Sustainability Commons^™

Impacts Of Disturbance And Nutrient Addition On Coastal Dune Arthropod Communities, Kayla Beitzel

Honors Theses

Coastal dune ecosystems are globally distributed ecosystems that occur from the tropics to the poles and serve as the first line of defense during storms. They are critical habitats for a variety of organisms and also play a critical role in stabilizing coastal habitats. These systems face increased pressure via urban development, recreational expansion, and sea-level rise (Newman et al. 2023; Webster et al. 2005). Insects are vital consumers in coastal ecosystems and act as regulators of plant growth. Low-diversity ecosystems, like coastal dune systems, often contain a higher abundance of low-diverse insect consumers (Ripple et al. 2021), which can …

Costs Of Wind Erosion In The Northern Agricultural Region, Anne Bennett

Natural resources published reports

Summary

• To date, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) estimated opportunity cost of wind erosion for Western Australia’s (WA) agricultural region has only included the costs of forgone production income and therefore underestimates the broader costs of wind erosion events.
• This underestimation of costs was the impetus to create a case study to give an indication of the magnitude of the costs of wind erosion from agricultural land.
• Farmers in the Northern Agricultural Region (NAR) were contacted to seek information about the on-farm costs of wind erosion events that occurred in 2020. Seventeen farmers responded to the …

Agricultural Groundcover Update November 2023, Justin Laycock

Natural resources published reports

Summary

• About 98% of the grainbelt had adequate (more than 50%) vegetative groundcover to prevent wind erosion in November 2023. This amount of groundcover is normal for the middle of harvest.
• In the northern half of the grainbelt, a larger-than-average area had 51–60% groundcover, which is expected to decrease to below 50% over summer.
• Just over 2% of the grainbelt (324,000 ha) had less than 50% groundcover, which is inadequate to prevent wind erosion. Mullewa to Morawa Ag Soil Zone had the highest risk of wind erosion and 9.7% of this farmland had inadequate groundcover.
• Less than 0.5% of the …

Status Of The Western Australian Pastoral Rangelands 2023: Total Vegetative Cover And Cover Risk, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development

Natural resources published reports

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) monitors and reports on the vegetation condition of pastoral rangelands in Western Australia. This 2023 short report uses remotely sensed total cover data available to the end of October 2023, rainfall data to the end of November 2023 and Stock Return data reported in 2022 (the most recent available) to determine cover risk. Cover risk at the land conservation district (LCD) level is an indicator of the likelihood of total cover declining to, or remaining at, low or very low levels. Total cover and cover risk may not be indicative of …

Bitcoin's Technical Foundation And Its Potential For A Decentralized And Environmentally Friendly Future, Iqtiar Md Siddique

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research examines a systematic analysis of Bitcoin, employing a Coefficient of Variation (CV) approach to gauge its degree of decentralization. Bitcoin, an innovative decentralized digital currency, has received much attention for its potential to revolutionize traditional financial systems. This study employs the Coefficient of Variation (CV) to acquire insights into the wealth distribution and concentration among Bitcoin users. This research demonstrates how decentralized the network of Bitcoin is. The methodology uses real data on Bitcoin addresses and their holdings to compute the Coefficient of Variation (CV). This approach provides valuable insights into the ongoing discourse surrounding Bitcoin's decentralization, offering …

Patterns In Winter Stonefly Distribution Along A River Continuum And Land-Use Gradient In Northwest Arkansas Streams, Zachary Tipton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Freshwater ecosystems are facing a crisis with extinction rates of aquatic species exceeding those of their terrestrial counterparts by up to fivefold. This decline is predominantly attributed to evolving land use patterns within watersheds, leading to chemical and physical transformations in freshwater habitats. Northwest Arkansas (NWA) represents one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States, undergoing substantial shifts in land use. Consequently, the status of aquatic life in this region remains uncertain. Addressing this concern, the latest Arkansas Wildlife Action Plan emphasizes the necessity of distribution and population data to guide conservation efforts for Species of Greatest Conservation Need …

The Evaluation Of Feed Additives On Reducing Enteric Methane Production From Cattle, Reba L. Colin

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Environmental sustainability can be positively impacted by the inclusion of feed additives to reduce enteric methane production from cattle. Methane production can be affected by feed additives that either alter the rumen environment or act as methanogenesis inhibitors. A reduction in methane from cattle can contribute to meeting carbon neutrality.

A metabolism study was conducted to evaluate Alga 1.0, a product containing bromoform, fed to cattle to evaluate the effects on gas emissions. Treatments were (0, 69, or 103 g/d Alga 1.0) fed in a corn-based diet. Headbox-style indirect calorimeters were used to measure gas emissions. Feeding Alga 1.0 linearly …

Beyond Corporate Greenwashing: Discourse Of A 'Just' Electric Energy Transition Materialized At The Thacker Pass Lithium Mine, Laekyn Kelley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Thacker Pass in Northern Nevada is a rich desert ecosystem with spiritual significance to local Indigenous peoples, and it is also the site for what will be, for now, the United States’ largest open-pit lithium mine. Lithium is one mineral constituent of electric batteries which are essential to current U.S. electric energy transition policy, a transition which policymakers and other public groups have called on to be done in a way which is just. However, what exactly a just electric energy transition looks like in places like Thacker Pass is under continued negotiation in theoretical and practical senses. Existing research …

Sustainable Energy Distribution Methods At The Azraq And Za’Atari Refugee Camps In Jordan: A Refugee Perspective, Lucie Lagodich

Capstone Collection

The looming climate change crisis requires research and development of mitigation strategies to protect those most vulnerable. This study uses semi-structured interviews to capture the refugee perspective of the successes and shortcomings of large-scale solar farm projects installed at the Azraq and Za’atari Syrian refugee camps in the west and north of Jordan, respectively. These perspectives may be utilized to improve each camp's current renewable energy distribution system. Results suggest that at both camps the current renewable energy systems are deeply flawed with limited hours with rampant distrust among camp residents in the management of the solar farms. Most refugees …

Science And Solutions For A Warming World, Kim Cobb

Sustainability Seminar Series

Kim Cobb, Director, Institute at Brown for Environment and Society and Professor, Dept of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences & Environment and Society, Brown University, presents this week's seminar.

Gondwana To Asia From Jurassic To Holocene: Tectonics, Marine Geology, Paleoclimatology, Petroleum Geology Sedimentology, Amila Sandaruwan Ratnayake

Sustainability Seminar Series

Sri Lanka records one of the longest and most complete tectonic evolution from the mid-latitude in the southern hemisphere (during the Jurassic) to the equatorial northern hemisphere. Therefore, onshore and offshore sedimentary basins in Sri Lanka provide the natural laboratory to reconstruct paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic during its northward voyage from Gondwana to Asia. Prof. Ratnayake will explain geological evidence for arid climate during the Early Campanian, the separation of the Laxmi Ridge-Seychelles and Seychelles from the Indian plate, sea-level regression during the Late Campanian to Late Maastrichtian, the mass extinction of coccolithophores/foraminifera at the Late Maastrichtian, Late Paleocene to the …

Breaking The Loop: Strategies For Fighting Climate Change On U.S. Farms, Ashley Barry

Honors Capstones

Climate change is an increasingly urgent area of research due to the hardships it causes for lands and communities across the globe. Specifically in regard to the United States (U.S.), climate change has many concerning implications on our agricultural system. Increased weather hazards, decreased crop production, and drought are just a few of the hardships American farmers are facing in their fight to keep their farms alive and feed their communities, despite a rapidly changing climate. This study investigates how farmers can fight and prevent climate change through the use of specific mitigation and adaptation strategies on their farms. Semi- …

Numerical Simulations Of Enhancing Permeability And Gas Extraction Of Thick Coal Seams Through Static Fracturing, Wang Xinfeng, Liu Wengang, Wang Long, Wei Youyu, Zhang Qiao

Coal Geology & Exploration

This study seeks to improve the underground operation efficiency and optimize the borehole arrangement parameters for static fracturing of coal seams. To this end, this study conducted tests in the belt roadway of the No. 12316 fully mechanized mining face in the Wangjialing Coal Mine, China Coal Huajin Group. By combining the equations for coal seams’ deformation and failure, gas diffusion and seepage, and coal seams’ permeability evolution, this study constructed a model of the damage and permeability evolution of coal seams. Based on the numerical simulations of the process of static fracturing and permeability enhancement of coals, as well …

Genetic Type And Gas-Generating Potential Of Coalbed Methane In The Bayanhua Sag, Erlian Basin, Meng Qin, Li Ling, Li Jie, Tian Wenguang, Lin Haitao, Li Heng

Coal Geology & Exploration

The Bayanhua Sag in the Erlian Basin is a critical experimental area for coalbed methane (CBM) development from low-rank coals in Inner Mongolia. However, the relatively low exploration level and the limited understanding of the CBM origin in the sag restrict the CBM exploration and development to some extent. This study tested the gas components, stable isotopes and hydrochemistry of the gas and water samples from CBM wells in the Bayanhua Sag. It also conducted radioisotopic dating for these samples. By combining the classic charts for the identification of natural gas origin, this study clarified the gas origins, further analyzed …

A Simulation Study On The Suspension And Transport Patterns Of Proppants In Long Distance Pipelines For Integrated Well And Ground Fracturing, Li Haozhe, Jiang Zaibing, Sun Siqing, Zhu Chuanyong, Fan Yao, Guo Yong, Cheng Bin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Integrated well and ground fracturing is a developmental trend for the staged fracturing of underground long boreholes in coal mines. Using the integrated fracturing technology, the fracturing fluids, after being pressurized using a ground fracturing pump, enter long boreholes in underground coal mines through ground penetrating wells and long distance pipelines, aiming to achieve fracturing with high injection rates of fracturing fluids. The suspension and transport patterns of proppants in long distance pipelines hold critical significance for optimizing parameters related to proppant adding and avoiding sand plugging in pipelines. This study evaluated the rheological properties and proppant carrying capacity of …

Dynamic Prediction Method Of Tunnel Water Inflow Based On Detailed Depiction Of Complex Geological Bodies, Du Yajun, Li Qingbo, Wan Weifeng, Yang Fengwei, Li Yazhe, Qian Hui

Coal Geology & Exploration

It is a challenge to accurately characterize the irregular geological bodies and underground structures such as inclined faults and inclined tunnels during the numerical simulation of tunnel water inflow prediction, and the prediction generally assumes that the tunnel excavation is completed instantaneously without considering the construction progress. A dynamic prediction method for tunnel water inflow based on precise characterization of complex geometric bodies was proposed by addressing the non-self-intersection and watertight issues required in the coupling process of three-dimensional (3D) geological models and 3D groundwater numerical models. Specifically, a sealed boundary interface of inclined tunnels, shafts, inclined faults and irregular …

A Method For Evaluating Aquiclude Stability In The Water Conservation-Based Mining Of Shallowly Buried Coal Seams In Ecologically Vulnerable Areas In Northwest China, Li Heng, He Tao, Guo Bin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Water conservation and coal mining are both critical to Northwest China. Water conservation-based coal mining is an important technology for the coordinated development of coal and water resources in this region. In this technology, the evaluation of aquiclude stability is critical. Due to the shallow depth of coal seams, intense topographic cutting, and complex changes in near-surface aquifers in the ecologically vulnerable areas in Northwest China, there exist large errors between traditional methods for aquiclude evaluation and the actual hydrological observations in these areas. To address this challenge, this study develops using the 3D geological modelling combined with numerical simulation …

Micp Restoration Law Of Coal Mining Induced Ground Fissures And Its Influencing Factors, Li Tao, Gao Ying, Yan Jingwang, Zhang Jiarui, Kou Guigui, Ma Tengfei, Mei Aoran

Coal Geology & Exploration

The coal mining induced ground fissures in the loess covered area of northwest China cause shallow groundwater resource leakage and soil instability. Therefore, the experimental study was conducted on Microbial Induced Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) restoration of coal mining induced ground fissures in the loess covered area. Specifically, the characteristics of mining induced ground fissures were observed and their development characteristics were revealed based on Ningtiaota Coal Mine in northern Shaanxi. The coal mining induced ground fissures in loess were classified with consideration to the observed mine pressure. Based on the classification and characteristics of coal mining induced ground fractures, the …

Experimental Study On Proportioning Of Ultra-High Strength Similar Materials For Large Similarity Ratio Model Tests, Zhan Xinyu, Gao Lin, Zhao Fanghao, Wang Yongyin, Liu Ping, Han Sen

Coal Geology & Exploration

Similar simulation of physical material is a common research method in the field of geotechnical engineering. Selecting appropriate similar materials and determining their proportions is the key to successfully simulating the prototype project. Existing similar materials are mostly developed for similar simulation with small geometric similarity ratio (1∶250-1∶25). These materials generally have low strength (0.2-7.6 MPa), making it difficult to meet the requirements of large similarity ratio model. Therefore, in order to prepare an ultra-high strength similar material with a strength of more than 10 MPa suitable for large similarity ratio model, river sand, barite, gypsum, and cement with different …

Mechanical Properties And Strength Deterioration Mechanism Of Soil In Inner Dump Of Open-Pit Coal Mine Under The Action Of Freeze-Thaw Cycles, Zhang Heyong, Wang Xuedong, Zhu Yongdong, Wang Haipeng, Qi Lihui

Coal Geology & Exploration

In order to investigate the influence mechanism of freeze-thaw cycles on the structure and mechanical properties of soil, the typical clay soil in the inner dump of Yuanbaoshan open-pit coal mine in Inner Mongolia was taken as the research object, and the simulation analysis of the internal temperature, moisture and stress fields of the soil was carried out through laboratory freeze-thaw cycle tests and MatDEM numerical simulation. The results show that: freeze-shrinkage occurs to the soil in the dump after the freeze-thaw cycles, and the stress-strain curve shows the trend of strain softening at low confining pressure for shear failure, …

Detection Of Small Objects In Open-Pit Coal Mine Stopes Using Uav Remote Sensing Images, Liu Mingrui, Che Ben, Dong Hongbo, Zhu Ruoli

Coal Geology & Exploration

Open-pit coal mine stopes witness frequent vehicle accidents due to their complex terrains. Therefore, accurately positioning vehicles in the stopes is critical to safe coal mining. To overcome the inaccurate positioning of small targets in the mining areas using Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing images, this study proposed an improved YOLOv7 model for object detection. First, to expedite the reasoning of the YOLOv7 network, the ELAN module in the original YOLOv7 model was improved by introducing partial convolution. Based on this, the eSE channel attention mechanism was combined to form the PConv-eSE convolution attention module. The purpose is to …

Intelligent Optimization Method For Tunnel Rotary Drilling Based On Drill String Status Estimation, Yao Ningping, Wei Hongchao, Zhang Jinbao, Lu Chengda, Li Hao, Yao Yafeng, Ke Yougang, Zhang Youzhen

Coal Geology & Exploration

To address the issue in existing research where it is difficult to obtain bottom-hole drilling parameters while drilling, and to overcome the problem of low accuracy and insufficient improvement when optimizing rotary drilling operational parameters using only borehole data, an intelligent optimization method for near-horizontal tunnel rotary drilling based on drill string status is proposed. This involves constructing an in-hole state observer to estimate bottom-hole drilling parameter information. Firstly, the characteristics of rotary drilling in underground coal mine tunnels are analyzed, considering the constraints of actual drilling, and an optimization target evaluation method for mechanical drilling speed and drill bit …

On-Line Compensation For Geomagnetic Error While Drilling Based On Magnetic Inertial Slime Mould Algorithm, Yang Jinxian, Cai Jipeng

Coal Geology & Exploration

In response to the serious distortion of the azimuth angle of the drilling tool caused by the large measurement error of strap-down micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) magnetometer on the drilling tool in the measurement-while-drilling (MWD) environment, an online compensation method for the geomagnetic error of the drilling tool based on the magnetic-inertial slime mould algorithm (MISMA) was proposed. Firstly, the geomagnetic measurement error compensation model of the drilling tool was established through the analysis on the output error of the magnetometer, and the magnetometer error parameters were sorted into solution vectors. Then, the objective function of the ideal magnetic output data, the …

Obstacle-Avoidance Trajectory Planning Of Mine Drilling Robot During Drill Pipe Loading And Unloading, Yao Yafeng, Yao Ningping, Peng Tao, Liang Chunmiao, Peng Guangyu

Coal Geology & Exploration

The position of drill pipe loading and unloading by mine drilling robot will change with the attitude adjustment of the host machine, and obstacles are present in the loading and unloading path of drill pipe. Therefore, there is a problem of obstacle-avoidance trajectory planning with variable targets in the loading and unloading of drill pipe. For this reason, the DH parameter table was created according to the performance parameters of the explosion-proof 6-DOF manipulator, and the function relation of the change in loading and unloading position of drill pipe before and after the attitude adjustment of the 3-DOF host machine …

Stress Field Of High-Temperature Wellbore Under Spray Cooling For Underground Coal Gasification, Tang Yang, Xie Na, Xiong Haoyu, He Yin, Huang Shunxiao

Coal Geology & Exploration

As a supplement to traditional physical coal mining technology, underground coal gasification (UCG) is a new generation of chemical coal mining technology. During the gasification, the wellbore of UCG production wells is subjected to the combined action of high temperature and internal pressure loads. Targeting the structural characteristics of the wellbore of UCG production wells, this study, based on the heat transfer theory, established a calculation model for the transient temperature of the wellbore under the cooling through annular spray water injection. By combining the wellbore pressure model, as well as the elasticity theory and the wall cylinder theory, this …

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

Numerical Simulations Of The Effects Of Bedding Planes On Hydraulic Fracture Propagation Law In Oil Shale, Li Yanwei, Zhu Chaofan, Zeng Yijian, Shui Haoche, Fan Cunhan, Guo Wei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Hydraulic fracturing serves as a major technical means for the exploitation of oil shale reservoirs presently, and the hydraulic fracture morphology in oil shales is primarily affected by differences in the characteristics of bedding planes. However, current studies mostly focus on the influence of the developmental degree of bedding planes on fracture propagation, overlooking the effects of the bedding plane thickness itself on hydraulic fracture propagation. This study delves into the oil shale in the Xunyi area, Ordos Basin. Based on the theory of linear elastic fracture mechanics, this study developed a stress-damage-seepage model of hydraulic fracture propagation. Using the …

Vertical Variability Of Hydrogeological Characteristics Of Luohe Formation By Double Packer System Pumping Test, Li Chaofeng, Liu Yexian, Zhang Jinkui, Ren Dengjun, Hou Tao, Liu Zengping, Xu Xinqi, Ma Ji, Wang Qingzhen, Duan Xiliang, Xing Jiebo, Li Yang

Coal Geology & Exploration

To investigate the hydrogeological conditions of the thick Luohe Formation in Ordos Basin and quantitatively evaluate vertical variation characteristics of its aquifer’ s water-rich, proposes the method of using the coefficient of transmissibility to evaluate the water-rich of the aquifer, and give the seven level classification standard of water-rich by the method of determining coefficient of transmissibility. The double-packer system was used to carry out the pumping tests of 10 vertical sections of fixed thickness of the Luohe Formation in the DJ1 and DJ2 boreholes in the Gaojiabao mine field, shaanxi, and the hydrogeological parameters were calculated. Using the comprehensive …

Characteristics And Genetic Mechanism Of Low Sulfate In High-Salt Groundwater Of Permian Sandstone In Fudong Mining Area, Huainan, Jiang Chunlu, Huang Wendi, Fu Xianjie, Zheng Liugen, Cheng Shigui, Shan Chonglei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Hydrogeochemistry research of groundwater in coal mining areas is of great significance to the prevention and control of mine water and the comprehensive utilization of water resources. In terms of the low surfate of Permian sandstone water in Fudong mining area, Anhui Huainan Coalfield, the hydrochemical characteristics, water-rock interaction and low sulfate genesis of sandstone water were studied through water sampling and test by multivariate statistical method, in combination with the hydrogeological condition analysis and the sulfur and oxygen isotope technology. The results show that the Permian sandstone water in the study area is weakly alkaline, with an average TDS …

Evaluation Of Water Quality And Identification Of Pollution Factors In Mining Subsidence Area With High Phreatic Water Level, Hu Lin, Chen Yongchun, Xu Yanfei, Li Bing, Wang Jin, An Shikai, Chen Chen, Sun Hongjie, Miao Wei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Huainan mining area is characterized by a high phreatic water level, as well as a wide range and large area of coal mining subsidence areas, with the water quality monitoring data missing and prominent water environment. Therefore, the evaluation of water quality monitoring and identification of pollution factors in large subsidence area is of great significance to regional water environmental governance. Specifically, the water quality of the subsidence area was evaluated with the Nemerow pollution index method by testing the water samples collected from 175 sampling points in the study area. Meanwhile, the eutrophication state of water bodies was evaluated …