Geography Commons^™

Black River Watershed Management Plan, Erin M. Fuller

Masters Theses

The Black River Watershed encompassses 287 square miles in Allegan and Van Buren Counties in southwestern lower Michigan. The confluence of the North, Middle, and South branches is approximately 2.5 miles upstream of the City of South Haven, where the river empties into Lake Michigan. The Black River Watershed Management Plan was created with input from a variety of stakeholders, from local organizations to state agencies. Input from these stakeholders, field work, and previous water quality studies all helped determine water quality concerns in the Black River Watershed. Stakeholders input also was used to determine goals and objectives that would …

Assessing Water Quality Of The Davis Creek Watershed, Michigan Using Annagnps Model, Mustafa Rezaur Rahim

Masters Theses

The Davis Creek watershed is the most polluted tributaries of Kalamazoo River in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. This study applied continuous simulation AnnAGNPS model, developed by USDA ARS, to estimate sediment yield and nutrient loadings and simulate the effects of proposed land use scenarios on nonpoint source pollution in the Davis Creek Watershed. Daily climate data of 1998 to 2004, Digital Elevation Model, soil, land use, hydrography, and agricultural management information were used to derive the model input parameters. The model was run continuously for the period of 1998 through 2004. The simulated results showed that erosion and sediment loadings are …

Assessment Of Sediment And Nutrient Loadings In The Davis Creek Watershed, Southwestern Michigan Using The Swat Model, Peter Kibowen Kimosop

Masters Theses

The Davis Creek Watershed has been impaired for many years by nonpoint source pollution. A recent modeling research on the watershed simulated both nutrient and sediment movements for the single storm events. This study simulates the movement of sediments and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) in the watershed continuously using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for assessing water quality in the watershed. Multiple databases for climate, soil types, DEM, land use and agricultural management practices were used to derive inputs for the SWAT. Subsequently, the SWAT model was run for the period of 1998-2004. The simulated results show that …

Effectiveness Of Wavelet Transform, Fractals, Lacunarity And Spatial Indices In Content-Based Image Retrieval, Sivagurunathan Chinniah

Masters Theses

The thesis demonstrates the feasibility of applying wavelet transforms, fractals, and spatial indices in content-based image retrieval (CBIR) of remotely sensed imagery. It consists of three major parts: the design and development of thick-client CBIR software, population of two samples of SPOT™ and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) image databases with metadata describing their visual properties, and, exploration of the effectiveness of region quadtree query and retrieval by content using various combinations of indices. 272 SPOT™ and 507 Landsat 7 ETM+ 512 x 512 pixel panchromatic images of Atlanta, Georgia were subsetted from two scenes. Moran's I index …

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Relations And The Social Production Of Space In Isabella County, Michigan, Bryan Thomas Swanson

Masters Theses

This thesis focuses on how the historical and cultural geography of the Saginaw Chippewa tribe of Mount Pleasant, Michigan and specifically on through their Soaring Eagle Casino reshaped the physical and cultural landscape of Isabella County. For this research I utilized documentary/archival evidence such as local histories, newspapers, plat maps and I also conducted field surveys. The research findings indicated that through the Soaring Eagle Casino the Saginaw Chippewa tribe has changed Isabella County, as well as their own social standing. Since 1993 the tribe has used casino revenues to purchase 1185 acres of land to add to the Isabella …

Wine Tourism Route Development And Marketing Strategies In Southwest Michigan, Astrid Wargenau

Masters Theses

As many tourists find their way to the shorelines of Michigan every summer, Southwest Michigan's fruit belt has begun to draw- visitors inland. Wine tourism has emerged as a new form of tourism. The vineyards in Southwest Michigan, depending on these visitors as their main customer market, therefore formed a wine route, connecting them and creating a wine region feel for tourists. In doing so, the wineries hope to establish a recognized wine region and sell their wines nationwide.

This study is based on semi-structured interviews conducted with General Managers and Marketing Officials of each of the vineyards. Based on …

Influence Of The Palisades Nuclear Power Plant On Residential Housing Prices, Nicole N. Blodgett

Masters Theses

The controversy over the influence of nuclear power plants on property values is a continual debate among communities (Clark et al. 1997). I will be looking at a sample of 400 residential houses within a twelve-mile radius of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Covert, Michigan to see how the location of the plant influences the home sale price. Several structural, neighborhood, and demographic characteristics were complied for the analysis. In addition to these characteristics, distance to the plant, a visibility component, and a dummy variable to indicate all properties within a quarter mile from the Lake Michigan shoreline were …

The Applicability Of A Habitat Rating System For Low Gradient Streams In Wisconsin To Low Gradient Coldwater Streams In Northern Michigan, Eric Lawrence Forward

Masters Theses

Habitat and fish assemblage data were collected on 12 streams in northern Michigan to assess the applicability of a habitat rating system developed for low gradient streams in Wisconsin in determining stream health in low gradient coldwater streams in northern Michigan. An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) developed for coldwater streams in the upper Midwest was used as the measure of stream health. Principal components analysis was used to select a small subset of habitat variables to describe the variation in IBI scores. The seven habitat variables chosen to describe the variation in IBI scores in the final model included: …

Assessing Tmdl Implementation In The Macatawa Watershed, Mi, Using Swat, Laurence Picq

Masters Theses

Lake Macatawa, on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, has been impaired by nonpoint source pollution from agriculture. A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), developed by the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, established a 60% reduction goal in phosphorus load by 2008. While agricultural best management practices have been implemented in the past three years, the local watershed organization has not had the means to evaluate the effectiveness of these practices, and to assess progress made towards the phosphorus reduction goal.

A simulation model, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was chosen to …

Classifying Forest Composition Using Fractal Dimension As An Index Of Image Texture, Fitria Latifah Wahid

Masters Theses

In this study, Landsat imagery from June (summer) and October (autumn senescence) 2000 of the area of Fort Custer Training Center in Kalamazoo and Calhoun Counties, Michigan, were analyzed for forest classification accuracies. The use of fractal analysis to improve forest classification, particularly to distinguish among northern hardwood species, was examined. Using moving windows with different sizes, measurement of local fractal dimension and spatial autocorrelation (Moran's I) were performed on the NDVIs and the panchromatic images. The measurement products were combined with Landsat TM bands as additional layers in supervised maximum- Iikelihood multispectral classifications. The accuracy for multispectral classification of …

A Spatial Temporal Analysis Of Infant Mortality In The Midwest Industrial Belt: 1940 And 2000, Julie Macarthur

Masters Theses

This study compares and analyzes the spatial patterns of infant mortality (IM) for 1940 and 2000 using county-level socio-economic variables in the Industrial Belt, assesses the changes in IM as an indicator of the living standards for the population over time and space, and explains the changes. The region was delineated using 1940 employment data. OLS, spatial regression, and exploratory spatial data analysis were used on IM (the dependent variable) and socio-economic variables to study the standard of living in the region. Some important factors were statistically significant in the various models including: minority population, levels of industrialization, and urbanization …

Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Of Gull Lake Water Quality Summer Of 1998, Jill Downing

Masters Theses

Suspended sediments derived from surface runoff can cause deterioration in aquatic ecosystems by reducing sunlight penetrating through suspended solids to reach subsurface biological organisms. It can also have an adverse effect on recreational, agricultural, and industrial uses. Monitoring the spatial distribution of suspended sediments is important in resource management of surface waters. Field spectrometry has been applied successfully toward establishing relationships between spectral response and water quality parameters including suspended sediment concentrations. The objective of this research was to develop possible correlations between hyperspectrum and water quality attributes of depth, turbidity, and nutrients of an inland freshwater lake in southwest …

Soil Survey Enhancement Of Landsat Thematic Mapper Delineation Of Wetlands: A Case Study Of Barry County, Michigan, Rosemary Ann Anger

Masters Theses

The Landsat Thematic Mapper Satellite system has provided a unique platform for the study of natural and man-made features since 1972. This suite of sensors has become an important tool in assessing vegetation type and health over large areas of the earth. This paper reviews the Landsat Thematic Mapper’s ability to categorize wetlands using an unsupervised classification scheme. A preliminary exploration of an unsupervised classification of wetlands using soil engineering characteristics from the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s soil survey as a pseudo bandwidth is described. The result of this project suggests that when compared to the National Wetlands Inventory, a …

Stream Bank Erosion And Land Use/Land Cover Along The Gun River, Allegan County, Michigan, Kenneth James Sexton

Masters Theses

The Gun River, located in Allegan County, MI, is experiencing profound erosion and sedimentation due to past channel modifications and current land use activity. The Gun River historically has been dredged and straightened to drain water faster and more effectively for agricultural production. Additionally, human land use activities in the watershed influence the current land cover and riparian vegetation. The purpose of this study was to determine if variations in land use (residential, agricultural, and forested) and vegetative cover along the banks of the Gun River influence erosion. Additionally, the study provided a unique opportunity to compare the upper portion …

Shoreline Perceptions And Planning Of Five Lakes In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Jonathan Peter Marsch

Masters Theses

Lakeshore development can have adverse affects on inland lakes. Effective planning and control is necessary to help communities and lakes stay healthy in the future. This paper provides planning for five lakes in Kalamazoo County, Michigan through the examination of lakeshore residents' perceptions of lake issues and the zoning ordinances of their local jurisdictions. Shoreline residents and jurisdictions around Austin, Gull, Long, West, and Woods Lakes are targeted in the survey and ordinance reviews. Evaluation of the survey through various statistical tests provides insight on residents' views of their rationale for living on the lakes, identification of lakeshore problems, and …

Assessing The Acceptance Of The New Environmental Paradigm In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Jaclyn Rose Burke

Masters Theses

Since the first Earth Day in 1970, there has been an expanding popular movement to protect the environment and a growing consciousness that humans are an integral part of nature. The New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) is a worldview that emphasizes the relationship that exists between humans and the environment. The purpose of this Master's Thesis is to assess Kalamazoo County, Michigan residents' attitudes on the environment based on their acceptance of the NEP. The acceptance of the NEP by Kalamazoo County residents was evaluated by residents' responses on a survey developed to measure their environmental attitudes. Kalamazoo County was found …

Investigating El Nino Southern Oscillation And Tornado Activity In Texas, Joel R. Intrieri

Masters Theses

The possible relationships between El Nino Southern Oscillation and tornado frequency and intensity (as measured by the Fujita Scale) within Texas are explored in this paper. Reported tornado occurrences from 1950-2000 are compared to the Japan Meteorological Agency's Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly Index to discover significant patterns and trends throughout the state. Overall, results reveal that more intense tornadoes are likely to touchdown during the cold phase (La Nina) of the ENSO cycle. Regional differences are also observed with the La Nina extreme favoring increases in tornado frequency and intensity within distinct areas of the state. Finally, the cold swing …

Measuring Urban Sprawl In Kalamazoo Region: A Land Cover Approach, Olena I. Smith

Masters Theses

Urban sprawl is a common American problem that has continued unabated throughout the last six decades. The pattern of urban sprawl in many metropolitan areas of Michigan is typical for much of the United States. Urban sprawl has been recognized as a major social problem in Michigan since the beginning of the 1990's. However, few studies measure urban sprawl by utilizing land cover information.

This research is a temporally comparative study that concentrates on changing patterns of "land cover" (the way land is covered by natural or human activities) from 1978 to 1996 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The study focuses on …

High Oblique Photographic Assessment Of Lakeshore Residential Landscapes In Southwest Michigan, John E. Truchan

Masters Theses

In Southwest Michigan, a growing number of residential developments are evident as residences line nearly the entire shoreline of many inland lakes. This may cause a potential change to the lakeshore vegetation and water quality of the lake, but no data have been collected to determine shoreline conditions at present nor as baseline reference for estimation effects of the continuing trend, nor for planning models for future development.

A physical survey was conducted in order to determine what residential landscape characteristics currently exist at selected lakes in Barry and Kalamazoo counties, Michigan. The data from the physical survey were summarized …

Assessment Of Land Use/Land Cover Change Impact On Water Quality In The Davis Creek Watershed, Southwestern Michigan, Porntip Limlahapun

Masters Theses

This study uses Arc View Nonpoint Source Modeling (A VNPSM), an interface between Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Model and ArcView GIS to assess the impact of land use/land cover change between 1978 and 1996 on water quality in the Davis Creek watershed, southwestern Michigan. The distribution of land use/land cover changes is identified by geographic analysis. Compared to 1978, agricultural land decreased by more than 60 percent while residential land increased by over 170 percent in the watershed in 1996. The hydrologic impact of the urbanization is evaluated by the AGNPS model. AVNPSM is used to derive required input parameters …

Learning In The Prairie, Meredith L. Beilfuss

Masters Theses

This research focused on fieldwork in geography and science education relative to the high school curriculum. First, the literature was reviewed to analyze the pedagogical and cognitive benefits of using fieldwork and how fieldwork might enrich the high school social studies and science curriculum in Michigan. Second, prairie curriculum resources were evaluated for suitability using the Michigan Education Standards and the National Standards for Geography. Finally, two groups of high school students engaged in fieldwork, using two different methods, photography and sketching, and were compared for their pre and post fieldwork knowledge of prairie ecological concepts. The pre and post …

Roots And Shoots Of The H. Dan Heyn Vision: Indigenous Planting Design, 1950-1980, Elizabeth A. Heiny-Cogswell

Masters Theses

Indigenous planting design, the practice of incorporating regional native plant species into new landscape projects, is little studied. This trend is counter to the more known and accepted American practice of using exotic ornamental plant species. This thesis studies the work and context of one Texas landscape architect, H. Dan Heyn. Beginning in the 1950's and continuing through the 1980's, Heyn became committed to, and specialized in, the use of indigenous plants in his landscape architectural design practice.

This investigation shows the beginning and importance in Texas of the idea to use indigenous plants, the tremendous task involved to study …

A Geostatistical Screening Strategy For Assessing Contaminated Sediment, Yasuyo K. Makido

Masters Theses

Many environmental problems involve the collection and interpretation of spatial data. Screening methods attempt to develop efficient test procedures to determine the presence and absence of contaminants in samples. Screening methods can reduce monitoring costs and effectively identify contamination problems. Adaptive sampling has the flexibility to adjust for follow-up sampling based on the observed patterns in the population. Geostatistical method is employed for the adaptive sampling scheme. Geostatistics are statistical methodologies that use spatial coordinates to help formulate models used in estimation and prediction.

This study seeks to map Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) concentrations in sediment in Lake Allegan and Morrow …

Development Of An Arc View™ Extension To Measure Local Fractal Dimension, Christopher Page Caird

Masters Theses

Texture is defined as the visible cue suggesting the smoothness or coarseness associated with image tone or color (Emerson, 1999). Fractal dimension (D) offers insight towards understanding texture in the spatial as well as spectral context of an image (Mandelbrot, 1982). Fractal dimension is best understood as a range of values between two and three that are used to quantitatively describe a surface. (D) values near 2.0 represent a uniform area containing similar pixel values. In contrast, (D) values near 3.0 represent a domain that is spectrally complex. This complexity stems from light and dark pixels in close proximity to …

Adapting The Habitat For Humanity Model To Sabah, Malaysia, Rozita Abdul Manap

Masters Theses

Building sustainable housing and community developments through the Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) homeownership program, is one of the many ways that has successfully improved housing standards for low-income communities in the U.S. Findings show that this model can be used as a mechanism to stimulate serious programs and as an alternative to improve and solve housing problems.

This study focuses on how the Habitat for Humanity model can be applied towards increasing the benefits to the community in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Located on Borneo Island, Sabah is the second largest state in the Federation of Malaysia, but is regarded …

Time Series Analysis Of Twenty Year Hourly Precipitation Record In Oshtemo, Michigan, Robert James Ruhf

Masters Theses

Hourly precipitation data from Oshtemo Township four miles (6.4 km) west of Kalamazoo, Michigan were examined for the period of July 18, 1979 through March 31, 2000.

Diurnal analysis of precipitation was performed on years, months, seasons, and the overall period of record. An overall maximum in the mean accumulation of precipitation was detected around 2000 LT, while a secondary maximum was detected during the morning hours. Elevated spring and fall accumulations were responsible for the evening maximum. Elevated summer and winter accumulations were responsible for the secondary morning maximum.

The pulse analysis of the time series of hourly precipitation …

Relationships Between Land Cover Change And Breeding Birds In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Daniel Mark Hoffman

Masters Theses

Effective conservation planning of breeding birds requires knowledge of responses to landscape change and pattern. This study analyzed associations between land cover type and change among three ecological groups, forest birds, shrubland birds, and grassland birds using Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data for Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Land cover maps for the years 1974 and 1996 were produced to assess land cover changes for BBS data from the period 1970-1996. The Pearson coefficient of correlation was used to correlate land cover type percent within BBS radii and the total birds of a bird group observed within each radius. Conclusions of the …

Mapping Stamp Sand Dynamics: Gay, Michigan, Thomas H. Rasmussen

Masters Theses

Monitoring coastal change is an important undertaking because a high percentage of the population lives within close proximity to coastal areas. This paper examines a portion of Lake Superior's shoreline where coastal change has been shaped by the introduction of 25 million tonnes of stamp sand, a man-made sediment. Longshore currents erode and deposit sediment changing the geomorphology of the coastline on both a short- and long-term basis. This movement may be documented through comparison of archival and current air photos. A series of historical air photo mosaics were input to a Geographic Information System (GIS). The GIS was used …

The Educational Nature Reserve Problem: Selecting A Prairie Reserve Location For The Kalamazoo Nature Center, Theresa M. Mau-Crimmins

Masters Theses

This study investigates a complex location-planning problem that is often faced by managers of nature centers: how to select sites on which to position new habitat reserves. Mission statements of these establishments often indicate objectives of habitat preservation and public education. Inherent in land preservation is a limited amount of traffic through the area. In contrast, in order for visitors to fully experience an ecosystem, access to the site is required.

In order to address site selection problems at such institutions, the Educational Nature Reserve Model was developed. This model fits situations in which the conflicting goals of conservation and …

Spatial And Temporal Variations Of Cloud-To-Ground Lightning In Southern Michigan, Michael A. Crimmins

Masters Theses

Lightning has a profound impact on many aspects of modern day society. Understanding its temporal and spatial distributions is fundamental in learning to coexist with its destructive power. This study surveyed the spatial and temporal distribution of cloud-to-ground lightning over southern Michigan using data provided by the Detroit Edison Company. Flash density and 'lightning day' maps were produced for every year of the 1985 to 1995 study period and then averaged to determine long term trends. A temporal analysis determined the distribution of lightning from the inter-annual down to the diurnal scale.

The spatial analysis indicates both deficiencies in the …