Natural Resources and Conservation Commons^™

Predation Risk: A Potential Mechanism For Effects Of A Wind Energy Facility On Greater Prairie-Chicken Survival, Jennifer A. Smith, Mary B. Brown, J.O. Harrison, Larkin A. Powell

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Recent expansion of the wind energy industry has raised concerns about the potential effects of wind energy facilities on prairie grouse. For example, efforts have been made to evaluate indirect effects on prairie grouse survival, but it is also critical to investigate the underlying mechanisms to direct conservation strategies. The objective of this study was to investigate the indirect effects of a wind energy facility on the survival of female Greater Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus) and on the occupancy of avian and mammalian predators. Between March and July of 2013 and 2014, we investigated spatial variation in predation risk by …

Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (Ebfm) Risk Assessment Of The Western Australian Abalone Managed Industry, F J. Webster, B Wise, Anthony M. Hart

WA Marine Stewardship Council report series

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the Western Australian (WA) Abalone Managed Fishery (AMF) and the outcomes from the 2015 ecological risk assessment of this fishery. The AMF targets three species of abalone greenlip (Haliotis laevigata), brownlip (H. conicopora) and Roe’s abalone (H. roei). Greenlip and brownlip abalone are primarily targeted on the south coast of WA, while Roe’s abalone is primarily targeted on the West Coast. Commercial fishing for abalone in WA has been undertaken since 1964.

Nest Site Selection And Nest Survival Of Eastern Wild Turkeys In A Pyric Landscape, Nathan A. Yeldell, Bradley S. Cohen, Andrew R. Little, Bret A. Collier, Michael J. Chamberlain

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Pine (Pinus spp.)-dominated forests are commonly managed with prescribed fire in the southeastern United States to reduce fuel loads, maintain diverse plant communities, and increase habitat quality for wildlife. Prescribed fire alters understory vegetation, which is a key component of nesting habitat for ground-nesting birds. We assessed the influences of vegetation, prescribed fire, and landscape features (e.g., roads, edge) on nest site selection and nest survival of eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in a pine-dominated ecosystem in west-central Louisiana. We radio-marked 55 female wild turkeys and evaluated vegetation and landscape characteristics associated with 69 nests during the …

Hydraulics Near Unscreened Diversion Pipes In Open Channels: Large Flume Experiments, Ali Ercan, M. Levent Kavvas, Kara Carr, Zachary Hockett, Houssein Bandeh, Timothy D. Mussen, Dennis E. Cocherell, Jamilynn B. Poletto, Joseph J. Cech Jr., Nann A. Fangue

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Most of the water diversions on the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers (California, United States) and their tributaries are currently unscreened. These unscreened diversions are commonly used for irrigation and are potentially harmful to migrating and resident fishes. A large flume (test section: 18.29 m long, 3.05 m wide and 3.20 m high) was used to investigate the hydraulic fields near an unscreened water diversion under ecologically and hydraulically relevant diversion rates and channel flow characteristics. We investigated all combinations of three diversion rates (0.28, 0.42, and 0.57 m³/s) and three sweeping velocities (0.15, 0.38, and 0.61 m/s), …

Trap-Neuter-Return Programs And The Importance Of Associated Public Awareness, Nicolette Sliwa

Biology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

The focus of this paper is to describe a typical Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program and highlight the major pros and cons surrounding this somewhat controversial method of managing the overwhelming free-roaming cat population. The effects of the species’ overabundance on the environment and human health are also discussed. Citing studies completed on TNR programs around the globe as well as mathematical models, the effectiveness of this method is compared to other, currently used alternatives. Finally, it has been suggested that the general awareness level a neighborhood possesses about the true goals of TNR programs has a potentially significant impact on the …

Droughtscape, Spring 2017, National Drought Mitigation Center

DroughtScape: Quarterly Newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (2007–2023)

Contents

Drought center helps islands reduce drought vulnerability

2017 sees above-average precipitation, warmer temps

California pulls out of drought

After tech transfer, training Tunisia launches first drought map

Drought center releases 2016 annual report

Book chapter focuses on drought and health

U2U wraps up, brings useful tools to farmers

Survey finds drought info leads to better decisions

Varying Perspectives On Landscape Diversity, Benet Kinghorn

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

Population Structure Analysis Of Western Painted Turtles, Charrissa Zuerlein

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Changes in the population structure, specifically the age, size and sex composition, of Western painted turtles can be studied to gain insight into the changes that will occur in closely related endangered species. As species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), the sex ratios of new clutches are affected by climate, and this could cause problems for the species as climate changes occur. This study focuses on fluctuations in the population structure of a single population located near Cedar Point Biological Station in Ogallala, Nebraska. Each summer from 2005-2016 turtles were caught using floating basking traps and hoop nets. Results show …

Influences Of Catch-And-Release Angling On Fish Avoidance Behavior, Alexis D. Fedele

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Newly opened recreational fisheries provide the opportunity to explore direct social impacts on controlled (i.e., managed), naïve (i.e., previously unexploited by anglers) population of fish. Herein, we examine the direct influence of angling on wild fish populations, and aim to identify the behavioral outcomes in fish resulting from angling through laboratory experiments. Using two naïve fish populations from newly opened reservoirs in Nebraska, we assessed the short-term (30 d) response of fish populations to recreational angling. At one reservoir, we noted declining catch rates in catch-and-release regulated fish but not in harvested-regulated fish. We hypothesized that catch-and-released fish were given …

Multi-Scaled Approaches For Protecting Montana's Watersheds And Water Resources, Elizabeth Yoder

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

The central theme carried among my four portfolio pieces is: using scientific and governmental approaches to conserve watershed health. For the purposes of this portfolio, I define watershed health as a very general term that describes the state of water quantity and quality that is available for human and ecosystem needs in a watershed. I see each of my portfolio pieces focusing on a different scale and method (i.e., science or government, including different levels of government, local, state and federal) for conserving watershed health. My first portfolio piece reviews water quality degradation caused by pharmaceuticals and personal care products …

Effects Of Timber Harvest On Avian Abundance And Diversity, Mckenzie Brandon

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Public Perception Of Leadership In The Municipal Solid Waste Sector, Allison Creeger

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

Saving Money While Participating In Urban Agriculture, Jill Wieneke

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

With more and more people pouring into urban areas, many have become unattached to where their food comes from and are disengaged with local food systems. Urban agriculture (UA) can bring people closer to healthy foods and be a potential savings. This will bring more resilience to a community and amend food insecurities Through this case study at the Hawley Hamlet Neighborhood Garden, urban gardeners can understand the capabilities of UA and the effects of food affordability into urban settings. This case study is an example of vegetable outputs and cost savings that can be obtained at a community garden …

Distribution And Condition Of Stony Corals In The Veracruz Reef System National Park: A Management Perspective, Mauricio López Padierna

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The Veracruz Reef System (VRS) is located in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. It is comprised of 28 coral reefs in various stages of development and conservation. They are protected under the Parque Nacional Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano National Park created in 1992. There are many threats to the reefs of the VRS, including the Port and city of Veracruz, which hosts half a million inhabitants and Mexico’s oldest active port. The inhabitants of Veracruz have used reef resources for thousands of years, as evidenced in archaeological sites on Sacrificios island, and constructions throughout the city, most notably in the San …

Influence Of Internal Variability On Population Exposure To Hydroclimatic Changes, Justin S. Mankin, Daniel Viviroli, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra, Radley M. Horton, Jason E. Smerdon, Noah S. Diffenbaugh

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Future freshwater supply, human water demand, and people’s exposure to water stress are subject to multiple sources of uncertainty, including unknown future pathways of fossil fuel and water consumption, and ‘irreducible’ uncertainty arising from internal climate system variability. Such internal variability can conceal forced hydroclimatic changes on multi-decadal timescales and near-continental spatial-scales. Using three projections of population growth, a large ensemble from a single Earth system model, and assuming stationary per capita water consumption, we quantify the likelihoods of future population exposure to increased hydroclimatic deficits, which we define as the average duration and magnitude by which evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation …

The Giving Trees: The (Un)Sustainability Of Palm Oil In Indonesia, Amber Rosche

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Palm oil is the main source of cooking oil for much of Africa, Asia and Brazil. Due to the increasingly high demand for palm oil, countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia have cleared millions of acres of tropical rainforests to create space for oil palm plantations. This deforestation has led to extreme environmental and social concerns such as the burning of peatlands, the endangerment of a number of species, including the Sumatran Tiger, rhinos and orangutans, and the displacement of native populations. Indonesia is the world’s largest consumer and producer of palm oil, producing almost half of the world’s supply …

Feasibility Analysis Of Using Inverse Modeling For Estimating Field-Scale Evapotranspiration In Maize And Soybean Fields From Soil Water Content Monitoring Networks, Foad Foolad, Trenton E. Franz, Teijun Wang, Justin Gibson, Ayse Kilie, Richard Allen, Andrew E. Suyker

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

In this study, the feasibility of using inverse vadose zone modeling for estimating field-scale actual evapotranspiration (ETa/ was explored at a long-term agricultural monitoring site in eastern Nebraska. Data from both point-scale soil water content (SWC) sensors and the areaaverage technique of cosmic-ray neutron probes were evaluated against independent ETa estimates from a co-located eddy covariance tower. While this methodology has been successfully used for estimates of groundwater recharge, it was essential to assess the performance of other components of the water balance such as ETa. In light of recent evaluations of land surface models (LSMs), independent estimates of hydrologic …

Land Conservation In A Changing Climate:Stewardship Science And Financing, Bradford S. Gentry, Shelley Clark, Colin Kelly, Joshua Morse

Yale School of the Environment Publications Series

Report of the 2016 Berkley Workshop

Held at the Pocantico Center of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Tarrytown, NY - July 2016

Estimating Seasonal Variation In Condition Of Yellow Perch, Emily Anne Powers

Biology Graduate Theses

Research has shown that Yellow Perch Perca flavescens, found throughout lakes and streams of North America, are good indicators of environmental health. Due to the correlation between fish condition and ecosystem health it is essential to reliably estimate condition to better manage our fisheries. Therefore, the study objectives were to measure the seasonal changes in adult Yellow Perch percent dry weight (PDW), and compare the reliability of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and morphometric-based estimates of condition. The seasonal fluctuations in average monthly PDW were measured over a two- year period and were sinusoidal in shape with peaks in August 2015 …

Geoengineering, Marine Microalgae, And Climate Stabilization In The 21st Century, Charles H. Greene, Mark E. Huntley, Ian Archibald, Léda N. Gerber, Deborah L. Sills, Joe Granados, Colin M. Beal, Michael J. Walsh

Natural & Applied Sciences Faculty Publications

Society has set ambitious targets for stabilizing mean global temperature. To attain these targets, it will have to reduce CO2 emissions to near zero by mid-century and subsequently remove CO2 from the atmosphere during the latter half of the century. There is a recognized need to develop technologies for CO2 removal; however, attempts to develop direct air-capture systems have faced both energetic and financial constraints. Recently, BioEnergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) has emerged as a leading candidate for removing CO2 from the atmosphere. However, BECCS can have negative consequences on land, nutrient, and water use as well as …