Asian Studies Commons^™

Adaptation For Whom? Understanding The Impacts Of Dyke Policies On Small-Scale Farmers In Ca Mau Province Of Vietnam, Nguyen Minh Quang, Nguyen Van Minh, Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Low-lying deltas worldwide are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise. As the risks of climate-induced flooding become increasingly clear, the thirst for infrastructure-driven adaptation increases. This highlights a patent need to understand the impacts of engineering adaptation solutions, especially those targeting built structures such as dykes and sluices, on farmers from a bottom-up, farmer-centred perspective. The study addresses this call by examining cases where dyke policies, while successful in some dimensions, have undermined small-scale farmer livelihoods in Ca Mau ― Vietnam’s southernmost rural province. It identifies areas in need of attention and adds empirical data related to this group of farmers. …

U.S. Government Agency Podcasts, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Presents podcasts from U.S. Government agencies which can be discovered through the U.S. Government Publishing Office's Catalog of Government Publications. Agencies whose podcasts are presented include the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Peace Corps, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Government Accountability Office (GAO), National Park Service, Department of Justice, Federal Reserve System, and U.S. Naval War College.

Lha, Lu, And Shipda: Religious Landscape In A Conservation Area, Luke Stumpfl

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Living in a political, cultural, and geographic border region between Nepal and Tibet (People’s Republic of China), the families of Tsum Valley face many demands from their sociopolitical, religious, and economic climate. Practicing Tibetan Buddhism, the people uphold a set of rules implemented by the community with leadership from Serap Dorje Drukpa Rinpoche over 100 years ago that prohibits the intentional murder of all animals. Hailed by leaders and scholars as a haven of biodiversity conservation due to this customary-turned- municipal law, Tsum Valley also exists within Manaslu Conservation Area governed by an entity of the federal government of Nepal …

If We Were Fiction: Insect-Human Stories, Isabella Delaney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This creative project delves into the nonlinear, interconnected web of insect-human relations in Nepal. Through exploring humans’ perceptions and stories of insects, this work intends to remedy the limits of traditional entomological knowledge, which forgets the ubiquitous reality of insects as more than biological and ecological agents. Insects are social, economic, and ethical “characters” in our lives, and recognizing this opens up possibilities for connection, hope, and evolution in this world. The potential of the mundane, the forgettable, pulses within humans’ unique attitudes toward insects and the forces that shaped them. This potential is represented in the final product of …

The Unintended Consequences Of China’S One-Child Policy, E. Wesley F. Peterson

Cornhusker Economics

In 1968, Paul Ehrlich published a book entitled The Population Bomb in which he argued that rapid population growth would overwhelm the world’s capacity to feed, house, and otherwise care for the coming millions of people. At that time, the world population was about 3.5 billion growing at an average annual rate of 2.06 percent (World Bank 2023). At that rate of growth, the world’s population would have been expected to double to 7.0 billion by 2001. In fact, population growth rates fell after the 1960s and world population reached only 6.2 billion in that year. Fears of a population …

Du Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Caitlyn Aldersea, Justin Bravo, Sam Allen, Anna Block, Connor Block, Emma Buechler, Maria De Los Angeles Bustillos, Arianna Carlson, William Christensen, Olivia Kachulis, Noah Craver, Kate Dillon, Muskan Fatima, Angel Fernandes, Emma Finch, Colleen Cassidy, Amy Fishman, Andrea Francis, Stacia Fritz, Simran Gill, Emma Gries, Rylie Hansen, Shannon Powers, Jacqueline Martinez, Zachary Harker, Ashley Hasty, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Kathleen Hopps, Adelaide Kerenick, Colin Kleckner, Ci Koehring, Elijah Kruger, Braden Krumholz, Maddie Leake, Lyneé Alves, Seraphina Loukas, Yatzari Lozano Vazquez, Haley Maki, Emily Martinez, Sierra Mckinney, Audrey Mitchell, Kipling Newman, Audrey Ng, Megan Lucyshyn, Andrew Nguyen, Stevie Ostman, Casandra Pearson, Alexandra Penney, Julia Gielczynski, Tyler Ball, Anna Rini, Christina Rorres, Simon Ruland, Helayna Schafer, Emma Sellers, Sarah Schuller, Claire Shaver, Kevin Summers, Isabella Shaw, Madison Sinar, Claudia Pena, Apshara Siwakoti, Carter Sorensen, Madi Sousa, Anna Sparling, Alexandra Revier, Brandon Thierry, Dylan Tyree, Maggie Williams, Lauren Wols

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

DU Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Works

Biocultural Diversity Of Medicine In Tsum Valley, Ashira Weinreich

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Health is intrinsically connected to biodiversity in the Himalayan mountains of Tsum Valley. Medicinal plants have historically been integral to primary health care in this region. The main objectives of this paper are to explore the role of biocultural diversity on perceptions of health and to demonstrate that medicinal plant knowledge contributes to health sovereignty in times of cultural and environmental change. The nutritional and medicinal significance of plants were examined in the daily lives of villagers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from April to May 2023. Preliminary results are analyzed ethnographically. Interviews and participant observation will provide a rich understanding …

Dairy & Development: An Investigation Into The Economic And Sociopolitical Dynamics Of Yak Cheesemaking In Nepal, Audrey Peiker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Cheesemaking in Nepal is full of love, passion, and creativity. What began as a Swiss development project in the 1950s has now grown into a full-fledged industry, providing jobs, creative outlets, and cultural expression for many. Nepal’s Dairy Development Corporation owns several factories throughout the country, setting the tone for the industry by establishing the standard price for milk and process for cheesemaking. From there, privately held factories innovate and compete, bringing new products to the market and increasing wages, but also struggle with consistency and reliability. Now, Nepal’s cheesemaking market is at a turning point—much of the herding population …

Ecological Living In Nepali Food Systems: A Synthesis Of Circular Nutrient And Knowledge Flows In The Kathmandu Valley, Kaitlyn Feely

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Researching food-systems in Nepal can feel like drinking from a fire hydrant. Sixty-six percent of the population is directly involved in agriculture and a diverse set of ecocultural understandings influence the practice across the country’s landscapes, ranging from the Himalayas to urban centers to southern plains. In the Kathmandu Valley and peripheral hills where I conducted my research, seemingly any spare land was under cultivation, enabled by fertile ground, optimal climate, and market potential. But despite the prevalence of farming in daily life throughout the country, Nepal’s food system is not domestically self-sufficient. A complex web of imports and exports …

Status Of Pangolins: A Case Study On "The Most Trafficked Mammal In The World" In Central-South Of Nepal, Tsogyal Wangmo Lama

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Pangolins are subject to constant trafficking in Asia and increasingly in Africa for their meat and scales. Very little research is done on this species due to its nocturnal, burrowing, and elusive nature. The larger the size of an animal is, the better it is known to the people and vice versa. Hence all these eight species of pangolins despite being under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list with the four Asian species declared endangered or critically endangered, are still illegally abused and used for ulterior motives due to a lack of awareness among the general …

Civil Society Organizations Serving Children In Vietnam: Opportunities And Constraints Working With Government Agencies, Trang P. Kelly

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

When Vietnamese civil society organization (CSO) administrators manage their relationships with government authorities to ensure children receive social services, they operate under Vietnam’s complex political, socioeconomic, and cultural constraints in environments where the Vietnamese government employs soft power to control CSOs and their donors. This study adds to the literature on the nature of CSO in Vietnam. It details the current imbalance of power between state-sponsored organizations (SSOs) and non-SSOs and provides an updated view of how Vietnamese non-SSOs mix social, economic, and political roles as employers and advocates.

Combining a qualitative exploratory and interpretative case study, I address a …

Asia’S Waste Crisis, Havovi Joshi

Asian Management Insights

Many Asian countries have drawn up national strategies to address waste management through their policy and regulatory frameworks, and put in place policies that promote green growth and sustainable development. However, nations across the continent are at vastly different stages of waste management. On one end, countries like Japan, China, and Singapore are ahead of the curve, and have invested in sound and structured waste management systems. On the other end, less developed nations continue to dispose most of their waste at open dumps.

What Makes Mad Honey “Mad”? An Investigation Into The Obsession Of The Himalayan Wild Cliff Honey, Codi Farmer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mad honey is a rare variety of cliff honey found in the mountainous regions of Turkey and Nepal and has been harvested by Indigenous groups for centuries. In Nepal, it is found on high-hanging cliffs that people risk their lives to face, but what makes this honey so special to cause generations of Nepalis to brave the formidable heights? Through a series of reading primary and secondary sources, watching first-hand accounts of honey hunting, and interviewing honey hunters, filmmakers, authors, and laypeople alike, I work to find the answer to the puzzling question – what makes mad honey "mad"? In …

A Cross-Country Investigation Of Social Image Motivation And Acceptance Of Lab-Grown Meat In Singapore And The United States, Mark Chong, Angela K. Y. Leung, Verity Lua

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This research has three goals. First, it sets out to compare consumer acceptance of lab-grown meat in the U.S. and in Singapore. Second, it seeks to explain the difference in Americans' and Singaporeans' acceptance of lab-grown meat by examining their eating motivations. Specifically, we focused on social image motivations – the motivations to present oneself positively in social contexts. Third, this study also aims to assess if exposure to information about lab-grown meat communicated by celebrity versus expert social media influencers (SMIs) can impact people's acceptance of lab-grown meat products. Our analysis showed that Singaporean participants had greater acceptance of …

Taking The Bull By The Horns: Gender Analysis In A Cattle Project In Indonesia, Febrina Prameswari

Sustainability and Social Justice

Women play a crucial role in agriculture, especially in cattle farming. However, gender inequality in livestock production remains a critical issue, as women usually have less engagement with livestock production, less control over finances, and less access to markets. The IndoBeef program in Indonesia was one of the first livestock projects to incorporate gender-specific activities in its implementation. The project used women-only focus groups, utilizing the Women’s Empowerment in Livestock Index (WELI) combined with farm production data to address women’s needs in the cattle industry. I conducted a gender analysis of one of IndoBeef’s subsidiary projects, CropCow. The project did …

Sacred Scavengers: Vulture Conservation In Nepal, Hans Nedde

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the 1990s, a veterinary drug used to treat pain and disease in cattle nearly brought the nine vulture species of Nepal to extinction. In a span of 15 years, over 97% of vultures in Nepal perished. For the past 20 years, governments, organizations, and communities have been working together to save these vital scavengers from vanishing. From the lowlands to the Himalayas, vultures have been interacting with the environment and humans for millennia. This study explores the role that vultures play both ecologically and culturally in Nepal. It investigates vultures as a crucial ecological influence and how human action …

Earth Stories: A Narrative Understanding Of Farmlife In Pokhara, Nepal, Grace Holmes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Humans love to tell stories. The purpose of this Creative ISP is to collect stories, of the plants and of the earth, render them through quotations and summary, and then discuss and reflect on how these stories could describe the relationship between people and the land. I hope a narrative understanding of our dependence on agriculture can bridge the gap in modern society that separates us so fundamentally from the earth that we live on.

Biodiversity Of Small Mammals And Paleoenvironment Of Transbaikalia And North Mongolia In The Late Pliocene, N. V. Alexeeva, M. A. Erbajeva

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

This paper reports the results of analysis on small mammal faunas dwelling during the Late Pliocene the Transbaikal and Northern Mongolia regions. They were found to share many common species, even though some differences linked with local and regional specifics of the environment are the case. High diversity of small mammal taxa, species richness and their prominent quantity specify the localities of Udunga, Beregovaya and Tologoi in Transbaikal region and in Shamar of Northern Mongolia. The compositions of all faunas point to the existence of the savanna-like landscapes and warm semiarid climate in that period.

Hypsugo Stubbei Sp. Nov., A Novel Cryptic Bat Species Of The Genus Hypsugo (Vespertilionidae, Chiroptera, Mammalia) From Mongolia, Dietrich Dolch, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, Annegret Stubbe, Dirk Steinhauser

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The occurrence of two members of the genus Hypsugo, namely H. alaschanicus and H. savii caucasicus, have been reported for Mongolia in the literature. Due to various taxonomic reassignments within and between genera, the number of records for the genus Hypsugo in Mongolia is quite scarce and sometimes not resolved at species or subspecies level. Despite recognition of the two above-mentioned species, recent reports based on genetic analyses describe only new and further records of H. alaschanicus. Thus, it exists a large uncertainty regarding the occurrence and distribution of H. savii caucasicus in Mongolia. Here, our efforts …

Zur Molekularen Klassifizierung Der Mongolischen Kormorane Phalacrocorax Carbo (Linnaeus, 1758), Lucie Marie Baltz, Michael Stubbe, Davaa Lchagvasuren, Lara-Sophie Dey

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo (Linnaeus, 1758) is a common breeding species at lake areas of Mongolia. Although molecular research has been conducted on many colonies worldwide, no studies of the genetic diversity of Mongolian colonies are known to date. In this study, we sequence for the first time a fragment of cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1) from ten individuals of the 2017 resident population at Telmen-nuur. Here we perform molecular identification and analyze it in the context of existing data from populations studied worldwide. A clear assignment to the species P. carbo could be shown, but no identification on subspecies level …

Selten In Der Mongolei Nachgewiesene Fledermausarten, Dietrich Dolch, Dirk Steinhauser, Bernd Gärtner, Klaus Thiele, Ariunbold Jargalsaikhan, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, Davaa Lchagvasuren, Annegret Stubbe, Michael Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

In der Mongolei sind gegenwärtig 20 verschiedene Fledermausarten aus sieben Gattungen nachgewiesen worden. Hierbei handelt es sich um sieben Arten Myotis, vier Arten Plecotus, drei Arten Eptesicus, zwei Arten Vespertilio, zwei Arten Hypsugo und je eine Art der Gattungen Nyctalus und Murina. Von den bisher bekannten Species konnten 11 nur selten und zwei von ihnen nur einmal gefunden worden. Bis auf die Arten der Gattung Plecotus und Hypsugo, die in getrennten Publikationen in diesem Heft behandelt werden (DOLCH et al. 2021a, 2021b), sind nachfolgend diese seltenen Funde zusammengestellt. Die Grundlage für die Häufigkeitseinschätzung bilden …

Phylogenie, Morphologie Und Ökologie Mongolischer Langohrfledermäuse Der Gattung Plecotus (Mammalia, Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), Dietrich Dolch, Bernd Gärtner, Klaus Thiele, Dirk Steinhauser, Ariunbold Jargalsaikhan, Annegret Stubbe, Nyamsuren Batsajchan, Davaa Lchagvasuren

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The Palaearctic is a zoogeographical region where knowledge of the distribution, taxonomy and ecology of bats (Chiroptera) is generally quite extensive. However, for many Palaearctic subregions, including Mongolia, detailed knowledge is still quite scarce. Also for some groups of species there are only few studies available to date. This holds also true for the long-eared bats of the genus Plecotus. For the long-eared bats, which live in close family groups and do not migrate over long distances, the development of different life form types can be expected. Studies tackling this are so far lacking.

The fundamental revision of the …

Biological Activity Of Saussurea Amara (L.) Dc., Shagjjav Oyungerel

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The medicinal application of specific plants over the long period in traditional medicine, suggests the presence of biologically active substances in those plant species. Saussurea amara (L.) DC. is a wild plant with a high feeding value because of its high protein content, vitamins, and minerals. S. amara is used in the traditional Mongolian medicine for the treatment of hepato-biliary disorders. The goal of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of S. amara. The antioxidant capacity of a methanol extract of plants was evaluated by analyzing its DPPH free-radical scavenging activity and reducing power …

Blood Parasites Of Fish Of The Baikal Basin, T. R. Khamnueva, Darima R. Baldanova

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Eight species of trypanosomes were found in nine species of fish in the Lake Baikal: Trypanosoma percae, T. amurensis, T. schulmani, T. dogieli, T. magna, T. sp.1, T. sp.2. Five species of trypanoplasms were detected in the blood of 13 species of Baikal fish: Trypanoplasma lomakini, T. littoralis, T. cotti, T. zaikai, T. sp. In the erythrocytes of the sand sculpin, Leocottus kesslerii were observed haemogregarins.

Der Kormoran Phalacrocorax Carbo In Der Mongolei, Michael Stubbe, Lucie Marie Baltz, Davaa Lchagvasuren, Lukas Kratzsch, Lara-Sophie Dey, Annegret Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo is a wide spread breeding species in Mongolia with a progressive population trend. Observations of the Mongolian-German Biological Expeditions were analyzed and summarized with data from literature. About 1,500 young birds were ringed in 2016 and 2017. One important recovery was coming from the wintering area Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve of Hong Kong. It is unclear if all Mongolian Cormorants are flying at the same route to their wintering region in South China. The main feeding fishes in Mongolia belong to endemic species of the genus Oreoleuciscus (Cyprinidae). Measurements of 113 eggs from Tolbo- …

Mist-Netting Of Forest-Dwelling Bats In The Lazovsky State Nature Reserve, Russian Far East, Kerstin Birlenbach

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Many bat species depend on a high value of healthy and undisturbed forests with a high ratio of roost sites in old tree stands. This investigation focused on the diversity, distribution and reproduction status of bats within the area of Lazovsky State Nature Reserve. The importance of an area for bats can be measured by the ratio of reproduction. The most important and sensitive time in a bats yearly circle is the time of hibernation in winter and the reproduction time of females. From the beginning of July to the end of August 2007, in total 139 bats of eight …

Records Of Hippoboscidae From Mongolian Birds Of Prey With Checklist, Update, Matthias Jentzsch, Benjamin Meissner, Nayamsuren Batsaikhan, Annegret Stubbe, Michael Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The hippoboscid species Ornithophila gestroi has been rediscovered from Mongolia. It is the easternmost of all the known occurrences. Specimens were collected from Amur Falcon Falco amurensis, Saker Falcon Falco cherrug, Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni, Eurasian Hobby, Falco subbuteo, Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Linnaeus, 1758 and Black Kite Milvus migrans in a breeding area located in southern Mongolia. Amur Falcon, Eurasian Hobby and Black Kite were identified as hosts of O. gestroi for the first time.

The Formation Of Aufeis And Its Impact On Infrastructure Around Ulaanbaatar, North-Central Mongolia, Michael Walther, Vanchindorj Batsaikhan, Avirmed Dashtseren, Yamkhin Jambaljav, Khurelbaatar Temujin, Ganbold Ulanbayar, Ulrich Kamp

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

In this study aufeis features and their formation under natural conditions and in an urban surrounding in north-central Mongolia were investigated. Used methods included field observations, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) as well as analyses of satellite imagery and meteorological data. Aufeis formation is related to streams, springs, and ground conditions, particularly soil moisture; the formation of both spring aufeis and river aufeis follows a seasonal cycle. The meteorological data from 1969 to 2018 indicate that the mean annual air temperature (MAAT) increased by 2.6 °C, whilst no significant changes were observed for precipitation. Between 1992 and 2018, aufeis areas significantly …

The House Mouse Mus Musculus In Mongolia: Taxonomy, Status, And Ecology Of A Neglected Species, Rico Appenborn, Katrin Lammers, Bettina Harr, Davaa Lkhagvasuren, Ravchig Samiya, Michael Stubbe, Hermann Ansorge

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Although the house mouse as a common and widely distributed species is probably best-studied among small mammals, there is a lack of fundamental knowledge regarding species identity, morphology and ecology in Mongolia. Consequently, this study provides results of basic biological research on the Mongolian house mouse. A total of 172 specimens have been studied based on samples collected during the period 1962 to 2016. Using genetic and morphological markers, the taxonomic examination resulted in classification as Mus musculus musculus LINNAEUS, 1758. To characterize the Mongolian house mouse, three fur color traits and 23 metric body and skull traits were analyzed. …

From The Steppe To The Desert: Survey Of Band-Winged Grasshoppers From Mongolia (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Oedipodinae) Based On Material From 50 Years Of Expeditions, Lara-Sophie Dey, Matthias Seidel, Davaa Lchagvasuren, Martin Husemann

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The steppe regions of Mongolia have a rich grasshopper fauna. Especially, the short-horned (Caelifera) grasshopper family Acrididae with the subfamilies Gomphocerinae (slant-faced grasshoppers) and Oedipodinae (band-winged grasshoppers) show a high diversity and abundance. This study reviews the Mongolian fauna of band-winged grasshoppers based on collection data of 50 years of expeditions of the German-Mongolian research cooperation. These collection data (assembled between 1962 and 2019) were used to generate a faunistic overview of Oedipodinae species for the region. In total 740 specimens belonging to 16 species were reported. Based on the collected material, study of the types and the original species …