Natural Resource Economics Commons^™

Effects Of Headwater Wetland Restoration On The Demography, Fecundity And Ecology Of The U.S. Federally Threatened White Fringeless Orchid (Platanthera Integrilabia) In The Cumberland Plateau Of Kentucky, Tara R. Littlefield, Catherine Hoy, Christopher Barton

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Wetland habitats represent a critical component of biodiversity hotspots that support numerous rare species, including terrestrial orchids. In North America, over half of all terrestrial orchids are found in wetlands, more than a quarter of which are now threatened with extinction (G1–G3). This concerning trend is exacerbated by a lack of information on effective restoration strategies aimed at orchids and other species that inhabit these areas. The white fringeless orchid, Platanthera integrilabia (Correll) Luer, the subject of this study, is restricted to mostly shaded wetland habitats along the Cumberland Plateau of the Appalachian Mountains and has suffered widespread declines due …

Balancing Wood And Food: Assessing The Drivers And Spatiotemporal Conflicts Of Eucalyptus Plantation Expansion In Guangxi, China, Wen H. Cai, Qiuxia Huang, Jian Yang, Le Yu, Yuanzheng Yang, Jiaxing Zu, Jiali Wang, Zhenxian Li

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Eucalyptus has become one of the most widely cultivated tree genera in subtropical China, generating significant economic returns but raising land-use conflicts with agriculture. Understanding the driving mechanisms behind this expansion is crucial for sustainable land-use management. To inform strategies for balancing wood production and agricultural stability, we investigated the spatiotemporal expansion dynamics and predicted the potential suitable habitat distribution of Eucalyptus plantations using a Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) model. Our analysis revealed three distinct spatiotemporal expansion phases. Crucially, this expansion has progressively shifted from marginal sloped terrain onto flat valley bottoms, intensifying the agriculture-forestry conflict in the region. Climatic …

Understanding The Cost Of Catastrophe: Wildfire Suppression Costs Drivers By Fire Size Class, Stephanie Overla

All Master's Theses

While most wildfires burn less than 100 acres, the western United States experiences much larger fires annually, placing increasing pressure on suppression resources. Changes in weather patterns, fuel composition, and the spatial complexity of human development have rapidly altered historic fire regimes, increasing both the frequency of large wildfires and the challenges of managing them. This study compares two wildfire classes—Fires of Unusual Size (FOUS, >90,000 acres with at least one rapid growth event), and Large Fires (LF, 25,000–90,000 acres), —to identify differences in how size- and growth-based fire classes influence wildfire suppression costs. Suppression cost data for 60 …

Anuran Occupancy Of Created Wetlands Within Reforested Legacy Surface Mines In Kentucky And West Virginia, Jillian C. Newman, Steve Price, Jacquelyn C. Guzy, Joshua Castle, John J. Cox, Jeffery L. Larkin, Christopher D. Barton

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Restoration of habitat is an important component of wildlife management. Surface coal mining has altered forest cover in the Central Appalachians, and most reclamation activities on previously mined lands result in non-native grasslands or shrub lands. The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA), which emphasizes non-native vegetation removal, soil decompaction, planting of native trees and shrubs, and, in some cases, wetland creation represents an alternative to grassland-based reclamation that may promote forest-associated wildlife on legacy surface mines. We used automated recording units to evaluate the response of anurans to created wetlands and the FRA in Kentucky and West Virginia, USA. We used …

Deep Crustal Boundaries As Fluid Conduits: A Geochemical Investigation Of Mvt Mineralization In Kentucky And Beyond, Dairian Boddy M. Boddy

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Critical minerals are vital to the United States economy and national security, yet their supply chains are at risk. Common minerals in Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits, such as sphalerite, galena, fluorite, and barite, host critical metals such as barium, gallium, germanium, and zinc, which are essential for energy technologies. An investigation of three MVT mineral districts in Kentucky elucidated previously unrecognized systematics, genetic relationships, and sources of ore components using stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry, particularly from galena, sphalerite, barite, and gangue minerals (e.g., carbonates). The localization and dominant type of mineralization in each district are potentially influenced by deep …

Powering The Machine, Draining The Planet: Whether U.S. Environmental Law Is Equipped To Regulate The Energy And Water Demands Of Ai Data Centers, Michael Marcu

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Artificial intelligence (AI) data centers have become one of the United States' fastest-growing and least-regulated sources of environmental stress. In 2024 alone, U.S. data centers consumed 183 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity more than the entire nation of Pakistan and consumed an estimated 17 billion gallons of water (IEA, 2025; Berkeley Lab, 2024). By 2030, electricity demand from these facilities is projected to reach 426 TWh, a 133% increase in six years (Pew Research Center, 2025). This paper examines whether the existing U.S. environmental regulatory framework put by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), and the …

Western Massasauga (Sistrurus Tergeminus): A Species Conservation Assessment For The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project, Colleen Rothe-Groleau, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the western massasauga (Sistrurus tergeminus) as a Tier I at-risk species. Provided are some general management recommendations regarding western massasaugas. Conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment to make specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and a multitude of variables. This resource was designed to share available knowledge of this at-risk species that will aid in the decision-making process or in identifying research needs to benefit the species.

Criteria for selection as Tier I: State listed, G3

Estimated Population in NE: 1,000–2,500

Estimate based on: Field surveys

Trends since 2005 …

What's The Value Of A State? Accounting For The Ecosystem Services And Natural Capital Of Oregon, Kathryn Liebrecht

University Honors Theses

Ecosystem services are vital to human welfare and society, but often are overlooked when it comes to planning and setting policy. By neglecting to incorporate the benefits received from natural resources, policy makers may unknowingly be making decisions that harm the long term sustainability and use of these services. To highlight the importance of Oregon's ecosystems, the present study aims to provide a full accounting of the ecosystem services and natural capital of the state. Using data from the Institute for Natural Resources' updated Oregon statewide habitat map, Oregon's ecosystems were matched to biome categories from the Ecosystem Services Valuation …

A Demand Systems Analysis Of Energy Sources In The United States, Rafael Bakhtavoryan

Faculty Publications

This study estimates a Generalized Exact Affine Stone Index model to quantify demand structure among such energy sources as natural gas, coal, nuclear, wind, solar, and geothermal energy, employing monthly time-series data ranging from January of 2009 through December of 2020. The demand for natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy emerges as inelastic. A significant substitutability relationship is empirically established between the energy sources. All the computed expenditure elasticities are positive, with natural gas being the most sensitive and nuclear energy being the least sensitive to energy source expenditures. Pre-committed consumption is found for geothermal energy. Finally, the welfare implications …

Who Owns The Wind: The Absence Of Community Wind Farms In California, Sky Berry-Weiss

Master's Projects and Capstones

Community ownership structures for wind farms have been around for decades, particularly in European countries, due to high socioeconomic benefits. Given these significant benefits, one might expect community wind to thrive in the United States—especially in a state like California, which prides itself on progressive climate policy and renewable energy leadership. Yet utility-scale community wind remains largely absent from research on California’s energy system, raising questions about its existence in the state. To pinpoint how many utility-scale community owned wind farms are in California, this study surveys every operational wind turbine in the state. After classifying each wind farm by …

Trade-Off Between Limonene & Geraniol-Based Reprocessable And Non-Reprocessable Epoxy Thermosets: Role Of Aliphatic Diamines In Polymer Networks Design, Priyankkumar Kanubhai Patel

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The growing demand for sustainable materials, driven by environmental concerns and the rapid depletion of fossil fuels, has garnered significant attention in the fabrication of bio-based epoxy thermosets as renewable alternatives to petroleum-derived thermosetting polymers. The present study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of epoxy prepolymer resins derived from limonene and geraniol via a two-step process, followed by the fabrication of thermally cross-linked flexible epoxy thermoset films using various traditional aliphatic diamine curing agents, namely 1,2-ethylenediamine (EDA), 1,4-butylenediamine (BDA), and 1,6-hexamethylenediamine (HDA). Additionally, the incorporation of cystamine, a disulfide-containing diamine, enabled the formation of a covalent adaptable network through …

Natural Resource Enterprises - Income Diversification And Conservation Practices Implemented On Private Lands In The United States, Daryl Jones

Journal of Extension

Wildlife-related recreation is popular with Americans spending over $150 billion dollars annually. I have conducted educational workshops (>100 events) to train U.S. landowners in natural resource enterprises development offering recreational hunting, angling, and nature tourism excursions along with conservation management practices to enhance wildlife habitats on their lands. To measure impacts, I conducted a comprehensive mail survey study with participants since 2010. Findings revealed that landowners who initiated these enterprises earned annual incomes and implemented conservation practices on properties. More training for landowners is recommended to increase income diversification and conservation of wildlife habitats and stewardship on private lands.

Recent U.S. Government Policy Literature On Critical And Strategic Minerals, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Critical and strategic minerals have become increasingly important in U.S. government civilian and military policymaking in recent years. This is demonstrated by the heavy use of such minerals in many critical civilian and military infrastructures. This work will discuss how this subject has been addressed in laws, presidential documents, and works by government agencies along with congressional oversight committees and support agencies. It will stress how the United States is heavily dependent on strategic minerals from adversarial foreign countries such as China and will examine U.S. efforts to increase its ability to produce such materials in the United States by …

Quantifying The Role Of Climate On Tropical River Flow (Guarare River) Along The Panama Pacific Coast, 1981 – 2020., Jessie Abrego - Bonilla

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Guarare River watershed on the Azuero Peninsula of Panama, part of the Panamanian Dry Arc, experiences significant hydrological variability driven by seasonal changes, elevation, and the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). This study investigates precipitation and river discharge patterns over 40 years (1981 – 2020), showing that elevation influences rainfall distribution, with higher-altitude areas receiving more precipitation during the Neutral and El Niño phases. In contrast, La Niña phases bring increased rainfall to lower-elevation areas, such as Pocrí. Seasonal ENSO effects reveal that El Niño phases reduce dry-season precipitation, lowering river discharge. La Niña events sustain high wet-season rainfall, peaking …

The Impact Of Irrigation On Agricultural Land Values In The United States Southeast And An Analysis Of Farmland Prices In South Carolina, Christopher L. Thomas

All Theses

Land is a key component of the agriculture industry in the United States. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, farm real estate (land and buildings) accounted for 82.8% of total US farm sector assets in 2022, consequently making land the largest source of wealth in a farmer’s investment portfolio and the primary source of collateral used for farm operating loans. The Southeastern region of the United States has seen rapid farmland appreciation and intense population growth in recent years. This research investigates the rising farmland prices across the Southeast from both a regional and state-level perspective. Chapter Two …

Energy Efficient Dorms, Antonio Soares, Zachary Nassar, Aidan O'Neill

Earth Day Symposium on Climate and Sustainablity

No abstract provided.

Community Land Governance In Liberia: Implications For Tenure Security And Land Concessions, Julia R. Entwistle, Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong

Geography and the Environment: Faculty Scholarship

Throughout rural Africa, the intersection of customary traditions and statutory governance has often led to overlapping jurisdictions and conflicts over community land rights. In Liberia, this dynamic is particularly evident in the rise of commercial land concessions. This article examines the Liberian government’s approach to community land rights and its impacts on land tenure security, especially in the context of these concessions. This study employs a discourse analysis of Liberian land use policies alongside qualitative data from in-depth interviews with community members living near large-scale plantations. Despite historical erosion of community land rights, Liberian communities have adapted statutory frameworks to …

Sheep Production, Profitability And Greenhouse Gas Emission Of Mixed Farming Systems In Western Australia's Wheatbelt, Tafesse Estifanos, Amir Abadi Abadi Ghadim, Kate Pritchett, Christophe D'Abbadie, Johnny Machon, Paul Mattingley, Bradley Plunkett, Gus Manatsa, Kerrine Blenkinsop, Ross Kingwell, Clinton K. Revell Dr

Animal production and livestock research reports

The south-western agricultural area of Western Australia is a vital contributor to Australia's agricultural output. It generates over $10 billion annually in agricultural production from 2017–18 to 2021–22 and more than $8 billion in export value over the same period. Mixed farming systems characterise the region, producing broadacre crops (primarily wheat, barley, and canola) and livestock. The region's livestock industry is dominated by sheep production for meat and wool, and the state’s share of the national sheep flock in 2020–21 was at 18%.

This report provides a comprehensive review and industry analysis of sheep production in WA, its economic significance, …

Storage Batteries (Renewable Energies/Cars) - Background For Cure "Battery Discharge" Project, Alexa Miner, Clarissa Cortez, James Gonzalez, Ryan Romine

Posters - 2025

In the past, and even today, Texas is known for its oil rigs and non-renewable energy sources, but it has also become a pillar for solar and wind turbine created power. As of late, the usage of these kinds of renewable resources has become essential to keep Texas as efficient as we once were in an ever growing world, where more people need more energy. However, a caveat concerning renewable energy resources is how available they are. At first, this unfamiliar territory led to people doubting its productivity when there was a lack of wind or sunshine. The solution to …

Exploring Single Cell Microbial Protein As A Sustainable Fishmeal Alternative In Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola Lalandi) Diets: Impacts On Health And Gut Microbiome, Luke Pilmer, Lindsey Woolley, Alan Lymbery, Chinh Dam, Abigail Elizur, Md Javed Foysal, Gavin Partridge

Fisheries Research Articles

Background

With the global expansion of aquaculture and the increasing demand for fish meal, identifying appropriate and sustainable alternative protein sources for aquafeeds has become essential. Single-cell protein (SCP), derived from methanotrophic bacteria, presents a promising alternative by converting methane into protein, potentially addressing both the need for alternative protein sources and reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different levels of SCP inclusion (0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% fish meal replacement) on the health, gene expression, and gut microbiome of yellowtail kingfish (YTK, Seriola lalandi) following a 35-day growth trial.

Results

The …