Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons^™

Pathways For Coordinating High-Quality Exploitation Of Marine Resources And High-Level Protection Of Marine Ecosystems, Jianping Yin, Peimin Duan, Si Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The ocean serves as a vital strategic space and a reservoir of resources essential for human survival and development, offering robust support for socioeconomic progress. Simultaneously, as a critical component of the Earth’s ecological environment, the ocean plays a pivotal role in regulating climate change, conserving biodiversity, and maintaining ecological balance. In recent years, China has continuously intensified the exploitation and utilization of marine resources, with the growth of the marine economy injecting blue momentum into the nation’s development. Nevertheless, the long-term, high-intensity exploitation of offshore resources, coupled with the ongoing advancement into deep-sea resource development, has led to frequent …

Mono Gold: An Informal Account Of The Geology, Production, And History Of Mono County Gold And Silver Mining Districts, D. D. Trent

Eastern Sierra History Journal

Mono Gold explores the mining production, technology, and history of the Eastern Sierra, with a special focus on Mono County. Author Dee Trent, a geologist, spent decades visiting, researching, and photographing each of the mining operations discussed in this book-length monograph.

A Community Planning Approach To Green Infrastructure And Hazard Mitigation, Kara Salazar, Daniel Walker, Carrie Mckillip

Journal of Extension

As communities seek to increase their resilience to climate change and natural hazards, integrating mitigation and adaptation solutions into local planning has become essential. Purdue Extension, the University of Illinois Extension, and Illinois–Indiana Sea Grant developed a program, funded by the Extension Disaster Education Network, which supports community-based updates to hazard mitigation and resilience planning, with an emphasis on green infrastructure. This paper highlights the lessons we learned after implementing the program in Hancock County, Illinois, and LaPorte, Indiana, and the toolkit we created, which provides engagement and education techniques, planning processes, and other resources to Extension professionals working in …

Planetary Health: Scientific Frontier For Harmonious Coexistence Between Humans And Nature, Zhu Yongguan, Jue Liu, Hua Zheng, Yaoyang Xu, Weiqi Zhou, Hongliang Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Against the backdrop of deeply intertwined global environmental change, biodiversity loss, and health risks, Planetary Health is emerging as a new interdisciplinary field that is gradually becoming the scientific frontier for understanding harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. This study systematically reviews the evolution of Planetary Health from the “Planetary Boundaries” theory to a comprehensive disciplinary framework. Through a paradigmatic comparison with concepts such as public health, global health, and One Health, it reveals that the core breakthrough of Planetary Health lies in redefining human health as an endogenous variable embedded within the stability of Earth’s natural systems. Three major …

Ecological Gdp Of “Lucid Waters And Lush Mountains Are Invaluable Assets”, Wang Guangqian, Deyu Zhong

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Based on the concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”, this study investigates the theoretical connotation and accounting pathways of ecological GDP. (1) The core connotation of ecological value is elucidated from three dimensions—time, space, and civilization—and an economic quantification framework of principal–interest–interest rate is constructed. With four categories of ecological products as the foundation, the Green Certificate as the entitlement instrument, and a 5% annual simple interest rate as the accounting benchmark, ecological value is transformed from qualitative description to quantitative accounting. (2) The concept of ecological new quality productive forces is proposed, revealing its four-dimensional …

[2026 Honorable Mention] Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, Daylyn R. Reese

Ethnic Studies Research Paper Award

This research offers unique insights into the creation and development of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (N.M.S.) with a focus on indigenous populations’ roles (primarily Chumash and Costanoan). In this episode, I analyze what makes this NMS different from every NMS precluding it, how it recognizes a new goal in conservation (thrivability), and the areas in which improvements still must be made to authentically include and honor indigenous voices.

Ecological Interest Theory Of “Lucid Waters And Lush Mountains Are Invaluable Assets” And Its Application In The Yellow River Basin, Guangqian Wang, Deyu Zhong

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

To address the core challenges of quantifying ecological value and converting it into economic gains, this study proposes a theoretical framework of ecological interest (EI) based on the principle that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”. Three fundamental origins of ecological interest are explained, including the temporal value discount, the spatial ecological compensation, and the civilizational occupation-compensation balance. These three dimensions establish the logical connection between ecological and economic values. Setting a 5% annual simple interest rate as the benchmark and adopting “Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains” green certificates as the standardized ecological assets for property rights delineation …

Solid Waste Management In Greater Khartoum City, Sudan, Roba Mahmoud

Student Theses 2015-Present

This study investigates the rising solid waste management (SWM) dilemma in Greater Khartoum City (GKC), a critical environmental and public health issue caused by fast urbanization and inadequate infrastructure, with historical linkages to Sudan's colonial and postcolonial growth. Chapter 1 describes the current problem using quantitative and qualitative data, demonstrating that GKC produces approximately 3,340 tons of waste each day, with 56% organic matter, 8% plastics, and 16% paper. Collection efficiency remains severely poor, at 31.5%. Informal recyclers known as Nakasha or Barkata collect approximately 7% of total waste, supporting roughly 3,900 people, whereas filthy open dumps and unsorted medical …

The Cobalt Curse: Cobalt’S Role And Risks, Marley Jackowitz

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines the hidden environmental, geopolitical, economic, and social costs of the cobalt supply chain. Fueled by the demand for battery technology and electric vehicles, cobalt has become an essential element to the green energy transition. With the largest share of global cobalt deposits, the Democratic Republic of the Congo bears a disproportionate share of the industry’s harms. Cobalt mining in the DRC is marked by environmentally degrading practices and inhumane working conditions, compromising Congolese health, safety, and well-being. Chapter 1 discusses the environmental impacts of DRC cobalt mining and its adverse effects on public health. Environmentally degrading mining …

Dendroclimatic Response Of The Wet Miombo Woodland Species: A Case Study Of Mufulira District, Copperbelt Province, Zambia, Collins Chibuye Malubeni

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Zambia is a tropical, landlocked country that lies in the South-Central part of Africa. The climate in Zambia includes distinct dry and rainy seasons, mainly influenced by the north-south movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which shifts seasonally. This research is focused on understanding the relationship between tree growth and climate using dendrochronology. Forty-nine tropical species, including Julbernardia paniculata, Brachystegia longifolia, and Pericopsis angolensis, were analysed for dendroclimatic potential, and 70% showed clear ring formation, indicating that trees in this locality produce distinct annual ring boundaries. For the single species chronology, thirteen cores from eight trees that were initially …

Open Space Management Planning: A Framework And Case Study From Eagle Mountain City, Utah, Nathan K. Shumway

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Open Space Management Plans (OSMPs) are increasingly used by municipalities to guide the long-term stewardship of natural lands; however, little formal guidance exists regarding how these plans are structured, developed, or organized in practice. While numerous OSMPs are publicly available, their compositional logic, procedural workflows, and thematic priorities remain largely undocumented within academic literature. This study addresses that gap through a qualitative document analysis of fifteen publicly accessible OSMPs from the western United States, published between 2015 and 2024.

Using manual matrix-based coding in Microsoft Excel, each plan was analyzed through three lenses: structural composition, procedural development, and thematic content. …

On The Paleontology Of Belize, Alson Ovando

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Paleontology can be considered an underrepresented and emerging area of science in Belize. A primary aim of this thesis is to provide a background of paleontology in Belize and present the first comprehensive study of Quaternary vertebrate fossils known from the country. Quaternary fossil sites across Belize include caves, rivers, and sinkholes. In addition to reviewing and assessing material from known sites, this thesis presents new information and discoveries that were made while investigating Belize’s Quaternary fossil record. This thesis also includes a geospatial model depicting ecoregions in Belize during the last glacial maximum. Overall, the results presented here demonstrate …

Integrating Incentive Design And Spatial Prioritization For Climate-Smart Forestry Adoption In South Carolina, United States, Miah Maye Pormon

All Dissertations

Forests provide essential ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, water regulation, timber production, and habitat provision. However, increasing development pressures and land-use changes threaten forest persistence and long-run ecosystem service provision. Climate-smart forestry (CSF) practices, such as improved forest management and extended rotation, offer opportunities to enhance carbon storage, forest resilience, and economic livelihoods. The effectiveness of these practices depends on forest owners’ participation and the strategic allocation of financial resources or incentives. This dissertation develops an integrated framework that combines behavioral economic analysis and mapping to improve the design of current incentive programs. The first chapter employs the Contingent Valuation …

Constraints To Adopting Locally Based Innovation Systems In Adapting To Climate Change Impacts In Serengeti District, Tanzania, Donald Mwiturubani

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Smallholder farmers in rural Tanzania depend mainly on rain-fed agriculture, which makes them vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This paper is based on a study conducted in Burunga and Musati villages in Serengeti District, Tanzania. The study employed a mixed methods approach; combining qualitative and quantitative methods. It involved 154 participants and employed household surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions as data collection methods. The findings suggest that smallholder farmers in the study area are aware of climate change and do, indeed, develop, adopt, and use locally-based innovation systems that avert or minimise its impacts. Smallholder …

Ecosystem-Based Flood Disaster Risk Reduction In The Little Ruaha River Basin, In The Southern Highlands Of Tanzania, Mawazo Ghambi, Tiemo Romward Haule

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Ecosystem-based approach that integrates floods and environmental risk management is believed to reduce flood disaster risk while providing socio-economic and environmental benefits to floodplain occupants. This study examined the socio-economic and environmental benefits of the ecosystem-based approach in managing flood disaster risk in the Little Ruaha River Basin in the southern highlands of Tanzania. The study involved 157 participants and employed the mixed research design to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Semi-structured interviews, in-depth interviews, direct field observation and Focus Group Discussions were used to collect primary data, whereas documentary review was used to collect secondary data. Findings revealed that …

Identifying Priorities To Guide Extension Water Quality Programming In Utah, Clare Entwistle, Sarah Erwin, Stephanie Vaughn

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Utah State University Extension water quality faculty conducted a statewide water quality needs assessment to identify priority contaminants and resource gaps. The results found that elevated nutrient levels and sedimentation were the top concerns where additional resources would be beneficial. In addition, insufficient funding for improvements and low public engagement were identified as key challenges in addressing water quality issues. Results revealed current unmet needs with regional variation to inform Extension resource allocation and programming.

When Words Flow Like Water: How The Enbridge Line 3 Pipeline Environmental Impact Statement Failed To Prevent Hydrogeologic Harm In Minnesota, Carly Gutzmann

Journal of Earth and Life Science

For the aquifers of Minnesota, the environmental impact statement (EIS) was a promise of protection that never left the page. An environmental impact statement is meant to be an aid in the decision making process in order to ensure that projects consider potential environmental harms that may occur. However, they are often used instead as another regulatory box to check, rather than as active considerations when planning. As such, a project plan can be flawed from the start—if project developers only consider environmental impacts after they have already put considerable time, effort, and funding into their project as-is, they may …

Uncertainty-Aware Estimation, Planning, And Control For Tracking Multiple Drifting Patches In Flow Fields, Daniel O. Akanji, Krishnanand N. Kaipa, Cong Wei

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

In this study, we present a replay-based framework for uncertainty-aware persistent tracking of multiple advected surface patches using an autonomous marine vehicle operating in spatiotemporal-varying currents. The method combines three components: local flow estimation, covariance-aware patch-boundary propagation with intermittent boundary fusion, and mission-level scheduling over multiple patches. Each patch is represented by a polygonal boundary, whose vertices are propagated through the estimated flow field while carrying per-vertex covariance, thereby quantifying uncertainty growth during advection. A flow-aware gain-scheduled linear quadratic regulator (LQR) was designed to shape the desired surge speed to take advantage of favorable currents. When the vehicle services a …

Inequality In The Urban Forest: Modeling Tree Canopy Dynamics Through Demographics And Restoration Strategies, Eve Johansson

Honors Theses

Urban tree canopies play an important role in environmental quality, public health, and neighborhood livability, yet their distribution is highly uneven and often reflects historical patterns of inequality. In Brooklyn, long-term processes such as redlining, uneven development, and demographic change have contributed to persistent disparities in access to green space.

This thesis examines how urban tree canopy evolves across space and time in Brooklyn and how different restoration strategies affect long-run outcomes. The analysis uses demographic and canopy data from 1990-2020, considering race, income, employment, and educational attainment. Among these, education is the most consistent predictor of canopy coverage, with …

Neonicotinoid Bioaccumulation In Bluegill And Bullhead Within Lake Julia And Lake Zumwalde, Jake Stuber

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus, Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis, and Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus are unique in their stark differences. Bullhead are scaleless bottom feeders that can tolerate high pollution and low O₂ conditions. In contrast, Bluegill are scaled, aggressive nesters and are less tolerant of high pollutants or low-oxygen conditions. Among these pollutants include a class of chemicals called neonicotinoids (hereafter referred to as neonics). Neonics are a class of insecticides primarily used within agriculture and pest management. Due to the effectiveness, application has escalated on a global scale. They have been well documented by many toxicology assessments. …

Powering The Machine, Draining The Planet: Whether U.S. Environmental Law Is Equipped To Regulate The Energy And Water Demands Of Ai Data Centers, Michael Marcu

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Artificial intelligence (AI) data centers have become one of the United States' fastest-growing and least-regulated sources of environmental stress. In 2024 alone, U.S. data centers consumed 183 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity more than the entire nation of Pakistan and consumed an estimated 17 billion gallons of water (IEA, 2025; Berkeley Lab, 2024). By 2030, electricity demand from these facilities is projected to reach 426 TWh, a 133% increase in six years (Pew Research Center, 2025). This paper examines whether the existing U.S. environmental regulatory framework put by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), and the …

Technological Interventions For Reducing Climate Change Impacts On Health: An Overview Of Future Possibilities, Sujatha Alla, Vijay Kumar Chattu, Bawa Singh

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Globally, over five million deaths annually are attributed to extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change, such as heatwaves, hurricanes, wildfires, droughts, and floods, which create health crises and economic losses. The 2015 Paris Declaration emphasized climate technology mechanisms, including research and development, to enhance resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Biotechnological advancements have mitigated about 20% of economic losses since the 1960s, highlighting technology’s potential to address climate-induced health risks.

Assessing Climate Change Impacts On Wildfire Risk In Central Appalachian Forests Of The Eastern United States, Imiya Mudiyanselage Chathuranika, Dalya Ismael

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Wildfire risk is increasing in the eastern U.S., yet spatial and climate-driven assessments remain limited. This study evaluates climate change impacts on wildfire risk in the Upper James Watershed (UJW) using baseline (2000–2019), near-future (2021–2040), and far-future (2061–2080) projections from a 12-model CMIP6 global climate model (GCM) ensemble under SSP2–4.5 and SSP5–8.5. A wildfire risk model was developed in ArcGIS Pro using nine key factors and validated with MODIS hotspot data, showing good agreement between modeled risk patterns and observed fire occurrences (NOF = 0.21, RMSE = 4.20, MAE = 3.37). Baseline risk was primarily driven by land cover, fire-lookout …

Exploring Ecological Zonation Of The Yellow River Estuary Coastal Zone Based On Nitrogen And Phosphorus Criteria, Dejuan Jiang, Song Qin, Zhengyi Liu, Ruiteng Sun, Xiaoshuai Hang, Tao Zou, Xiaoguang Li, Lijuan Li, Shichao Tian, Yanfang Li, Yongming Luo, Chuanyuan Wang, Yuan Li

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Estuaries, as ecologically sensitive brackish water mixing zones, face a critical bottleneck in refined management because traditional zonation based on socioeconomic attributes overlooks the ecological heterogeneity driven by salinity gradients and nutrient stoichiometry, leading to a disconnect between management measures and conservation needs. This study proposes a novel approach to coastal zonation using nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient criteria as an ecological benchmark. Overall ecological criteria are established for the Yellow River estuary (dissolved inorganic nitrogen: 0.258 mg/L; phosphate: 0.015 mg/L) and a differentiated management scheme is constructed based on a salinity gradient (26.5 PSU boundary). It is recommended to integrate …

Long-Term Ecological Research Provides Theoretical And Technical Support For Ecological Restoration And High-Quality Development In Agro-Pastoral Ecotone, Wenming Bai, Cunzheng Wei, Longyu Hou, Linghao Li, Xingguo Han, Wenhao Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Since its establishment in 2001, the Duolun Restoration Ecology Station, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Duolun Station) has been dedicated to addressing severe grassland degradation and slow economic development in the agro-pastoral ecotone, north of Beijing. A series of systematic studies were conducted on the degraded grassland ecosystem in the agro-pastoral ecotone of Duolun County, Inner Mongolia. The major research findings are summarized as follows. (1) Elucidated that species-specific trait of plant roots, along with the changes in soil properties, are the primary drivers determining how plant and microbial community structure and function respond to anthropogenic disturbances and …

Duolun Restoration Ecology Station, Institute Of Botany, Chinese Academy Of Sciences, Institute Of Botany, Chinese Academy Of Sciences

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

No abstract provided.

Ecological Barrier Of Coastal Zone In China: Concept, Functions, And Construction Theory, Guangxuan Han, Xiaoli Bi, Xiyong Hou, Xiaoli Zhang, Qianguo Xing, Yuan Li, Haiqing Ma, Ting Wang, Song Qin

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The ecological barrier of coastal zone serves as a critical defense line for safeguarding coastal ecological security and sustainable socio-economic development, with multifaceted functions including wave attenuation, shoreline stabilization, and climate regulation. This study systematically elaborates on the concept and essence of ecological barriers of coastal zone, highlighting their core as land-sea continuums that synergistically leverage ecosystem integrity, hydrological connectivity, and biodiversity to provide systemic deliver protective functions. Nevertheless, China’s coastal ecological barrier construction faces four major challenges, namely, (1) theoretical frameworks, often derived from inland models, inadequately represent the complex land-sea interactions and socio-economic drivers; (2) the absence of …

Spatial Resilience Of Coastal Zones From Landscape Pattern Perspective: Connotation, Characteristics, Key Elements, And Pathways For Enhancement, Haixing Meng, Congchun Wang, Shufeng Ye

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The coastal zone is a critical ecological barrier at the land–sea interface. Nevertheless, its defensive and regulatory functions have been severely undermined by climate change and intensified human activities, which have caused landscape fragmentation and reduced connectivity. From the perspective of landscape pattern, this study defines the concept of coastal zone spatial resilience and develops a three-dimensional framework of “structure–process–function”, elucidating its attributes of stability, adaptability, recoverability, and dynamic evolution. By coupling ecological spatial resilience theory, the study identifies key landscape elements shaping spatial resilience and proposes an assessment framework consisting of sensitivity, structure, and ecological vitality and services. Building …

Coastal Zone Ecological Barrier Construction: Holistic Governance And Its Promotion Path, Xiurong Huang, Aihua Jiang, Dou Xiaodong Dou

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The coastal zone is the frontier of the interaction between sea and land. As a special geographical unit, it has dual values of ecological security and economic development. It has become an important proposition to promote the resilience construction of coastal zone ecological barrier. In response to the current regulatory dilemma of “Kowloon Sea Governance”, structural contradictions in laws and norms, and complex conflicts of related interests, the construction of coastal zone ecological barrier must move from static protection to dynamic governance. In the goal dimension, the shift from “passive defense” to “resilient system construction” should be realized; in the …

Institutional Safeguards And International Experience For Construction Of Coastal Ecological Barrier, Jiayu Bai, Yalei Qing, Shufeng Ye

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The coastal zone is a transitional area shaped by the interaction between land and sea, and it holds significant importance for national ecological security as well as economic and social development. Against the backdrop of advancing Chinese modernization, the research on institutional safeguards for the construction of coastal ecological barrier is essential for building a comprehensive framework for ecological conservation from the mountaintop to the ocean, implementing the major projects to protect and restore key ecosystems and the “dual carbon” goals, and promoting ecological civilization and the construction of a Beautiful China. At present, China’s institutional safeguards for coastal ecological …