Natural Resources and Conservation Commons^™

How Healthy Is The Magoon Pond Watershed

Watershed Access Lab Projects

Located down the street from my house is the Magoon Pond. I conducted an independent Study to determine the relative health of the Magoon Pond. This pond is a tributary of the North River in Marshfield, Massachusetts. To access the health will we be using a macro-invertebrate biological index as our primary tool. We will also be taking depth and flow measurements to conduct a stream profile and discharge value. To start with we scouted the watershed and choose three different test sites to use, an Inlet site, a Pond site and an Outlet site.

The pond was within a …

Pond Meadow Stream: Monitoring Stream Health Using Benthic Macroinvertebrates

Watershed Access Lab Projects

No abstract provided.

Stream Biomonitoring On High Street, Randolph

Watershed Access Lab Projects

No abstract provided.

Watershed Vocabulary

Watershed Access Lab Projects

No abstract provided.

Abbott Run Annual Study 2009

Watershed Access Lab Projects

The purpose of examining Site A, Cushman Road, and Site B, Shady Pines, was to determine whether or not the water that flows through Abbott Run meets the Class A Water Standards set by the state of Massachusetts. This is crucial because the water that flows through Abbott Run eventually empties into Pawtucket, Rhode Island and they then use it for drinking water. So if the water quality standards were to fall below a Class A rating, then this would mean a contaminated drinking source for all of Pawtucket. This could invariably many complications and should be avoided at all …

Phylogeography Of The Rufous-Naped Wren (Campylorhynchus Rufinucha): Speciation And Hybridization In Mesoamerica, Hernan Vazquez-Miranda, Adolfo G. Navarro-Siguenza, Kevin E. Omland

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The Rufous-naped Wren (Campylorhynchus rufinucha) is a sedentary, morphologically variable species distributed in the dry forests of Mesoamerica. It ranges from Colima, Mexico, south to Costa Rica along the Pacific slope, with a disjunct population in central Veracruz. Populations of two forms on the Pacific slope intergrade in Chiapas, Mexico, apparently as a result of secondary contact. We sequenced a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene to explore phylogeographic patterns and hybridization. We found three divergent lineages, two geographically spanning the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and a disjunct Veracruz population. Analyses of molecular variation and statistics are consistent with genetically distinct …

Take Pride In America In Southern Nevada: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering January 6, 2009 – April 5, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• Team set annual priorities

• Requests for Information sent to determine recycling feasibility

• Preliminary field data form developed for GIS database project

• Team presented assessment report to SNAP board

• Planning for Phase III media campaign begun

• Five clean-up events conducted this quarter

• Team provided 778 cubic yards of roll-off space for clean-ups

A Comparison Between Above-Water Surface And Subsurface Spectral Reflectances Collected Over Inland Waters, Asif M. Bhatti, Donald Rundquist, John Schalles, Luis Ramirez, Seigo Nasu

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The objective of the research was to undertake a quantitative comparison of spectral-reflectance measurements made slightly above the surface of water bodies with the measurements made slightly below the surface. The study is focused on three rivers; two in Georgia, USA and one in Japan. As expected, the differences in reflectance are not constant and vary with the wavelength. The contribution of surface-reflection effects to the surface reflectance measured slightly above the water is both pronounced and highly variable, but although they do alter the magnitude of the upwelling signal, they do not change the general shape of the spectral …

Baselines Newsletter, No. 4, Spring 2009, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

Baselines: The Natural Resources Law Center Newsletter (2007-2011)

No abstract provided.

Rivernet Watershed Access Lab Program Overview - Spring 2009, Kevin Curry

Watershed Access Lab Projects

Brief overview of the RiverNet Watershed Access program - its history and the achievements of the many participating teachers and students from throughout Southeastern Massachusetts.

Natal And Breeding Dispersal Of Bobolinks (Dolichonyx Oryzivorus) And Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus Sandwichensis) In An Agricultural Landscape, Natalia Fajardo, Allan M. Strong, Noah G. Perlut, Neil J. Buckley

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Dispersal is a key process in the metapopulation dynamics and genetic structure of spatially segregated populations. However, our knowledge of avian dispersal, particularly in migratory passerines, remains limited. We studied dispersal of Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) and Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) to determine whether agricultural management practices affected dispersal patterns and habitat selection. From 2002 to 2006, we banded adults and nestlings on six focal hay fields and two pastures in the Champlain Valley of Vermont and New York and searched for banded birds within 1.5 km of Vermont field sites during two years. Natal dispersal distances were …

The Realities And Effectiveness Of Ecotourism Operations On Moreton Island, Yoshihiko Kubota

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Ecotourism is the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry, but there has been a lack of studies assessing the tour operators’ views on the environment of the area of their operation, and of the effectiveness of their interpretation methods. This study focuses on Moreton Island for its relatively undisturbed environment and restricted accessibility.. Interviews with a former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employee, representative of a local conservation group, and multiple tour operators were conducted to assess the knowledge of tour operators on the environmental issues of Moreton Island, while pre-visit and post-visit surveys were conducted with Moreton Island visitors …

The Transition Movement In Australia: An Analysis Of The Progress, Challenges, And Future Of Transition Initiatives, Mia Goldwasser

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The threats of climate change and peak oil have roots in our society’s dependence on the availability of cheap fossil fuels for its function and design. In order to both decrease greenhouse gas emissions and significantly lower the demand on fossil fuels, our settlements –built when oil was cheap and abundant- must ‘relocalize’, or develop the systems which will enable the local production of food, energy, materials, employment, and goods. The Transition Movement has developed as a grassroots, community-based response to these challenges, grounded in the belief that a higher quality of life has the opportunity to emerge from a …

The Cost Of Progress: Failed Development And Community Response On Pulau Serangan, Julia Nakad

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Introduction - extract

No place on Bali illustrates the promise and heartbreak of development more clearly than the failed development project on Serangan Island, the location of a halted (if not completely aborted) development project in the 1990s that drastically changed the landscapes and livelihoods on the island in a relatively short span of time. Prior to the development project, most Serangan people made a living from fishing in the ocean surrounding the island, as well as from extracting coral and engaging in the turtle trade. These same people were promised jobs in the resorts that were to be built …

Guardians Of The Grassland: A Qualitative Assessment Of The Success Of Community-Based Wildlife Conservation In Mongolia’S Eastern Steppe, Alexandra Sprague

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Community-based conservation is a newer type of conservation that includes people in the ecosystem and attempts to simultaneously promote development and conservation. One organization in Mongolia that is facilitating the implementation of community-based conservation is the Wildlife Conservation Society. Their goal is:

My research questions concerning this NGO’s project are: what are the perceived benefits and problems with CBC? What makes it successful and how can it be improved? My location of study was the easternmost aimags of Mongolia, Dornod and Sukhbaatar. I spent 1 week travelling to 9 of the WCS’s 13 active herder communities asking their opinions about …

National Parks In China: A New Model For Nature Conservation, Katherine Fritz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

When the author of “China has First National Park” published in The Science News-Letter in 1948, he could not foresee the next 60 years of China’s struggle to develop an effective nature conservation system. If he had, he would have known that simply recognizing the value of precious land, as China did in 1948, does not automatically lead to a sophisticated, nation-wide national park system.

National parks are the hallmark of advanced civil society and complex government conservation schemes. Since the State Forestry Department declared China’s first officially protected space at Dinghu Shan Nature Reserve in Guangdong province in 1956 …

Droughtscape, Spring 2009, Kelly Smith

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

U.S. Drought Monitor Publishes Map 500!

Weakening La Niña May Mean Relief for Texas

Upcoming Workshops

Drought Impacts Worst in California, Texas

CoCoRaHS to Request Drought Impact Data, Too

NDMC Adds Researcher

K-12 Students Learn About Drought

Green Dharma: Clearing The Pollution Of Our Minds To Save The Environment, Richard Dale Jenkinson Iv

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper seeks to examine the relationship in Mongolia between Buddhism and the environment, as well as the condition of that relationship, the environmental work being done out of the motivation of Buddhist beliefs, and how to improve the environmental condition through Buddhism. Great understanding of this topic was obtained through interviews with Buddhist monks, of both Mongolian and Western origins and from both urban Ulaanbaatar and the rural countryside of Mongolia. Perhaps some of the greatest understanding came from simple everyday observations and interactions with the Buddhist community. Concrete textual information came from reading endless Buddhist sutras, scholarly books, …

Limnological Assistance For The Lake Mead National Recreation Area In Meeting The Challenge Of The Water 2025 Initiative: Quarterly Report, Period Ending April 1, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Limnological Studies

Project 1: Technical input has been provided at two advisory team meetings attended this quarter.

Project 2: Surface Water Monitoring for Indicator Bacteria in High-use Sites of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area (poster) was presented at the Lake Mead Science Symposium; a journal article is in preparation.

Project 3: A draft document titled “Interagency Monitoring Action Plan (I-MAP): Quagga Mussels in Lakes Mead and Mohave” has been subdivided into four major sections and corresponding sub-groups have been formed to provide review and input. Six oral presentations related to quagga mussels were presented at the Lake Mead Science Symposium. Two …

Colorado College State Of The Rockies Report Card, Walter E. Hecox, Elizabeth L. Kolbe, Matthew K. Reuer

Publications (SD)

This year’s Report Card content is largely focused upon wildlife, one of the key natural treasures of the Rockies and a distinguishing aspect to the wildness and beauty we cherish. A related section evaluates the Wild and Scenic River system in the Rockies and how this federal act has protected certain reaches in the West compared to other federal designations and unprotected streams. A key variable for the Rockies’ future is a growing population affecting our natural resources, and in this Report Card we consider the concentration of population growth within large metropolitan areas, a demographic trend known as a …

Inside Unlv, Shane Bevell, Diane Russell, Michelle Mouton, Gian Galassi

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

The Role Of The Local Community In Integrated Conservation With Development Projects: A Case Study Of The Phu My Lepironia Conservation Project, Marion Boulicault

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Recognizing the connection between local communities and conservation areas, Integrated Conservation with Development Projects (ICDPs) are being developed across the world to simultaneously address conservation and local development goals. Through a case study of the Phu My Lepironia Conservation Project (an ICDP) in Kien Giang Province, Vietnam, this study aimed to examine the nature of the role of the local community in ICDPs, the factors affecting this role and the impact this role is having on the conservation project. Participant observation and open-ended interview techniques were used to achieve this aim.

The study found that, despite the goal of the …

The Amphibian And Reptile Diversity Of Tràm Chim National Park, Đống Tháp Province, Việt Nam, Alex Krohn

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The herpetofauna of the Mekong Delta Region of Vietnam is not as frequently studied as the fauna of the Central and Northern Highlands Regions of the same country. Tram Chim National Park is situated in the Mekong Delta Region in Đồng Tháp Province and is one of the last remaining intact areas of the “Plain of Reeds” ecosystem that once used to cover this now mainly agricultural land. Although studies on the bird fauna, vegetation and ecological management of Tram Chim National Park are common, there has never been a study of the parks reptiles and amphibians. Moreover, by comparing …

Diagnostique Sur La Santé Des Récifs Coralliens À Nosy Tanikely Et La Baie D’Ambanoro, Chelsea Nahill

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Pendant mon étude, les récifs coralliens à Nosy Tanikely et à la Baie d’Ambanoro étaient examinées avec le but de déterminer la condition de chaque récif et la biomasse des poissons. La durée de cette étude est de trois semaines et j’ai plongé en apnée quatre fois du 10 avril 2009 au 23 avril 2009, pour examiner les trois sites. Il y avait six stations au total, quatre pour examiner le premier site à Nosy Tanikely et deux dans la Baie d’Ambanoro, où sont le deuxième et troisième site. Utilisant les données collectées au long du transect de cent mètres, …

Using Gis To Locate Areas For Growing Quality Coffee In Honduras, Ellen Mickle

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Small-scale coffee producers worldwide remain vulnerable to price fluctuations after the 1999-2003 coffee crisis. One way to increase small-scale farmer economic resilience is to produce a more expensive product, such as quality coffee. There is growing demand in coffee-producing and coffee-importing countries for user-friendly tools that facilitate the marketing of quality coffee. The purpose of this study is to develop a prototypical quality coffee marketing tool in the form of a GIS model that identifies regions for producing quality coffee in a country not usually associated with quality coffee, Honduras. Maps of areas for growing quality coffee were produced …

The Road To Leed Certification: Human Sciences South, Claire Collins, Kim Stockley, Whitney Kirkland

Undergraduate Research Conference

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings a set number of voluntary standards. LEED EB focuses on the performance of a building rather than it’s design.

Landscape Ecology On College Campuses To Promote Environmental Sustainability, Erin Stempinski

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program: Helping Hands Across Public Lands – Phase Ii: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering January 1, 2009 – March 31, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Get Outdoors Nevada

• The number of records in the volunteer database increased by 3.5%.
• A total of 1,676 database records were archived due to inactivity resulting in a reduction of 26% in the number of current records in the database. The database currently contains 4,957 records.
• Website activity increased, recording an average of 68,086 hits per month, an increase of 22 % from last quarter, with an average of 5,228 pages viewed per month.
• The new website design was launched along with the release of a monthly electronic newsletter.
• How to Succeed with Volunteers training was conducted for SNAP teams and well received …

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, January 1, 2009 To March 31, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Executive Summary

• The Weed Sentry program surveyed over 126 miles (981 acres) of federal land by vehicle and foot in Clark County for incipient populations of exotic plants.
• Weed Sentry staff continue to survey never before surveyed sites, and trails and regions within Red Rock and Sloan Canyon NCAs requested by BLM managers.
• The 2009 rare plant monitoring was initiated and in progress.
• Northshore Road reconstruction monitoring was initiated and active monitoring and care of salvaged plants was performed by UNLV staff.
• Rana onca vegetation monitoring and reporting was completed.

A Morphological Analysis Of A "Confounding" Population Of Castanea In Northwest Georgia, Jamie Dinkins

Honors Theses

Two species of Castanea Mill. (Fagacae) are native to North America: the tall, forest-type Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh. and the smaller, shrubbier Castanea pumila (L.) Miller. There are two varieties of C. pumila: Castanea pumila var. pumila, and Castanea pumila var. ozarkensis (Johnson, 1988). In the early 1900s, chestnut blight caused by Cryphonectria parasitica (Murr.) Barr. reduced C. dentata to stumps and sprouts and severely diminished the abundance of both subspecies of C. pumila. Because Castanea species can apparently interbreed, restoration efforts have been complicated by possible hybridization between the two now shrubby species. One of these putative hybrid and …