Identifying Associations Between Human-Environmental Factors And Water Quality Trends Observed At Perennial Headwater Streams Of The San Bernardino National Forest, California, 2022 California State University, San Bernardino
Identifying Associations Between Human-Environmental Factors And Water Quality Trends Observed At Perennial Headwater Streams Of The San Bernardino National Forest, California, Anna Frey
Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations
Anthropogenic factors related to landscape activities, infrastructure, and alterations, coupled with severe climatic fluctuations (i.e., droughts and extreme hydrological events) are increasingly impairing the quality of surface water resources across multiple geographic scales, warranting the need for comprehensive investigations of the cumulative effects of human-environmental stressors at multiple scales within a watershed. This study assessed three perennial headwater streams of the San Bernardino National Forest, California. The streams were tested for one year from October 2019 to September 2020 for conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, turbidity, temperature, ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3-), total coliform (TC), Escherichia coli …
Understanding The Public Perception Of Available Scientific Resources In Coastal Southern Maine, 2022 University of Rhode Island
Understanding The Public Perception Of Available Scientific Resources In Coastal Southern Maine, James Gallagher
Senior Honors Projects
I have focused my education as an undergrad towards the effective communication of scientific fact to non-scientific groups. This area of study has recently been dubbed Science Communication and it encompasses the effective articulation, communication, and education of scientific topics to people who haven’t dedicated their lives to scientific study. A major component of effective Scientific Communication is understanding your audience and what kind of communication strategies are best for a chosen demographic.
I grew up in Ocean Park Maine, a small town on the coast of Southern Maine which drove my interest in Marine Science. With my experience in …
Changes In Western U.S. Streamflow Extremes Under Climate Change, 2022 Chapman University
Changes In Western U.S. Streamflow Extremes Under Climate Change, Rama Bedri
Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters
We are analyzing streamflow extremes in Western U.S. rivers due to climate change. Global warming causes natural disasters to reach extreme points and affects river volumes, snowfall, and precipitation amounts. We analyze the data for 17 stations in the Colorado River Basin, whose rivers provide Southern California’s drinking water supply. Disruptions in streamflow due to climate change affect the region’s water availability and make it difficult to predict future trends. We compared historical streamflow data to eight possible climate scenarios. The different scenarios are Warm Dry, Cool Wet, Average, and Other at emission levels of RCP 4.5 and 8.5. First, …
Justification For An Apparel-Based Sustainability Course At The University Of Arkansas, 2022 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Justification For An Apparel-Based Sustainability Course At The University Of Arkansas, Sydney Taylor
Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses
The University of Arkansas' Apparel Merchandising and Product Development program does not currently offer a course on sustainability in the apparel and textile sector. Due to a lack of sustainability information, students may not have a thorough understanding of their degree. If students had the opportunity to learn about current sustainability-related topics before entering the workforce, they would have a new perspective and a deeper understanding of the industry, allowing them to potentially make good change.
By elaborating on the need for an apparel-based sustainability course to be offered at the University of Arkansas in the Apparel Merchandising and Product …
Land-Use And Potential Effects On The Western Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Mavortium), 2022 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Land-Use And Potential Effects On The Western Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Mavortium), Emily Zappia
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Humans have altered 40% of land across the globefor cropland, rangeland, and pastureland, which, in turn, affects amphibious species like the western tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium; WTS)and their viable habitats.Since intensive agriculture increased throughout eastern Nebraska in the 1980’s, the distribution ofA. mavortiumhas declined and the species can no longer be found in the southeast corner of the state, while populations are thriving in the pastures of the Sandhills region. Here we explorethe potential factors contributing to the decline ofA. mavortiumthrough the analysis of climaticand soil characteristic data across the geographic distribution of WTS. Data indicated that precipitation rates, soil …
Reintroduction Of The Grey Wolf, 2022 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Reintroduction Of The Grey Wolf, Cody Willers
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
A comprehensive literature review of the topic of the reintroduction of the grey wolf (Canis lupus) into the lower 48 states has been conducted to determine the viability of the grey wolf as a method for managing the overgrowth of medium to large ungulate populations. Due to the overgrowth of medium to large ungulate populations without the presence of the grey wolf, detrimental environmental impacts were being seen on many ecosystems such as Yellowstone in North America. Through predation and the fear of predation, the presence of the grey wolf in these ecosystems can provide a solution to the negative …
Wildfires & Prescribed Fires: Do They Impact Soil Quality?, 2022 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Wildfires & Prescribed Fires: Do They Impact Soil Quality?, Kate Nelson
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Globally, climate change has had an adverse effect on natural phenomena and ecosystem trends, including drastically increasing the number of wildfires that occur annually. As a result, the number of wildfires in the western United States have doubled since 1984. More specifically, ideal wildfire conditions have also prolonged the wildfire season in California. The objectives of this study were to determine if wildfires had an effect on soil quality and determine if wildfires and prescribed fires had different impacts on soil quality in northern California. A literature review was conducted to address the knowledge gaps and understand the perceived changes …
Noise Pollution And Its Effects On Human Mental And Physical Health, 2022 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Noise Pollution And Its Effects On Human Mental And Physical Health, Seth Anderson
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Noise pollution is defined as unwanted sound, capable of causing both mental and physical harm. In order to see if there was a correlation between increasing noise pollution (dB) and (a) increasing Negative Affect Score (NAS), (b) decreasing Positive Affect Score (PAS), and (c) increasing Resting Heart Rate (RHR), research was conducted. Participants were taken to four different testing locations, each with a corresponding dB level, and asked to (a) have their Resting Heart Rate (RHR) taken and (b) fill out a questionnaire based on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) psychological measure. At the conclusion of this study, …
The Effects Of Human Activity On Reintroduced Bighorn Sheep (Ovis Canadensis) Populations, 2022 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
The Effects Of Human Activity On Reintroduced Bighorn Sheep (Ovis Canadensis) Populations, Justine Cherovsky
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Since the decimation of North America’s bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations due to human impacts, translocations have been the primary conservation strategy to repopulate the native habitat. Following the extirpation of the species in Nebraska, bighorns were reintroduced with the hope to establish a stable population, but nearly four decades of management has resulted in large-scale die-offs and unstable herds. Ongoing human impacts have created similar results across the country as reintroductions struggle to establish independent bighorn herds. A systematic literature review was conducted to analyze current human related effects, evaluate the effectiveness of management practices, and compare these findings …
How Can Stakeholders In Food Sovereignty Achieve More Political Power?, 2022 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
How Can Stakeholders In Food Sovereignty Achieve More Political Power?, Micah Dierks
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Food sovereignty (FSv) is a peasant-driven, transnational movement that emerged in response to land-grabbing and the consolidation of power in food production. It advocates for the rights of people to define their own food practices and systems. To provide targeted feedback for movement reflexivity, 21 ecological conflicts referencing food sovereignty were sampled from the Global Atlas of Environmental Justice (the EJAtlas). Involved groups of actors and their forms of mobilization were correlated with interpretations of success from the EJAtlas. I recommend that stakeholders in food sovereignty pursue the acquisition of greater political power through improving messaging, leveraging or disrupting existing …
Supercritical Water Gasification And Pyrolysis – Cleaning Up The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, 2022 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Supercritical Water Gasification And Pyrolysis – Cleaning Up The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, Kelly L. Emery
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
This research paper is a comparative meta-analysis of gasification of hydrocarbons in supercritical water, specifically concerning the great pacific garbage patch (GPGP). The research explores two ways to clean up the GPGP while also harnessing the waste as biofuel. This research compares the environmental and economic outcomes between supercritical water gasification and pyrolysis. I will be comparing which thermochemical process of converting hydro-pollution into usable, methane-rich gas is most economically beneficial and environmentally sustainable. The relevance of this use of plastic refuse is that it would not just be diverted to a different landfill or back right where it started …
The Accessibility And Sustainability Of Local Foods: A Snapshot From The Food Hubs Of Lincoln, Nebraska, 2022 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
The Accessibility And Sustainability Of Local Foods: A Snapshot From The Food Hubs Of Lincoln, Nebraska, Tess Foxall
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
The current state of agriculture in the United States utilizes industrial practices that pose a myriad of risks to both human and environmental health. By focusing on smaller farms and local food systems that utilize more sustainable agriculture practices, communities can benefit in terms of economic, environmental, and social health. Food hubs can play a key role in local food systems to connect local producers with consumers and increase access to local food. The goal of the research was to analyze the accessibility and sustainability of local food from food hubs in Lincoln, Nebraska to find the key barriers to …
Apparent Temperature & Relative Humidity In Nebraska: A Comparative Analysis On Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (Wbgt) Tools, 2022 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Apparent Temperature & Relative Humidity In Nebraska: A Comparative Analysis On Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (Wbgt) Tools, Rachel T. Hines
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Heat waves can lead to illness and death, particularly among older adults, the very young, and other vulnerable populations. More frequent severe heat waves are expected to impact Nebraska. Looking specifically into Lincoln, NE for future climate trends, over the next 100 years, “the number of hot days would increase by 13-22 days during a given summer (depending upon the scenario), and the number of warm nights would increase by 20-35 nights each summer” Bathke et al. (2014). These higher summer temperatures will “increase electricity use, causing higher summer peak loads” as well as “pose physical and mental health challenges…outdoor …
E-Waste Impact On The Health Of Guiyu, China Citizens: A Comparison Pre And Post China’S Prohibition Of Foreign Garbage Imports, 2022 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
E-Waste Impact On The Health Of Guiyu, China Citizens: A Comparison Pre And Post China’S Prohibition Of Foreign Garbage Imports, Oliva Hultman
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Electronic Waste (E-waste) is an inevitable product in our society. At the end of a technological products lifespan, this waste is commonly exported from the Western World to places like Guiyu, China. There the waste has been recycled by melting and dissection of devices. However, these devices contain harmful materials like Lead (Pb) and other heavy metals. These components of the technology process, when not properly dealt with, leach into the citizens’ lives. In 2017, China issued a Prohibition on Foreign Garbage Imports where, while focusing on plastics, limited the waste being brought into the country. This study will compare …
University Of Nebraska Sustainability Recommendations, 2022 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
University Of Nebraska Sustainability Recommendations, Kat Woerner
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
In August 2020, the University of Nebraska (NU) system published a 5-year strategic plan with a point to “set and achieve University-wide sustainability goals.” Sustainability efforts at the University of Nebraska are well established as each campus has developed a Sustainability Master Plan (SMP) over the course of the last six years. With limited resources, a system-wide, coordinated effort is critical and requires a hierarchy of actions that are based on: clear goals and metrics that support the university mission, effective tracking systems, policies, strategies, actions, practices that support the goals, and organizational structure to oversee and support implementation.
The …
Into The Depths: Climate Change Part 3, 2022 Duquesne University
Into The Depths: Climate Change Part 3, Felicia Bedford
D.U.Quark
No abstract provided.
Into The Depths: Climate Change Part 2, 2022 Duquesne University
Into The Depths: Climate Change Part 2, Felicia Bedford
D.U.Quark
No abstract provided.
Into The Depths: Climate Change Part 1, 2022 Duquesne University
Into The Depths: Climate Change Part 1, Felicia Bedford
D.U.Quark
No abstract provided.
Odu Researchers Will Put Buoys In The Mediterranean Sea To Help Schools Teach Climate Change, 2022 Old Dominion University
Odu Researchers Will Put Buoys In The Mediterranean Sea To Help Schools Teach Climate Change, Mindy Ayala-Diaz
News Items
No abstract provided.
An Exploration Of A Year At The Ursinus Food Forest, 2022 Ursinus College
An Exploration Of A Year At The Ursinus Food Forest, Victoria Bearden
Environmental Studies Presentations
The Ursinus Food Forest began a commitment to a new form of sustainable land management at Whittaker Environmental Research Station. This management integrates lessons from urban agriculture, urban forestry, and agroforestry (see Clark & Nichols 2013) with principles of permaculture (Jacke et al 2005). Begun in 2017, and this past fall marked 2 years since the planting of phase one in 2019. In the fall of 2021 students, faculty, facilities, and volunteers planted the second phase of the food forest site, which added 7 new food producing species. Including this, many projects were created to enhance the site throughout the …