of “Nature-based Solutions” for adaptive management, including the implementation of ecological protection and restoration planning based on the “three-scale framework”, the ecological protection and restoration projects adaptation management under climate change and human disturbance based on quantitative …

A Comparative Analysis Of Openet For Evaluating Evapotranspiration In California Almond Orchards, Kyle Knipper, Martha Anderson, Nicholas Bambach, Forrest Melton, Zac Ellis, Yun Yang, John Volk, Andrew J. Mcelrone, William Kustas, Matthew Roby, Will Carrara, Sebastian Castro, Ayse Kilic, Joshua B. Fisher, Anderson Ruhoff, Gabriel B. Senay, Charles Morton, Sebastian Saa, Richard G. Allen

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The almond industry in California faces water management challenges that are being exacerbated by droughts, climate change, and groundwater sustainability legislation. The Tree-crop Remote sensing of Evapotranspiration eXperiment (T-REX) aims to explore opportunities to improve precision irrigation management for woody perennial cropping systems. Almond orchards in the California Central Valley were equipped with eddy covariance flux measurements to evaluate satellite remote sensing-based evapotranspiration (RSET) models. OpenET provides high-resolution (30-m spatial and daily temporal) RSET data, synthesizing decades of research for practical water management. This study provides an evaluation of OpenET performance at six almond sites covering a large range in …

Microplastic Pollution In Stormwater: Preliminary Findings From The Oregon Coast, Jazmine Compton

University Honors Theses

Microplastics have become ubiquitous in marine environments and pose a risk to ecosystem, organismal, and human health. Stormwater runoff has been suggested to be a major contributor to marine microplastic pollution. This project aims to quantify the average concentration of microplastics in stormwater in a community on the Oregon Coast. To accomplish this, stormwater samples were collected from five sites in Cannon Beach, Oregon, and one sample was analyzed using a dissection microscope. Using this technique, the number, size, and composition of the microplastic particles were determined. The calculated concentration of microplastics in the stormwater sample was 12.21 MPs/L, and …

Agricultural Groundcover Update May 2024, Justin Laycock

Natural resources published reports

• In May, over 9% (1,410,000 ha) of the arable farmland in the south-west of Western Australia had less than 50% vegetative groundcover, which is inadequate to prevent wind erosion.
• Northern grainbelt had the highest risk of wind erosion and over 26% of this farmland had inadequate groundcover, predominantly found on landscapes known for sandy soils.
• About 1.3% (208,900 ha) of arable land had a high to very high risk of wind erosion because groundcover was less than 30%. Half of this land was in the West Midlands Ag Soil Zone.

Agricultural Groundcover Update April 2024, Justin Laycock

Natural resources published reports

• In April, over 12% (1,876,000 ha) of the arable farmland in the south-west of Western Australia had less than 50% vegetative groundcover, which is inadequate to prevent wind erosion.
• Northern grainbelt had the highest risk of wind erosion and over 26% of this farmland had inadequate groundcover, predominantly found on landscapes known for sandy soils.
• About 1.5% (238,900 ha) of arable land had a high to very high risk of wind erosion because groundcover was less than 30%.

Exploring Microplastic Concentrations And The Sedimentology Of San Diego's Offshore Benthic Environments, Rachel Sarner

Theses

Marine pollution studies are showing infiltration of plastic debris in remote parts of oceans including the deep sea. Microplastics (MPs) are being discovered not only in the ocean’s water column but also benthic sediments reaching thousands of meters in depth. This is the first study to analyze MP concentrations in conjunction with sedimentary characteristics from varying deep-sea environments (coastal, deep ocean, offshore terrace) in the Southern California Continental Borderland (CCB). Our goal for this study was to observe how the concentration and type (morphology, color, size) of microplastics varied with distance from shore, with water depth, and between different submarine …

Progress And Challenges Of Sustainable Development Goals (Sdgs) In The World And In China, Bojie Fu, Junze Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by United Nations is a critical task for countries around the world from 2016 to 2030. Yet, recent assessments indicate that progress on half of the SDGs has stagnated or even regressed, and that most goals are unlikely to be met by 2030. This study reviews the progress globally and in China towards achieving the 17 SDGs, and summarizes five key challenges that are impinging their realization: 1) the data gaps and insufficient monitoring capacity, 2) the high complexity of interlinkages among the SDGs, 3) the influence of regional disparities and negative …

Climate Change In Mississippi: A Journalistic Exploration Of Education And Activism, Kala Nance

Honors Theses

Climate Change in Mississippi: A Journalistic Exploration of Education and Activism takes an investigative, journalistic approach toward climate change in Mississippi. Specifically, how education and awareness have a direct impact on Mississippi industries, people and legislation. The project explored the level of acknowledgement of climate change across the state, and how certain individuals used advocacy to encourage education about climate change to raise awareness of the severity of the situation. This project includes interviews with university professors and researchers, non-profit organizations, educational groups and working individuals in some of Mississippi’s largest areas of employment. Additionally, this project draws on research …

Identifying High-Value Tactical Livestock Decisions On A Mixed Enterprise Farm In A Variable Environment, Michael Young, John Young, Ross S. Kingwell, Philip E. Vercoe

Animal production and livestock research articles

Context

Australia is renowned for its climate variation, featuring years with drought and years with floods, which result in significant production and profit variability. Accordingly, to maximise profitability, dryland farming systems need to be dynamically managed in response to unfolding weather conditions.

Aims

The aim of this study is to identify and quantify optimal tactical livestock management for different weather-years.

Methods

This study employed a whole-farm optimisation model to analyse a representative mixed enterprise farm located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. Using this model, we investigated the economic significance of five key livestock management tactics. These included …

Agricultural Groundcover Update March 2024, Justin Laycock

Natural resources published reports

• In March, over 10% (1,577,000 ha) of the arable farmland in the south-west of Western Australia had less than 50% vegetative groundcover, which is inadequate to prevent wind erosion.

• The northern grainbelt had the highest risk of wind erosion and over 20% of this farmland had inadequate groundcover.

• About 1.3% (191,000 ha) of arable land had a high to very high risk of wind erosion because groundcover was less than 30%.

Assessing Sustainability Within The Brewing Industry: A Literature Review And Benchmarking Analysis., Elijah Thomas Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goals of this study were twofold: to further examine sustainability within the brewing industry through a literature analysis across four academic journals, and a benchmarking analysis of a Louisville, Kentucky brewery’s resource consumption and emissions production. Publications related to the brewing industry were examined for the presence of sustainability keywords: “efficiency, sustainability, carbon footprint, climate change and greenhouse gas”. Benchmarking examined the local brewery’s primary production facility to determine their performance compared to other surveyed breweries pursuing sustainability across the country. Literature examination found noticeable discrepancies between the appearance of sustainability topics within article abstracts and their discussion within …

Agricultural Groundcover Update February 2024, Justin Laycock

Natural resources published reports

• About 92% of the grainbelt had adequate (more than 50%) vegetative groundcover to prevent wind erosion in February 2024.

• Nearly 8% of the grainbelt (1,193,400 ha) had less than 50% groundcover, which is inadequate to prevent wind erosion.

• The northern grainbelt had the highest risk of wind erosion and 16.5% of this farmland had inadequate groundcover.

• Less than 0.7% of the grainbelt had a high to very high risk of wind erosion because groundcover was less than 30%.