Nebraska’S Need For A Renewable Standard Portfolio,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Nebraska’S Need For A Renewable Standard Portfolio, Trevor Cutsor
Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies
Nebraska has the 3rd highest potential for wind energy in the country but ranks 12th in installed wind capacity. Our reliance on fossil fuels and lagging investment in generation technologies of the future mean that our beloved low cost of electricity will increase in the near future. We need a renewable portfolio standard.
Climate Change In Rwanda,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Climate Change In Rwanda, Mig Shyaka
Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies
Climate change has become the world’s upmost threat. Different ideas of mitigation and adaptation have been develOp-ed to target climate change. These solutions stretch from development and innovation of different technologies like clean energy (solar and wind), to simpler local procedures (planting trees and simple green agroecological practices like farming). However, the need for the rapid action on climate change has created a narrow understanding of the issue and the necessary participation for the process to be smoother in developing and under-develOp-ed countries. It can be argued to be the case in some develOp-ed countries too.
Factors Associated With Larval Freshwater Drum Annual Peak Density In A Nebraska Irrigation Reservoir,
2020
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Factors Associated With Larval Freshwater Drum Annual Peak Density In A Nebraska Irrigation Reservoir, Brett T. Miller, Brian C. Peterson, Keith D. Koupal, Casey W. Schoenebeck
The Prairie Naturalist
Freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) represent one of the most widely distributed fish species in North America. Identifying biotic and abiotic factors that influence larval freshwater drum densities can improve understanding of early life history. Our objective was to investigate correlations between annual peak density of larval freshwater drum and combinations of five variables (chlorophyll a, growing degree days [GDD], reservoir discharge, turbidity, and cladoceran density) from a longterm (2003–2017) monitoring program in a Nebraska irrigation reservoir. Twenty-eight a priori candidate models were assessed to determine the relative support of explanatory variables associated with annual peak density of larval freshwater drum …
Captive Ring-Necked Pheasant Response To Very High Experimental Doses Of Lead,
2020
South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks
Captive Ring-Necked Pheasant Response To Very High Experimental Doses Of Lead, Travis J. Runia, Alex J. Solem
The Prairie Naturalist
Ingestion of spent lead pellets is a well-documented source of lead exposure in free-ranging birds, although the consequence of lead ingestion varies widely among avian guilds. Ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) appear to be less susceptible to lead poisoning than other game birds. Our objectives were to determine survival, liver lead accumulation, and body mass change of 129 captive-raised pheasants in response to being gavage-fed 5, 10, 20, or 40 lead pellets. All pheasants survived the 21-day experiment. Liver-lead levels were positively correlated with the number of lead pellets retained and negatively correlated with beginning body mass. Change in percent body …
Evaluation Of Four Larval Fish Sampling Methods In A Large Midwestern River,
2020
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Evaluation Of Four Larval Fish Sampling Methods In A Large Midwestern River, Nathan J. Lederman, Anthony R. Sindt, Douglas J. Dieterman, John D. Krenz, Shannon J. Fisher
The Prairie Naturalist
Understanding limitations of larval fish capture gears is critical for developing appropriate sampling protocols and interpreting catch data. We evaluated genera richness, genera diversity, assemblage similarities, abundance indices (i.e., density or catch per unit effort [CPUE]), and sample size requirements between a surface slednet and glow-stick light traps used in 2014 and 2015 and a benthic slednet and light-emitting diode light (LED) traps used in 2015 in the Minnesota River. The surface slednet captured the greatest number of larval fish genera (15) while the LED light trap captured the fewest (1). Similarities of assemblages sampled was highest between surface and …
Comparing Native Bee Communities On Reconstructed And Remnant Prairie In Missouri,
2020
University of Missouri
Comparing Native Bee Communities On Reconstructed And Remnant Prairie In Missouri, Joseph Larose, Elisabeth B. Webb, Deborah Finke
The Prairie Naturalist
The tallgrass prairie of North America is an imperiled ecosystem that has been the subject of considerable restoration effort and research in the past two decades. While native prairie plant species are purposely introduced during restoration, prairie invertebrates, including native bees (Anthophila), are not and must colonize from surrounding remnants. Prairie restorations may not support the same bee communities as remnant prairies because of habitat differences and dispersal limitations. We sampled native bees on reconstructed and remnant prairies in Missouri in the summers of 2016 and 2017 and compared the communities by evaluating species richness, diversity, and community composition. We …
Greater Prairie-Chickens And Sharp-Tailed Grouse Have Similarly High Nest Survival In The Nebraska Sandhills,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Greater Prairie-Chickens And Sharp-Tailed Grouse Have Similarly High Nest Survival In The Nebraska Sandhills, Larkin Powell, Walter Schacht, Julia P. Ewald, Kathryn R. Mccollum
The Prairie Naturalist
The ranges of two native galliform species overlap in the Nebraska Sandhills, the largest contiguous grassland in North America. We monitored nests of greater prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) and sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) in Cherry County, Nebraska, in 2015 and 2016. Our objectives were to 1) compare daily probability of nest survival between species, 2) evaluate vegetation structure at nests for potential effects on nest survival, 3) compare nest site topography between species, and 4) use a simple model of breeding season success to evaluate the potential for stable populations at our study sites. We captured and …
Bee Abundance Along A Tropical Montane Elevational Gradient And Implications For Crop Pollination Services,
2020
Eastern Kentucky University
Bee Abundance Along A Tropical Montane Elevational Gradient And Implications For Crop Pollination Services, Kristin M. Conrad
Online Theses and Dissertations
Tropical forests are among the biologically richest ecosystems on Earth, but how most organisms in these forests will respond to a warming climate remains uncertain. Insects are expected to be highly responsive to climate change due to their short life cycles that are strongly influenced by temperature. Plants depend on pollinators to set seed and reproduce, and many animal populations rely on the resources provided by flowering plants. There is an urgent need to document elevational distributions and thermal specialization for tropical bee species to understand how these important pollinators may respond to warming temperatures. My four-year study (2016-2019) aims …
Abundance Of Songbirds In Eastern Hemlock Stands Following Chemical Treatment For Hemlock Woolly Adelgid,
2020
Eastern Kentucky University
Abundance Of Songbirds In Eastern Hemlock Stands Following Chemical Treatment For Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Natalie Sweeting
Online Theses and Dissertations
In the 1960’s the invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae [hereafter, HWA]) began to spread west across the hemlock stands of the Eastern U.S. killing a significant number of Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). While chemical treatments, primarily with the active ingredient imidacloprid, have been implemented, their effects on hemlock dependent avian species are largely unknown. A 2009 study, which took place as HWA was beginning to invade Kentucky, identified six indicator species that were positively and negatively correlated with eastern hemlock stands throughout the Appalachian Mountain region of Kentucky. Our study repeated bird and vegetation surveys at the same 65 …
Environmental Monitoring Report: For Work Performed: July 1, 2019 Through June 30, 2020,
2020
Tennessee State Library and Archives
Environmental Monitoring Report: For Work Performed: July 1, 2019 Through June 30, 2020, Tennessee. Department Of Environment And Conservation
Environmental Monitoring Reports
This FY2020 EMR presents results for 16 independent projects, originally defined in TDEC’s FY2020 Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMP) and completed over the course of FY2020 period of performance.
Climate Triage: A Resources Trust To Address Inequality In A Climate-Changed World,
2020
Florida State University
Climate Triage: A Resources Trust To Address Inequality In A Climate-Changed World, Shi-Ling Hsu
Scholarly Publications
Global climate change poses an existential threat to human civilization because it disrupts the supply of natural resources that provide basic life staples-water, food, and energy. If humankind is unable to adapt to a less abundant and less predictable supply of resources, then the effective scarcity will, as it often has in human history, lead to conflict. There is a chance, if greenhouse gas emissions can be sufficiently reduced to avoid the most serious consequences of climate change, that efficiency and sharing measures can make up for climate-induced shortfalls. Natural resources are not generally managed or consumed very efficiently, so …
Influence Of Mink Predation On Brown Trout Survival And Size-Structure In Rapid Creek, South Dakota,
2020
South Dakota State University
Influence Of Mink Predation On Brown Trout Survival And Size-Structure In Rapid Creek, South Dakota, Austin Galinat
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
I compared movement, home range, habitat selection, and mortality among radio-tagged Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) at an American Mink (Neovison vison)-removal site, improved habitat site, and an undisturbed stream site in Rapid Creek, South Dakota. I observed high, post-surgery (> 26 days) survival rate (90%) of radio tagged Brown Trout. Average gross movement of Brown Trout was greater at the improved habitat site (127 m) compared to the mink removal (31 m) site, while average home range size (i.e., stream distance) among all three sites was not significantly different indicating strong site fidelity (125 to 200 m). Brown Trout movements …
Evaluation Of Fall-Seeded Cover Crops For Grassland Nesting Waterfowl In Eastern South Dakota,
2020
South Dakota State University
Evaluation Of Fall-Seeded Cover Crops For Grassland Nesting Waterfowl In Eastern South Dakota, Charles W. Gallman Iii
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The Prairie Pothole Region is the primary breeding ground for many species of North American waterfowl. This landscape was historically dominated by mixed and tallgrass prairies interspersed with wetlands, but >70% of native grassland area has been lost due to widespread conversion to croplands, which may threaten waterfowl production. Cover cropping is a re-emerging farming technique that may provide suitable nesting cover for grassland nesting waterfowl on active farmlands. My research objectives were to evaluate the utility of fall-seeded cover crops to breeding waterfowl compared to perennial cover, determine if cover crops in rotation with row crops can successfully support …
Remote Sensing Approaches To Predict Forest Characteristics In Northwest Montana,
2020
University of Montana
Remote Sensing Approaches To Predict Forest Characteristics In Northwest Montana, Ryan P. Rock
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Remote sensing can be utilized by land management organizations to save money and time. Mapping vegetation using either aerial photographs or satellite imagery and the applications for forest management are of particular interest to the Montana Department of Natural Resources. In 2018, the organization began a pilot program to test the incorporation of raster analysis of remotely sensed data into their inventory program and had limited success. This analysis identified two areas of improvement: the selection method of inventory plots and the imagery used for classification and metrics. This study found that selecting inventory plots using a generalized random tessellation …
Learning From Wilderness Fire: Restoring Landscape Scale Patterns And Processes,
2020
University of Montana
Learning From Wilderness Fire: Restoring Landscape Scale Patterns And Processes, Julia Kittleson Berkey
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Wilderness areas, because they are managed to be “untrammeled by man,” often offer the best approximation of intact, undisturbed ecological patterns and processes. In the case of wildland fire, this means that wilderness areas often provide the only landscapes where fire has been managed to play an active, ecosystem role. As a result, these wilderness areas offer unique lessons both in terms of wildland fire management as well as the ecological consequences that result from this management approach. For these reasons, an in-depth history of fire management in the wilderness areas of the Northern Rocky Mountains is provided to highlight …
Habitat Use And Prey Selection By Mountain Lions In An Altered Sagebrush Steppe Environment,
2020
Humboldt State University
Habitat Use And Prey Selection By Mountain Lions In An Altered Sagebrush Steppe Environment, Jonathan Ewanyk
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Throughout the American West there is an increasing trend of encroachment of woody vegetation on previously open sagebrush steppe habitat. The Modoc Plateau in northeastern California has not been excluded from this encroachment trend and has seen an increase in western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) densities, likely as a result of long-term fire suppression. Mountain lions (Puma concolor) have not previously been studied on the Modoc Plateau, and there is potential for an increase in cover due to juniper encroachment to benefit the hunting behavior of lions. To better understand if the presence of cover is being …
Living Rivers, Cosmopolitan Activism, And Environmental Justice In The Bengal Delta,
2020
Cal Poly Humboldt
Living Rivers, Cosmopolitan Activism, And Environmental Justice In The Bengal Delta, Daniel Adel
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
This thesis explores the social movements and civil society activism to protect the rivers that flow through Bangladesh—the cradle and terminal delta floodplain of the transboundary Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna river systems—, as well as ways to build regional cooperation and watershed democracy in South Asia. The research drew on four overarching fields of study: environmental justice, southern environmentalism, ecological nationalism, and environmental governance. These four bodies of scholarship helped address the overarching question: how are civil society organizations analyzing and responding to the water diversions and degradation of Bangladesh’s transboundary rivers? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with civil society organizations …
The Effects Of Feral Cat Removal On Rat Abundance In An Insular, Tropical Ecosystem,
2020
Cal Poly Humboldt
The Effects Of Feral Cat Removal On Rat Abundance In An Insular, Tropical Ecosystem, Douglas A. Page
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The colonization by rats (Rattus spp.) and cats (Felis catus) on islands are known to contribute to the decline of native birds. On the island of Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, cats are being lethally removed to conserve two endangered bird species. Although cats are controlled to reduce impacts on birds, they can also prey heavily on sympatric rats. Of euthanized feral cats on Rota, 60% had ≥1 rat in the stomach. Predation by cats could be a mechanism of top-down control of rats. Removing feral cats may reduce the magnitude of that control, leading …
Modeling The Effects Of Hydrologic Service Payments On The Hydrology Of Tropical Montane Watersheds In Central Veracruz, Mexico.,
2020
Michigan Technological University
Modeling The Effects Of Hydrologic Service Payments On The Hydrology Of Tropical Montane Watersheds In Central Veracruz, Mexico., Sergio Miguel López Ramírez
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
An analysis of the effects of the Land Use Land Cover (LULC) change and its impacts on the hydrological cycle of tropical montane catchments influenced by cloud forest (TMCF) is developed in Central Veracruz, Mexico. This work started with the analysis of data from monitored-micro-catchments with contrasting LULC. Later the suitability of an improved version of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool model for the Tropics (SWAT-T) was evaluated. Finally, potential future land use scenarios, including conservation targeting alternatives were evaluated using a calibrated Seasonal Water Yield model as part of the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs framework …
Measuring Differential Forest Growth In The Sheepscot River Headwaters With Bitemporal Lidar,
2020
Colby College
Measuring Differential Forest Growth In The Sheepscot River Headwaters With Bitemporal Lidar, Soren Denlinger
Honors Theses
In recent years, lidar has proven itself as a forestry tool capable of accurate, large- scale inventories. Lidar has even shown utility in multitemporal analysis and growth assessment, given high-resolution or small-scale point clouds. However, lidar’s efficacy as a multitemporal tool with relatively low-resolution, large-scale datasets is comparatively unknown. In this study, I compared forest in Midcoast Maine bitemporally, with publicly available datasets from the years 2007 and 2012. Specifically, I compared differences in growth characteristics of riparian, wetland, and upland forests. Although the 2007 dataset (created for geomorphological research) and the 2012 dataset (statewide, general-purpose) possess varying point densities …
