Environmental Monitoring Commons^™

Flooding, Not Just A Rain Problem, Annisha Singh

Capstones

This capstone focuses on the Rockaway Peninsula and how high-tide flooding also known as "sunny-day flooding" is not only affecting Rockaway but neighboring areas, such as Jamaica Bay.

The Floodnet Community Engagement Guide, Véronëque Ignace, Sofia Mariyamis, Kendra Krueger, Polly Pierone, Hayley Elszasz, Hannah Eisler Burnett

The Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay, SRIJB

"At the Intersection of Science, Policy, and Community: The FloodNet NYC Community Engagement Strategy” is a public-facing community engagement guide that documents the strategies, tools, and lessons developed through FloodNet NYC, a cross-sector partnership among researchers at NYU and CUNY and New York City agencies. Designed as a practical resource, this guide shares our approach to community engagement and dissemination so that researchers, practitioners, community organizations, and public agencies can adapt these methods to their own urban climate science projects and other community-centered efforts that address climate challenges.

Grounded in community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles, the guide presents community engagement …

Unveiling The Vital Role Of Blue Carbon In Mangroves: Understanding Environmental Influences, Jahnelle Howe

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Mangrove ecosystems provide essential ecological services, including carbon sequestration, coastal protection, and heavy metal retention. However, their resilience and functionality are increasingly influenced by hurricanes, climate variability, and anthropogenic contamination. This dissertation integrates three research efforts examining mangrove canopy dynamics, carbon storage, and heavy metal contamination in two Puerto Rican mangrove systems: La Parguera and Laguna Grande.

Using remote sensing techniques (LiDAR and NDVI analysis), we assessed the impact of Hurricane Maria (Category 4, 2017) on mangrove canopy structure and vegetation health. Results revealed significant canopy height loss, with greater damage at Laguna Grande, where pre-storm canopy height and human …

Tracing The Sources Of Nitrogen In Submarine Groundwater Discharge And Primary Producers In The Great South Bay Estuary, Nia H. Rene

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The primary aim of this research was to elucidate the impact of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and septic effluent on coastal primary producers in the Great South Bay (GSB). The study focused on three main objectives: assessing the impact of precipitation patterns on SGD, tracing nitrogen sources into the GSB, and determining the impact of these nitrogen sources on coastal primary producers. The research revealed that current precipitation patterns significantly influence SGD across different seasons, highlighting the seasonal variability in groundwater discharge and its implications for nutrient loading in coastal waters. A suite of tracers was employed to identify and …

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 …

Development Of An Quadcopter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle For Atmospheric Remote Sensing, Omar J. Addasi

Dissertations and Theses

This paper explores the development of a quadcopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, a.k.a. drone) for atmospheric remote sensing of temperature, pressure, humidity, and PM2.5 particulate matter quantities. A 3-D printed drone body is designed and flight tuning is performed. An optimal length for an upward extending mast for the drone body is determined. Low cost, lightweight sensors are compared against higher precision sensors in both static and dynamic conditions. In addition, an initial investigation into the design of a pressure sensor based anemometer is performed.

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 …

Low Elevation Coastal Zone (Lecz) Population Social Vulnerability And Risk: A Spatial Analysis Based On The 2015-16 National Family Health Survey (Nfhs-4) Of India, Paradorn Wongchanapai

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background & Problem Statement:

This study assessed social vulnerability and risk to hydroclimate hazards of Indian urban and rural populations in the Low Elevation Coastal Zone (LECZ), a contiguous coastal area with elevations less than 10 meters. The LECZ is considered an at-risk area as hydroclimate hazards tend to be heightened. Moreover, being the most populous country in the world, any hydroclimate hazards that hit the LECZ would disproportionately impact a large number of Indian populations. Understanding the social vulnerability and risk of the LECZ populations can help mitigate and prevent potential adverse outcomes for the populations.

Importantly, this study …

Analyzing The Effects Of Data Variability & Volume On Predicting Particulate Matter (Pm2.5): Insights From A Machine Learning Approach, Jada A. Macharie

Theses and Dissertations

Accurately predicting PM_2.5 concentrations are imperative to the future of public health and environmental policies. Machine learning models incorporating spatial and temporal datasets to predict PM_2.5 are often limited by data availability constraints and poor resolution satellite imagery.

Uncertainties In Retrieval Of Remote Sensing Reflectance From Ocean Color Satellite Observations, Eder I. Herrera Estrella

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Ocean Color radiometry uses remote sensing to interpret ocean dynamics by retrieving remote sensing reflectance (������) from satellite imagery at different scales and over different time periods. ������ spectrum characterizes the ocean color that we observe, and from which we can discern concentrations of chlorophyll, organic and inorganic particles, and carbon fluxes in the ocean and atmosphere. ������ is derived from the total radiance at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). However, it only represents up to ten percent of the total signal. Hence, the retrieval of ������ from the total radiance at TOA involves the application of atmospheric correction …

Characterization Of Boreal-Arctic Vegetation Growth Phases And Active Soil Layer Dynamics In The High-Latitudes Of North America: A Study Combining Multi-Year In Situ And Satellite-Based Observations, Michael G. Brown

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examined the seasonal freeze/thaw activity in boreal-Arctic soils and vegetation physiology in Alaska, USA and Alberta, Canada, using in situ environmental measurements and passive microwave satellite observations. The boreal-Arctic high-latitudes have been experiencing ecosystem changes more rapidly in comparison to the rest of Earth due to the presently warming climatic conditions having a magnified effect over Polar Regions. Currently, the boreal-Arctic is a carbon sink; however, recent studies indicate a shift over the next century to become a carbon source. High-latitude vegetation and cold soil dynamics are influenced by climatic shifts and are largely responsible for the regions …

Scientists And Activists Work To Save The Planet, Myriam G. Vidal Valero

Capstones

Climate change and human intervention in nature are affecting people, ecosystems and ways of living all over the world. This portfolio of environmental pieces showcases the dire consequences of not addressing these issues, how solutions can be reached and the challenges facing those who try to change things.

Ammonium Adduct Chemical Ionization To Investigate Anthropogenic Oxygenated Gas-Phase Organic Compounds In Urban Air, Peeyush Khare, Jordan E. Krechmer, Jo E. Machesky, Tori Hass-Mitchell, Cong Cao, Junqi Wang, Francesca Majluf, Felipe Lopez-Hilfiker, Sonja Malek, Will Wang, Karl Seltzer, Havala O. T. Pye, Roisin Commane, Brian C. Mcdonald, Ricardo Toledo-Crow, John E. Mak, Drew R. Gentner

Advanced Science Research Center

Volatile chemical products (VCPs) and other non-combustion-related sources have become important for urban air quality, and bottom-up calculations report emissions of a variety of functionalized compounds that remain understudied and uncertain in emissions estimates. Using a new instrumental configuration, we present online measurements of oxygenated organic compounds in a US megacity over a 10 d wintertime sampling period, when biogenic sources and photochemistry were less active. Measurements were conducted at a rooftop observatory in upper Manhattan, New York City, USA using a Vocus chemical ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer, with ammonium (NH as the reagent ion operating at 1 Hz. The …

The Interaction Of Different Primary Producers And Physical And Chemical Dynamics Of An Urban Shallow Lake, Majid Sahin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

An artificial urban shallow lake, Prospect Park Lake (PPL), is situated on a terminal moraine in Brooklyn New York, and supplied with municipal water treated with ortho-phosphates. The constant input of the phosphate nutrient is the primary source of eutrophication in the lake. The numerous pools along the water course houses various aquatic phototrophs, which influence the water quality and the state of the system, driving conditions into favoring the survival of their species. In the first half of the dissertation, the focus of the project is on analyzing how the different primary producers in different regions of PPL affect …

Legacy Lead In Urban Garden Soils: Communicating Risk And Limiting Exposure, Anna Paltseva, Zhongqi Cheng, Murray Mcbride, Maha Deeb, Sara Perl Egendorf, Peter M. Groffman

Advanced Science Research Center

Lead (Pb) exposure has long been recognized as a hazard to human health. Urban garden soils often contain elevated levels of Pb, mainly from legacy sources, which is a main barrier for urban gardening. The capacity of gardeners to access, understand, and act on scientific data related to soil contamination is also variable. This synthesis paper briefly summarizes the current scientific knowledge on soil Pb in urban gardens. Our objective is to produce clear recommendations about assessing actual risks and limiting exposure. First, we synthesize the nature and extent of soil contamination with Pb, and then describe how the bioavailability …

A Call For The Library Community To Deploy Best Practices Toward A Database For Biocultural Knowledge Relating To Climate Change, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Abstract

Purpose – In this paper, a call to the library and information science community to support documentation and conservation of cultural and biocultural heritage has been presented.

Design/methodology/approach – Based in existing Literature, this proposal is generative and descriptive— rather than prescriptive—regarding precisely how libraries should collaborate to employ technical and ethical best practices to provide access to vital data, research and cultural narratives relating to climate.

Findings – COVID-19 and climate destruction signal urgent global challenges. Library best practices are positioned to respond to climate change. Literature indicates how libraries preserve, share and cross-link cultural and scientific knowledge. …

Data Fusion And Synergy Of Active And Passive Remote Sensing; An Application For Freeze Thaw Detections, Zahra Sharifnezhadazizi

Dissertations and Theses

There has been a recent evolvement in the field of remote sensing after increase of number satellites and sensors data which could be fused to produce new data and products. These efforts are mainly focused on using of simultaneous observations from different platforms with different spatial and temporal resolutions. The research dissertation aims to enhance the synergy use of active and passive microwave observations and examine the results in detection land freeze and thaw (FT) predictions. Freeze thaw cycles particularly in high-latitude regions have a crucial role in many applications such as agriculture, biogeochemical transitions, hydrology and ecosystem studies. The …

A Framework For Near-Real Time Monitoring Of Diversity Patterns Based On Indirect Remote Sensing, With An Application In The Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, Andrea Paz, Thiago S. Silva, Ana C. Carnaval

Publications and Research

Monitoring biodiversity change is key to effective conservation policy. While it is difficult to establish in situ biodiversity monitoring programs at broad geographical scales, remote sensing advances allow for near-real time Earth observations that may help with this goal. We combine periodical and freely available remote sensing information describing temperature and precipitation with curated biological information from several groups of animals and plants in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest to design an indirect remote sensing framework that monitors potential loss and gain of biodiversity in near-real time. Using data from biological collections and information from repeated field inventories, we demonstrate that …

Characterization Of Site-Specific Vegetation Activity In Alaskan Wet And Dry Tundra As Related To Climate And Soil State, Michael Gregory Brown, Kyle C. Mcdonald, Reiner Zimmermann, Nicholas Steiner, Stephanie Devries, Laura Bourgeau-Chavez

Advanced Science Research Center

We present discrete (2-h resolution) multi-year (2008–2017) in situ measurements of seasonal vegetation growth and soil biophysical properties from two sites on Alaska's North Slope, USA, representing dry and wet sedge tundra. We examine measurements of vertical active soil layer temperature and soil moisture profiles (freeze/thaw status), woody shrub vegetation physiological activity, and meteorological site data to assess interrelationships within (and between) these two study sites. Vegetation phenophases (cold de-hardening start, physiological function start, stem growth start, stem growth end, physiological function end, cold hardening completion) were found to have greater interannual day of year (DOY) occurrence variability at the …

Determination Of Sustainable Zones For Groundwater Abstraction From The Multi-Layered Aquifer System In The Bengal Basin, Bangladesh, Anwar Zahid, Muhammad Qumrul Hassan, Nazrul I. Khandaker

Publications and Research

The use of deep groundwater (±300 m deep) is becoming an important issue in the Bengal Basin, due to both water quality problems and an acute shortage of available water in upper aquifers. In southeastern Bangladesh, multi-layered aquifer conditions exist with arsenic contamination at shallow depths, and high iron and brackish groundwater occurring mainly in the deeper layers. Many previous studies have offered explanations for the high concentrations of dissolved arsenic in groundwater - most of which proposed that the arsenic is derived from geo-genic sources and its release in groundwater is through natural processes, not the result of anthropogenic …

The Importance Of Monitoring To Assess The Impact Of Climate Change On Groundwater Resources In Bangladesh, Muhammad Qumrul Hassan, Anwar Zahid, Nazrul I. Khandaker

Publications and Research

Groundwater is the major source of fresh water across much of the world, but there has been very little study on the impacts of climate change on this precious and finite resource. Rising levels of greenhouse gases are likely to increase the global average surface temperature over the next 100 years, raise sea levels and reduce soil moisture. The amount of water stored in the soil is fundamentally important to agriculture and influences the rate of actual evaporation, groundwater recharge and runoff. Rising sea levels would cause the tidal saltwater wedge to intrude further upstream in rivers, with resulting changes …

Leveraging The Popularity Of Virtual Conferencing Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic To Create New Opportunities For Stem Education, Andrew Singh, Nazrul I. Khandaker, Violeta Escandon Correa, Omadevi Singh, Ariel Skobelsky, Farhan Tanvir, Brian Sukhnandan, Matthew Khargie, Elton Selby, Masud Ahmed

Publications and Research

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual learning has become a necessity for K9-16 education. Virtual classwork has been administered through platforms such as Google Classroom, Clever, and iReady. During the summer of 2021, the City University of New York (C.U.N.Y) York College campus hosted its NASA MAA MUREP (Minority University Research and Education Project Aerospace Academy) program virtually using a combination of Zoom, Google Docs, and even Canva, which some students requested as a more intuitive alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint. Students were mentored to use the scientific method to explore their interests in the STEM field, with a geoscience or …

Statistical Analysis Of Groundwater Level Fluctuation Of The Urban And Peri-Urban Area Of Gazipur District, Bangladesh, Nowshin Ahsan Priyanka, Atika Rahman Akji, Anwar Zahid, Muhammad Qumrul Hassan, Jowaher Raza, Nazrul I. Khandaker

Publications and Research

Groundwater is the primary source for drinking, municipal, irrigation, and industrial water supply in Bangladesh. Due to unplanned urbanization and rapidly growing industries, the degradation situation has become perilous over time. Dhaka and its peri-urban regions are having drastic changes in groundwater (GW) levels. This work reviewed GW level fluctuation in the peri-urban area, which is now severely experiencing the detrimental impact of rapid urbanization and industrialization. Detail statistical investigation and Landsat image interpretation of the study area was conducted. Analysis and prediction of water level trends were conducted using variations of Mann Kendell tests. Gazipur Sadar (an upazila or …

Quo Vadis Lakes Azuei And Enriquillo: A Future Outlook For Two Of The Caribbean Basin's Largest Lakes, Mahrokh Moknatian, Michael Piasecki

Publications and Research

Lakes Azuei (LA) and Enriquillo (LE) on Hispaniola Island started expanding in 2005 and continued to do so until 2016. After inundating large swaths of arable land, submerging a small community, and threatening to swallow a significant trade route between the Dominican Republic and Haiti; worries persisted at how far this seemingly unstoppable expansion would go. The paper outlines the approach to a look forward to answer this question vis-à-vis climate change scenarios developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It uses numerical representations of the two lakes, and it examines how the lakes might evolve, deploying three …

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 …

International Migration From The Latin American-Caribbean Region: Taking Environmental Indicators Into Consideration, Chelsea Wepy

Student Theses and Dissertations

International migration, the act of leaving one’s country to permanently settle in another country, is driven by many socio economic/political factors, such as lack of economic opportunity, access to education, governmental corruption, and violence. These factors have proven to be the reason that many citizens within the Latin American-Caribbean region either choose or are forced to relocate internationally. While these factors are important to consider independently; these issues are often exacerbated by changes in the natural environment. The objective of my paper is to highlight the importance of considering changes in the natural environment. In doing so, I hope to …

A Geospatial Habitat Suitability Model To Determine The Spatial And Temporal Variability Of Ulva Blooms In Jamaica Bay, New York, Kristine T. Erskine John

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The main objective of this study involves the development of a habitat suitability model for the Ulva genus in Jamaica Bay, New York. This incorporates several steps that were initiated by the selection of the most suitable water quality parameters that facilitate the successful growth of Ulva. These water quality parameters include dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, salinity, nitrate + nitrite, ammonium, phosphates, dissolved organic nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon, depth and Secchi depth. This water quality data was generated by the Department of Environmental Protection. The Secchi depth and Jamaica Bay bathymetry data were necessary for the calculation of the …

Increased Carbon Capture By A Silicate-Treated Forested Watershed Affected By Acid Deposition, Lyla L. Taylor, Charles T. Driscoll, Peter M. Groffman, Greg H. Rau, Joel D. Blum, David J. Beerling J. Beerling

Advanced Science Research Center

Meeting internationally agreed-upon climate targets requires carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategies coupled with an urgent phase-down of fossil fuel emissions. However, the efficacy and wider impacts of CDR are poorly understood. Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is a land-based CDR strategy requiring large-scale field trials. Here we show that a low 3.44 t ha−1 wollastonite treatment in an 11.8 ha acid-rain-impacted forested watershed in New Hampshire, USA, led to cumulative carbon capture by carbonic acid weathering of 0.025–0.13 t CO2 ha−1 over 15 years. Despite a 0.8–2.4 t CO2 ha−1 logistical carbon penalty from mining, grinding, transportation, and spreading, by 2015 …

Long Term Nutrient And Chlorophyll A Dynamics Across Long Island Sound And Impacts On Dissolved Oxygen Conditions Within The Western Sound (1991-2019), Sherry Perreira

Dissertations and Theses

Nitrogen overload, eutrophication, and hypoxia have been challenging and persistent water quality problems in Long Island Sound (LIS) over the past decades with major impacts on commercial industries, ecology, and recreational activities in the region. Recognizing these problems, the EPA enforced three phases of the Clean Water Act (CWA) to reduce nitrogen loads in an effort to improve this important estuary. This study examines how nitrogen (NH₃, NO_x & TDN), chlorophyll a (CHLA), and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations changed in LIS over the past 30 years, in response to water quality regulations as well as changes in …

On The Improvements Of Boundary-Layer Representation For High Resolution Weather Forecasting In Costal-Urban Environments, David Melecio-Vazquez

Dissertations and Theses

As large urban centers around the world become more densely populated, the global conversion from natural to man-made land surfaces will only increase. These land-use changes affect the urban surface energy budget which in turn changes the structure of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) above. With current high-performance computing systems, meteorological and built environment information can be better utilized to quantify the anthropogenic effects of these modifications. Although these systems have improved forecasting near-surface weather conditions, a comprehensive approach to represent urban impacts on the PBL is still limited. Improved PBL representation can lead to better weather and climate forecasts, …