Geography Commons^™

You Are What You Tweet: Connecting The Geographic Variation In America's Obesity Rate To Twitter Content, Ross J. Gore, Saikou Diallo, Jose Padilla

VMASC Publications

We conduct a detailed investigation of the relationship among the obesity rate of urban areas and expressions of happiness, diet and physical activity on social media. We do so by analyzing a massive, geo-tagged data set comprising over 200 million words generated over the course of 2012 and 2013 on the social network service Twitter. Among many results, we show that areas with lower obesity rates: (1) have happier tweets and frequently discuss (2) food, particularly fruits and vegetables, and (3) physical activities of any intensity. Additionally, we provide evidence that each of these results offer different and unique insight …

May You Walk In Beauty: The Decline Of Navajo Land And Culture, Jocelyn Catterson

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The Navajo homeland, Dinetah, is bordered by four mountains that are sacred to the Navajo people: two in Colorado, one in New Mexico, and one in Arizona. Historically, Navajo medicine men have traveled to these mountains to renew prayers and collect medicinal herbs. Today, the mountains, which exist outside of the reservation boundaries, are used for resource extraction and various recreational pursuits. While many Navajo are fighting for the protection of these sacred lands and their traditional culture, others are disinterested. Traditional practices and beliefs are slowly disappearing within the Navajo Nation. The land-use issues associated with these sacred mountains …

Risk Terrain Modeling For Spatial Risk Assessment., Joel M. Caplan, Leslie W. Kennedy, Jeremy D. Barnum, Eric L. Piza

Publications and Research

Spatial factors can influence the seriousness and longevity of crime problems. Risk terrain modeling (RTM) identifies the spatial risks that come from features of a landscape and models how they colocate to create unique behavior settings for crime. The RTM process begins by testing a variety of factors thought to be geographically related to crime incidents. Valid factors are selected and then weighted to produce a final model that basically paints a picture of places where crime is statistically most likely to occur. This article addresses crime as the outcome event, but RTM can be applied to a variety of …

Examining The Effects Of Ecotourism In The Lashi Lake Wetlands, China, Caitlin K. Toner

Geography Honors Projects

The rapid development of ecotourism in Asia encourages new strategies to simultaneously attract tourists and preserve natural environments in formerly isolated and underdeveloped regions. Since the introduction of China’s policy of an open economy in 1978, China has recognized the opportunity to promote tourism in order to foster economic development. Compared to China’s coastal cities, the inland provinces contain few industrial cities and transportation infrastructure. For economic development, inland provinces have taken advantage of their natural areas and ethnic minorities as a commodity to attract foreign and domestic tourists in their region. While the literature addressing ecotourism often focuses on …

Retelling Ebola's "Outbreak Narrative" Through Media Coverage Of The 2014 West African Epidemic, Anoushka Millear

Geography Honors Projects

The 2014 Ebola Virus Disease epidemic, unprecedented in magnitude, has been the focus of worldwide media attention. How does media coverage of the epidemic seize on anxieties of an interconnected world to reinforce longstanding perceptions of Africa as dangerous and chaotic? I compare this media coverage to the model Ebola "outbreak narrative," using critical discourse analysis to contextualize representations of Africa within an increasingly interconnected world. I argue that media coverage reproduces a constructed Western understanding of Africa that will persist long after the epidemic is brought under control.

Factors Influencing Environmental Stewardship In U.S. Agriculture:Conservation Program Participants Vs. Non-Participants, Glenn D. Schaible, Ashok K. Mishra, Dayton M. Lambert, George Panterov

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation policy has increasingly shifted from atraditional land-retirement focus to greater emphasis on producer adoption of working-land conserva-tion practices. This research made use of USDA integrated field/farm surveys, the Conservation EffectsAssessment Project (CEAP) and Agricultural Resources Management Survey (ARMS), to (1) enhanceunderstanding of operator, field, farm, economic, and environmental characteristic differences betweenconservation program participants and non-participants across a farm typology, and (2) to enhanceunderstanding of the relative importance of these factors on influencing farm stewardship intensityin corn and wheat production, i.e., how these factors influence differences in producer adoption of alter-native levels of land …

Between Warrior And Helplessness In The Valley Of Azawa - The Struggle Of The Kel Tamashek In The War Of The Sahel, Patrick James Christian

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an Investigation into the Tuareg involvement in violent conflict in the Sahara and the Sahel of North Africa from a sociological psychological perspective of unmet human needs. The research begins by establishing the structure and texture of the sociological, psychological, and emotional life patterns of their existence when not involved in violent conflict. This is followed by an examination of the pathology of Tuareg social structures that are engaged in intra and inter communal violence as perpetrators, victims, and bystanders. The first part of the research establishes normal conditions of the sociological life cycle and highlights natural …

Engaging Vulnerable Populations Using Participatory Mapping: Lessons Learned And Guidelines For Community Advocates And Transportation Planners, Laxmi Ramasubramanian

Publications and Research

Towards A Theory Of Gis Program Management, Jochen Albrecht

Publications and Research

After a brief flurry of monographs on business and organizational aspects of GIS in the 1990s, little attention has been paid to a systematic approach in support of GIS Program management. Most existing efforts in both public and private enterprises are based on anecdotal evidence. This chapter outlines a range of research questions and the beginning efforts to study modern GIS management practices and help develop a body of knowledge that can be used for the accreditation of GIS Programs and the certification of GIS Program managers.

Female Ghost Or Worker Heroine? – Gender, Space, And Feminist Intervention In Contemporary Taiwan, Anru Lee

Publications and Research

The twenty-five Ladies’ Tomb was the collective burial site of female workers who were drowned during a ferry accident on their way to work at export processing zones in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in 1973. This essay focuses on the renovation of the tomb in the 2000s, and examines the politics of the feminist movement and the politics of memory as they are expressed through the different meanings bestowed on the deceased women. People involved in the renovation process included the Kaohsiung Association for the Promotion of Women’s Rights (KAPWR), the families of the deceased, and the Kaohsiung City government, all of …

Place-Making, Mobility, And Identity: The Politics And Poetics Of Urban Mass Rapid Systems In Taiwan, Anru Lee

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Exploration Of The Mtsat2 Satellite Capabilities For Real Time Detection And Characterization Of Volcanic Emissions, Nicholas R. Stewart

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

In this report, we attempt to define the capabilities of the infrared satellite remote sensor, Multifunctional Transport Satellite-2 (MTSAT-2) (i.e. a geosynchronous instrument), in characterizing volcanic eruptive behavior in the highly active region of Indonesia. Sulfur dioxide data from NASA's Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) (i.e. a polar orbiting instrument) are presented here for validation of the processes interpreted using the thermal infrared datasets. Data provided from two case studies are analyzed specifically for eruptive products producing large thermal anomalies (i.e. lava flows, lava domes, etc.), volcanic ash and SO₂ clouds; three distinctly characteristic and abundant volcanic emissions. Two primary …

Object-Based Classification Of Earthquake Damage From High-Resolution Optical Imagery Using Machine Learning, James Bialas

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Object-based approaches to the segmentation and supervised classification of remotely-sensed images yield more promising results compared to traditional pixel-based approaches. However, the development of an object-based approach presents challenges in terms of algorithm selection and parameter tuning. Subjective methods and trial and error are often used, but time consuming and yield less than optimal results. Objective methods are warranted, especially for rapid deployment in time sensitive applications such as earthquake induced damage assessment.

Our research takes a systematic approach to evaluating object-based image segmentation and machine learning algorithms for the classification of earthquake damage in remotely-sensed imagery using Trimble’s eCognition …

Geog 140: Introduction To Human Geography—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Inquiry Portfolio, Katherine Nashleanas

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

Large lecture classes of 100 students or more present unique challenges to both teaching and learning. The common method of “delivery” by instructors is lecture, often augmented by a set of Power Point slides; and, while the research literature shows that this is the more traditional way of teaching, increasingly it is becoming apparent that this method of instruction often does not reach students in the way we hope and often assume (Harvard Magazine 2015). Most of the students populating these classes are born of the Digital Age and have different expectations for learning, requiring new approaches in the classroom …

The San Antonio Wash: Addressing The Gap Between Claremont And Upland, Benjamin C. Hackenberger

Pomona Senior Theses

Access to water from San Antonio Creek was critical in Claremont’s growth from a small stop on the Santa Fe Railroad to an agricultural powerhouse and an elite college town. While Claremont has sought to distinguish itself from surrounding communities since its founding in 1882, the innovative Pomona Valley Protective Association (PVPA) aligned Claremont with the City of Pomona and its other neighbors in a scheme to conserve the Creek’s resources at the turn of the century. Organized around the discovery of local confined aquifers and the development of a strategy to recharge them with water from the San Antonio …

The Habitat Of European Brown Bears In Northern Spain: Mapping Habitat Fragmentation And Potential Connectivity, Alma D. Pacheco

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The European brown bear in northern Spain is considered to be an endangered species whose habitat has been fragmented into two subpopulations due to habitat loss and lack of connectivity. The importance of improving connectivity and preventing more habitat destruction is vital to recover the species in this region. This research looks at spatial and temporal variations of brown bear habitat by mapping the conditions of habitat fragmentation and potential connectivity at a regional extent. This research examines net changes of brown bear habitat fragmentation between 1990-2000, 2000-2006, and overall 1990-2006; and the degree of brown bear habitat connectivity between …

A Migration Analysis Of Demographic Transitions In The Upper-Midwest From 2006-2010, Andrew Brick

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Rural communities in the Upper-Midwest are essential for contributions to agriculture, oil and development of economic networks to larger towns and cities. Concerning rural population stability and transitions, this research study aims to discover complex migration flows by constructing specified groups of Upper-Midwest regions (i.e., Bakken oil, Taconite iron, high agriculture, developing area of rural depopulation and Interstate 94). Research questions on migrant distributions will be answered by investigating (in-) and (out-) flow data by demographic characteristics (e.g., age, gender and ethnicity) on a county-to-county level. By weighing total demographic populations, a more accurate representation of migration trends called Crude …

Implications Of Using 2 M Versus 30 M Spatial Resolution Data For Suburban Residential Land Change Modeling, S. D. Blanchard, R. G. Pontius, K. M. Urban

Geography

This study assesses the advantages and disadvantages of using 2 m spatial resolution data versus 30 m resolution data for a simulation model of land-use and land-cover change (LUCC). The model projects LUCC from 2005 to 2055 in the town of Lynnfield, Massachusetts, USA. This article describes four scenario storylines and then projects land-use and land-cover under each of the four scenarios with 2 m data and again with 30 m data. The disagreement between the 2 m output and its corresponding 30 m output ranges between 5.7% and 11.0% of the town. The disagreement due to allocation over small …

Preface: Climate Extremes And Biogeochemical Cycles In The Terrestrial Biosphere: Impacts And Feedbacks Across Scales, M. Bahn, M. Reichstein, K. Guan, J. M. Moreno, Christopher A. Williams

Geography

No abstract provided.

Mapping Cropland In Smallholder-Dominated Savannas: Integrating Remote Sensing Techniques And Probabilistic Modeling, Sean Sweeney, Tatyana Ruseva, Lyndon Estes, Tom Evans

Geography

Traditional smallholder farming systems dominate the savanna range countries of sub-Saharan Africa and provide the foundation for the region's food security. Despite continued expansion of smallholder farming into the surrounding savanna landscapes, food insecurity in the region persists. Central to the monitoring of food security in these countries, and to understanding the processes behind it, are reliable, high-quality datasets of cultivated land. Remote sensing has been frequently used for this purpose but distinguishing crops under certain stages of growth from savanna woodlands has remained a major challenge. Yet, crop production in dryland ecosystems is most vulnerable to seasonal climate variability, …

New Perspectives On An Iconic Landscape From Comparative International Long-Term Ecological Research, Evelyn E. Gaiser, Elizabeth P. Anderson, Edward Castañeda-Moya, Ligia Collado-Vides, James W.F. Ourqurean, Michael R. Heithaus, Rudolf Jaffé, David Lagomasino, Nicholas J. Oehm, Rene M. Price, Victor H. Rivera-Monroy, Rinku Roy Chowdhury, Tiffany G. Troxler

Geography

Iconic ecosystems like the Florida Coastal Everglades can serve as sentinels of environmental change from local to global scales. This characteristic can help inform general theory about how and why ecosystems transform, particularly if distinctive ecosystem properties are studied over long time scales and compared to those of similar ecosystems elsewhere. Here we review the ways in which long-term, comparative, international research has provided perspectives on iconic features of the Everglades that have, in turn, informed general ecosystem paradigms. Studies in other comparable wetlands from the Caribbean to Australia have shed light on distinctive and puzzling aspects such as the …

Mobile Home Resident Perspectives On Preparedness, Protective Action, And Evacuation For Tornado Hazards, Kevin D. Ash

Theses and Dissertations

More than 1,000 tornadoes strike the United States each year, and no population segment has been impacted to a greater degree than those who live in mobile homes. Despite being only about 7% of the total population, mobile home residents have comprised 40% to 50% of all tornado deaths over the past fifty years. Inhabitants of mobile homes must therefore act quickly to protect themselves when they are threatened by tornadoes. Warning messages instruct mobile home occupants to move to a sturdier building until the storm passes, but what are the residents’ perspectives on this recommended behavior? It is unknown …

Institutional Resilience Along The Mississippi Gulf Coast In The Context Of Pre- And Post-Hurricane Katrina, Khai Hoan Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

Building resilience to disasters helps reduce loss of life and property, allowing communities to recover more quickly from shocks and disruptions. Governing institutions are tasked with tremendous responsibility in terms of mitigating risks and enhancing resilience of local communities through proactive planning and policies. It is important to examine how institutional policies have changed pre- and post-disaster to determine their contribution to community resilience. Metrics and indicators can be used to quantitatively assess, establish baseline, track, and monitor resilience at the community level. Few studies have attempted to measure institutional resilience using a set of indicators and metrics, and even …

Identity, Heritage And Memorialization: The Toraja Tongkonan Of Indonesia, Kathleen M. Adams

Anthropology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

A Tale Of Two Landscapes: Examining Alienation And Non-Visitation Among Local African American Fishers At Congaree National Park, Janae Davis

Theses and Dissertations

The Wilderness Act of 1964 limits acceptable activities in federally designated wilderness areas to those associated with leisure, scenic viewing, education and scientific inquiry. These stipulations, which privileged the interests of the early environmental movement’s elite white leaders and disregarded uses valued by racial/ethnic minorities and working class groups, continue to inform wilderness management in national parks. This legacy of exclusion is evidenced by national park visitation statistics showing overrepresentation1 of whites and underrepresentation of African Americans (Meeker, Woods, & Lucas, 1973; P. A. Taylor, Grandjean, & Gramann, 2011). The purpose of this study is to understand how wilderness management …

Institutional Adaptation And Drought Management In The Carolinas, Kirsten Lackstrom

Theses and Dissertations

Drought is one of the costliest hazards faced by the United States, having caused billions of dollars in damage and affected all regions of the country over the past two decades. There have been many efforts to strengthen society’s technical and managerial capacity to respond to drought, mitigate risks, and adopt proactive planning and management strategies. Advances entail the adoption of drought plans, improvements to data collection and monitoring systems, and development of networks to disseminate information and foster communications. Despite recent progress, response remains reactive and crisis-oriented. Management is often uncoordinated across the multiple sectors and fragmented jurisdictions affected …

Ammonium Concentrations Above A Louisiana Sugarcane Field, Wesley Robert Skeeter

Theses and Dissertations

High concentrations of ammonium (NH4+) aerosols can lead to acidification of soils, forest decline, and eutrophication of water ways (Aneja et al. 2003). NH4+ along with its precursor ammonia (NH3) forms a complicated gas aerosol system that is poorly understood and requires further research. Rotating annular denuder systems actively sampled NH4+ from the northern corner of a sugarcane field at 2.89 m and 5.18 m above the northern corner of a sugarcane field in St. Gabriel, Louisiana over 31 days and 31 nights between May 25th and July 27th of 2011. These data were used to calculate the average NH4+ …

Tree-Sway Frequency And The Turbulent Co-Spectral Gap In A Dense Canopy Environment, Katherine L. Ertell

Theses and Dissertations

Today, knowledge of canopy turbulence comes solely from field observations. However, measurements or field observations that are taken at a specific location within the canopy cannot accurately capture the interaction of the wind and the canopy it crosses. Without this complete picture of the atmosphere, the temporal fluctuations that exist in turbulent flows cannot be understood. From an atmospheric perspective, the complex structure of forests significantly influences turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layers (ABL) by consistently imposing both mechanical and thermal forces. This study explores the temporal and spatial characteristics of tree-sway motions and their aerodynamic interactions with coherent turbulence …

Economic Losses And Extreme Tornado Events, Rachel Reeves

Theses and Dissertations

Research on tornado impacts has previously focused mainly on analyzing the deaths and injuries associated with tornadoes. While economic loss from multiple hazards is a well-researched field, little has been done to assess the economic losses sustained during tornado events. Additionally, the literature regarding the Enhanced Fujita scale’s comparability to the Fujita scale is limited. This research aims to add to the literature by statistically analyzing the two tornado scales, determining the movement of tornadoes over time using a cluster analysis, comparing the location of extreme tornadoes to those which produce extreme loss, and looking at the statistical relationship between …

The Meaning Of Place Recovery On The Mississippi Gulf Coast, Ronald L. Schumann, Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Recovery is a post-disaster period of adjustment when individuals, households, neighborhoods, and communities work to overcome the effects of a disaster and regain functionality. Recovery is a multi-scalar process whose outcomes are manifested in the physical landscape; however, assessments of the meaning, progress, and outcomes of recovery are specific to individuals who view the landscape from an embodied perspective within the local social hierarchy. Common recovery measurement techniques used by emergency managers, planners, local leaders, and hazards scholars approximate recovery with reconstruction of physical infrastructure or repopulation of residences. These longitudinal quantitative proxies may claim to represent the status of …