Geography Commons^™

Analyzing Racial Disparities In The United States Homeownership: A Socio-Demographic Study Using Machine Learning, Arya Farahi, Junfeng Jiao

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

While increasing homeownership has been a focal point for policymakers in the United States, the distribution of access to homeownership opportunities across all families within the country has not been equitable. The complex relation between social factors and economic conditions has significantly shaped the journey toward homeownership. Of particular concern is the persistent disparity in homeownership rates among Black households in the United States. Effectively addressing these disparities within urban communities necessitates comprehensive policy interventions and social initiatives. However, the success of such endeavors hinges upon a comprehensive grasp of the underlying causes of these inequalities. Drawing upon machine learning …

Shifting Baselines: Visualizing Climate Change In America’S National Parks, Lee Lines

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Understanding Climate Change Adaptation And Gentrification Through The Framework Of Uneven Coastal Development In Keansburg, New Jersey, Zachary Paganini

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study examines the rapid acceleration of coastal development in the United States despite projections of climate change-induced sea level rise. Like no other developed country, the U.S. has transformed its fragile coastline into sites for leisure, consumption, and retirement. These spaces now face the prospect of more frequent and severe storms, as well as land loss and inundation, due to climate change. This dilemma has sparked debates around coastal resilience, adaptation, retreat, and climate gentrification.

While many studies seek to measure perceptions of climate change risk and vulnerability, this dissertation reverses the question by positioning risk perceptions as an …

The Film, The Stadium And The Jail: The Post-Industrial Transformation Of Downtown Durham, Seth Rose

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

By the late 1980s, Durham, North Carolina’s downtown-based industrial economy had been replaced by a powerful knowledge economy in the city’s peripheries. Downtown Durham’s vast array of tobacco and textiles manufacturing buildings stood empty, along with most of its commercial spaces, offices and sidewalks. This thesis argues that the local development of two major public works, a baseball stadium (the Durham Bulls Athletic Park) and a jail (the Durham County Detention Center), conceived and constructed on similar timelines in close physical proximity, was indicative of how—and for whom—city and county officials envisioned a revitalized downtown. The first chapter examines the …

Cover And Forewords, Steven M. Schnell

The Geographical Bulletin

Cover and Forewords

Commentary: The Precarious Position Of Teaching As A Graduate Student, Candice R. Luebbering, Korine N. Kolivras

The Geographical Bulletin

Although elementary and secondary education teachers often undertake years of schooling and practice before taking charge of the classroom, graduate students can be called upon as instructors shortly after their f irst arrival to campus . With little time to review or develop course elements, graduate students are thrown headfirst into dealing with the dramatic daily role reversal of being both a student and a professor . This article, in contrast to formal pedagogy papers, provides a narrative by a graduate student intended for fellow graduate students about to assume the title of instructor . It is an informal collection …

Volume 51-2 Complete Issue, Steven M. Schnell

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 51-2 Complete Issue

Using Willingness-To-Pay Surveys When Assessing Dam Removal: A New Hampshire Case Study, Jo Beth Mullens, Veronica Wanstreet

The Geographical Bulletin

As dams in the United States age and become obsolete and river restoration emerges as a new priority, dam removals have increased . Feasibility studies serve to detail the costs and benefits of such proposed dam removals; however, most do not consider intangibles such as the benefits derived from reconnecting seasonal fish habitat or improving the biological diversity within a river . In this research, a willingness-to-pay survey was used to assign a monetary value to intangible goods associated with the proposed removal of an historic dam on the Ashuelot River in southwestern New Hampshire . Within the town where …

A New Technique For Predicting The Sky-View Factor For Urban Heat Island Assessment, Richard R. Shaker, Taly Dawn Drezner

The Geographical Bulletin

The urban heat island (UHI) has been documented in large and small urban areas worldwide . Many metrics have been created to model the UHI . Among these, sky-view factor (SVF) has been accepted as a robust survey technique for capturing the urban geometry associated with longwave radiation storage and thus the urban heat island . SVF assessment has improved both in collecting and processing, but has limitations for modeling the UHI, as its accuracy is limited to areas of high urban density and geometry commonly found in the arrangement of human built landscapes . This paper develops a simple, …

Photosystem Stress Of Understory Balsam Fir (Abies Balsamea) In Ontario, Canada As Measured By Chlorophyll Fluorescence, Shannon R. Mccarragher, David Goldblums

The Geographical Bulletin

The goal of this research was to assess the health and physiological stress of understory balsam fir (Abies balsamea) seedlings and saplings within Lake Superior Provincial Park (LSPP) in Ontario, Canada to provide an indication of the degree to which they are affected by ambient light levels . The photochemical efficiency of balsam fir photosystem II was tested by measuring fluorescence . Seedlings and saplings within four sites were sampled and measured for their daily photochemical efficiencies . It was hypothesized that the sampled balsam fir would display little, if any, light stress because balsam fir is relatively shade tolerant …

Cover And Forewords, Steven M. Schnell

The Geographical Bulletin

Cover and Forewords

Interview: Douglas Deur, Steven M. Schnell

The Geographical Bulletin

Doug Deur is currently a consultant and research faculty member, working with groups of native peoples on issues relating to tribal land and resource use, cultural significance of landscapes, and sense of place . Trained in cultural geography and anthropology at the University of Oregon, Simon Fraser University, and Louisiana State University, he currently dwells in the mist-shrouded forests of the Oregon coast

Volume 51-1 Complete Issue, Steven M. Schnell

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 51-1 Complete Issue

Long-Term Change Around Skytrain Stations In Vancouver, Canada: A Demographic Shift-Share Analysis, Nicole M. Foth

The Geographical Bulletin

This study examines the long-term demographic implications of the SkyTrain, a lightrail rapid transit system, on surrounding neighbourhoods in Vancouver, Canada . Using demographic Census data from 1981 and 2006, shift-share analysis shows the residents’ characteristics change over time . Results demonstrate that SkyTrain neighbourhoods near stations have become physically denser, wealthier and more educated compared to Vancouver as a whole . From these results, the article explores the contextual reasons why denser development occurred around the SkyTrain stations and the effect on residential demographics in the area

Geolinguistics: The Incorporation Of Geographic Information Systems And Science, Shawn Hoch, James J. Hayes

The Geographical Bulletin

Modern geographic information systems (GIS) and its incorporated spatial analysis tools allow sophisticated and efficient analysis of spatial data by researchers in many fields . Although the field of linguistics has long been of interest to geographers and spatial variation of language to linguists, researchers have made little use of the power of GIS and GIScience theory to address hypotheses regarding spatial variation of language and correlated physical and social variables . Discussion of modern GIS tools for spatial analysis, quantitative analysis, and cartography in geolinguistics has been largely absent from the literature . Linguists have applied GIS technology in …

Tropical Deforestation In The Ecuadorian Chocó: Logging Practices And Socio-Spatial Relationships, Santiago López, Rodrigo Sierra, Milton Tirado

The Geographical Bulletin

This article examines the implications of forest management on biodiversity at a local level and the relationships between deforestation and its geographic and demographic contexts at a regional level in the Ecuadorian Chocó region . We evaluated the implications of logging practices on biodiversity through the comparison of two 5-ha vegetation quadrats in two areas with and without forest management . Results of the local evaluation showed that the managed forest had higher tree density, larger basal area, and more commercial tree species per hectare than the unmanaged area . Yet, forest gaps were notably large in both research sites …

A Note From The Editor, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

A Note from the Editor

Cover And Forewords, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

Cover and Forewords

Volume 59-2 Complete Issue, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 59-2 Complete Issue

Predicting Gypsy Moth Population Size In Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park Using A Satellite Disturbance Index, Jonathan B. Thayn, Courtney M. Ballard, Emily L. Eichholzer, Michael J. Genard, Jordan A. Hawks, John P. Richard

The Geographical Bulletin

The pattern of gypsy moth defoliation in the Apostle Islands suggests that moths arrived first to the most isolated islands, not those that are nearest the mainland or the most visited by tourists. Gypsy moths are primarily wind-dispersed, so at least some of the moths may have been blown across Lake Superior. The Porcupine Mountains, about 55 km away, are a potential source for these moths. We used a satellite image-based disturbance index to map the extent of defoliation in and around Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Using these data and moth trap data provided by the Slow the Spread …

Analyzing Tornadic Frequency And Regional Climate Change Relationships In Kansas, 1950-2016, Michael S. Molloy, Bimal K. Paul

The Geographical Bulletin

Due to climate change, severe thunderstorms with the potential to produce tornados are expected to be less frequent and more intense over the next several decades. The goal of this research is to determine whether regional climate change is occurring and inf luencing the frequency of tornadic activity occurring in Kansas. Using decadal averages of temperature and precipitation along with decadal tornado totals, we conducted multiple regression analyses to determine if there is a relationship between tornados, precipitation, and temperature from CE 1950 to 2016. We found that four out of seven decades were above the 30-year average of 12.1 …

Relationship Of Flood Peaks To 24-Hour Rainfall In The Eastern Texas Hill Country, South-Central Texas, Richard A. Earl, Jeanett Bosarge, Heather Wooten, Sarita Hedgepeth, Joel Sherrouse

The Geographical Bulletin

The eastern Texas Hill Country is noted for its extreme storm rainfall amounts and the resulting flood discharges. The resulting flash f loods contribute to Texas leading the U.S. in automobile-related, flood fatalities. These f loods produce considerable groundwater recharge to the Edwards Aquifer. A better knowledge of relations between precipitation and peak flood discharges can improve f lood hazard warning and provide estimates of groundwater recharge from ungauged ephemeral streams. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between 24-hour precipitation amounts and peak discharge for four ephemeral streams, with drainage areas between 0.3 to 18.8 mi.2 …

Heat Reduction Capabilities Of Urban Tree Species, Renee Baker

The Geographical Bulletin

Cities are predicted to house 61% of the world’s population within the next 30 years and their ecological footprints extend much farther than the extent of developed land. In addition, they trap 15-30% more radiation than their rural counterparts, making air temperatures 0.6 - 1.3° C warmer. Higher temperatures drive chemical reactions and increases the energy expended in buildings for cooling. In this study, the thermal effects of tree species in Santa Barbara, California were observed using data from the Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer-Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) satellite on June 3, 2014, and MASTER data from June 4, 2014. A …

Enhancing Community Flood Resilience By Incorporating Landscape Hydrological Sensitivity And Connectivity, Wenlong Feng

Dissertations

Rapid urban expansion and dramatic climate change have significantly increased the intensity and frequency of floods worldwide. With rising flood risks, conventional flood defense strategies that rely on structural measures become ineffective. The present designations for flood-prone areas, such as FEMA's flood maps, are becoming unreliable. Flood risk management is shifting toward enhancing community flood resilience, highlighting the importance of non-structural approaches. Landscape resilience has become a foundation of community flood resilience. However, past urban development typically undermined natural hydro-ecological functions and landscape resilience because of poor recognition of landscapes' ecological role, hydrological sensitivity, and hydrological connections. This study aims …

No. 01: South Africa At War: Food Insecurity, Migrant Exclusion And Covid-19 Policies, Jonathan Crush, Sean Sithole

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The policy audit critically examines the South African government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly focusing on the militaristic enforcement of lockdowns and the resulting food insecurity and exclusion of migrant populations. The report aims to inform policy-makers about the impacts of these policies and provide recommendations for crisis management.

On 27 March 2020, South Africa imposed a nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19. This lockdown, enforced by the police and the military, was characterized by stringent measures including curfews, bans on inter-provincial travel, and the closure of non-essential businesses. These measures, while necessary to control the pandemic, …

Air Conditioning (Or Lack Thereof) In France: A Cross Cultural Comparison, Jean Lavigne

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

‘Brain Drain’: Net Gains And Losses Of College- Educated Residents In The Mountain West, 2023, Dre Boyd-Weatherly, Annie Vong, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Higher Education

This fact sheet examines the number of college-educated individuals who moved to Mountain West states (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah) and to selected metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the Mountain West in 2023. The “2024 Study: ‘Brain Drain’? The States With the Largest Net Gains and Losses of College-Educated Americans” report contains data from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) of the Current Population Survey conducted by the United States Census Bureau. The study includes data on where college-educated residents move and which areas experienced ‘brain drain,’ where college-educated residents move to other places.

Waterhouses : Landscapes, Housing, And The Making Of Modern Lagos, Mark Duerksen

Ohio University Press Open Access Books

Waterhouses is about the places the people of Lagos have inhabited, imagined, and made home for the past two centuries. It asks what a house in Lagos is and explores how the answer to that question has been historically constructed and reconstructed in turn with the city’s changing landscapes. Written for historians of African and Atlantic history, scholars and practitioners of urbanism, and anyone looking to make sense of Africa’s most populous metropolis today, the book is an approachable history of how houses and water have formed modern Lagos.

The book argues that in the coastlands from which Lagos rose, …

Cover And Forewords, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

Cover and Forewords

A Note From The Editor, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

A Note from the Editor