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Data Accompanying "Landscape Composition Surrounding Restoration Projects Modulates Use By Wildlife: A Case Study Of Mule Deer In Utah", Jaylin Solberg

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With mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), hereafter, deer, populations in decline, wildlife managers have increased their efforts to improve factors that limit population growth. In the State of Utah (hereafter, Utah), these efforts have included habitat restoration which is expected to improve environmental conditions for deer. Some of these efforts include pinon-juniper removal, prescribed burning, and spraying of invasive plant species. Although previous work has demonstrated the local impacts of restoration on deer populations, it is unknown how the environmental conditions in the landscape surrounding restoration treatments may modify local restoration impacts. Identifying how both local and landscape-scale conditions influence deer …

Assessing Soil Quality Indicators In Agricultural Fields Of Western Kentucky, Kassidi D. Metcalf, Elizabeth J. Hiter, Sean J. Walters, Anna C. Griggs

Scholars Week

Assessing Soil Quality Indicators in Agricultural Fields of Western Kentucky

Kassidi Metcalf, Elizabeth Hiter, Sean Walters, & Anna Claire Griggs

Mentor Dr. I.P. Handayani

Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Murray, KY, USA

Abstract

Improving soil quality in Western Kentucky has been highlighted as a way to help mitigate the effects of modern agricultural practices and climatic effects. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different cropping and management practices on soil quality indicators for sustainability. The indicators of soil quality focused on in this experiment were soil water holding capacity (SWHC), soil water content …

A Remote Sensing Assessment Of Illegal Gold Mining And Its Impact On Forests In Amansie West District, Ghana, Mina Poku Agyemang

Scholars Week

Forest degradation, driven primarily by human activities such as agriculture, urbanization, and mining, leads to biodiversity loss, soil erosion, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. In Ghana, illegal mining, known as ‘galamsey,’ poses significant threats to land and forest resources, damaging ecosystems and affecting public health (Aboka et al., 2018). Despite mining's contribution to Ghana's GDP, the negative impacts of illegal mining may outweigh its economic benefits. Between 2018 and 2023, Ghana lost approximately 5.9% of its forest cover while mining areas expanded by 1,917.6% (Abugre et al., 2025). This alarming situation necessitates an investigation into the changes in land use …

Advancing Environmental Monitoring At Verde River Headwaters State Park Through Integrated Remote Sensing Technologies, Ronny Schroeder, Noah Morales, Colton Weeks, Reiner Zimmermann, Erika Podest, Hank Vincent

Sustainability Conference

The establishment of Verde River Headwaters State Park in Chino Valley, Arizona, marks a significant conservation milestone with the acquisition of 734 acres of the historic Del Rio Springs Ranch by the Trust for Public Land in March 2024. Now under the stewardship of Arizona State Parks & Trails (ASPT), this site encompasses Sullivan Lake, Del Rio Springs, critical riparian habitats, and historically significant landmarks including the 1863 Arizona territorial capital and 1920s Fred Harvey Farm structures. This initiative yields substantial benefits, including annual water savings within the Prescott Active Management Area, the extension of the Peavine National Recreation Trail, …

A Century Of Sediment Metal Contamination Of Mar Menor, Europe's Largest Saltwater Lagoon, Irene Alorda-Montiel, Valentí Rodellas, Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Albert Palanques, Andrea G. Bravo, Júlia Rodriguez-Puig, Aaron Alorda-Kleinglass, Carlos Green-Ruiz, Marc Diego-Feliu, Pere Masqué, Javier Gilabert, Jordi Garcia-Orellana

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Coastal enclosed ecosystems, such as lagoons, are vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts because they favor the accumulation of contaminants from the surrounding watersheds, particularly in their sediments. Europe's largest saltwater lagoon, the Mar Menor (SE, Iberian Peninsula), is a highly impacted ecosystem and the first in the continent to be granted personhood rights. Based on a high-resolution spatial and temporal dataset, we present the historical reconstruction of metal contamination in this ecosystem during the last century. Our results highlight that sediment metal contamination has been mainly driven by the development of the mining industry in the nearby Sierra Minera de Cartagena-La …

Rare, Threatened And Endangered Zoology Species Of Oregon (2025), Jesse Laney, Eleanor P. Gaines, Lindsey K. Wise, Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

This publication provides a 2025 update to the rare, threatened, and endangered zoology species of Oregon. Species lists are also provided in Excel format.

The Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC) is part of the Institute for Natural Resources (INR) located at Portland State University (PSU). ORBIC maintains extensive databases of Oregon biodiversity, concentrating on rare and endangered plants, animals and ecosystems. Since its creation in 1979 as the Oregon Natural Heritage Program, ORBIC has been part of the Natural Heritage network. ORBIC is a constituent member of NatureServe, a non-profit organization with a mission to provide the scientific basis for …

Park Reclamation: Tackling Invasive Species At The Oconee River Greenway In Milledgeville, Ga, Christine Mutiti

Academic Affairs

This project focused on the ecological restoration of a kudzu-invaded section of the Oconee River Greenway while integrating high-impact learning into the Environmental Methods and Measurements (ENSC 2000) course at GCSU. Kudzu (Pueraria montana), a Category I invasive species, has significantly disrupted native plant communities at the site, making it an ideal setting for applied learning and ecological intervention. The project engaged students in authentic environmental research by involving them in every stage of the process including problem assessment, methodology design, field implementation, data collection, and reflection.

Students initiated the first phase of invasive plant removal using mechanical …

Microclimatic Conditions In Shulgan-Tash Cave (Southern Ural, Russia): Implications For The Preservation Of Eastern Europe’S Largest Paleolithic Art Collection, Olga Chervyatsova, Rayan Akhmedyanovb, Nailya Saifullina, Ludmila Kuzmina, Mihael Kotov, Yuri Dublyansky

International Journal of Speleology

This study presents the results of a long-term investigation of the microclimatic conditions in Shulgan-Tash Cave (Southern Urals, Russia), which hosts the largest assemblage of Upper Paleolithic paintings (ca. 16.3–19.6 ka) in Eastern Europe. The cave exhibits two distinct seasonal ventilation regimes – winter and summer – differentially influence its two levels of galleries. In the Lower Level, which contains 83% of the images, near-atmospheric CO₂ concentrations persist year-round, and temperature variations associated with seasonal infiltration events are minimal (1.0–1.3°C). By contrast, the Upper Level, including the decorated Hall of Paintings, is affected by downdrafts of CO₂-rich …

Chemical Analyses Of Grass Samples, Johan Du Toit, Shantell Garrett

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Results of chemical analyses of grass samples collected in the foothills of the Henry Mountains, south-central Utah, in the fall of 2021.

Plant Biomass (Dry) Per Square Meter, Johan Du Toit, Shantell Garrett

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Results of plant biomass clippings (dry mass / square meter) conducted in the foothills of the Henry Mountains, south-central Utah, over 2012-2022.

Chemical Analyses Of Soil Samples, Johan Du Toit, Shantell Garrett

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Results of chemical analyses of soil collected in the foothills of the Henry Mountains, south-central Utah, in the fall of 2020.

Lagomorph Spotlight Survey Results, Johan Du Toit, Shantell Garrett

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Results of lagomorph spotlight surveys conducted in the foothills of the Henry Mountains, south-central Utah, over 2014-2022.

Tillage Legacy, Grasses And Soil Texture Shape Soil Organic Carbon Recovery In Semi-Arid Woodland, Samantha Colunga, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo, Bradley O. Christoffersen, Engil Pereira

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Soil degradation from intensive tillage poses a critical barrier to carbon sequestration, particularly in semi-arid regions where low rainfall limits ecosystem recovery. As climate change expands arid zones globally, understanding the long-term potential for soil organic carbon (SOC) recovery in degraded lands becomes increasingly urgent. Here, we analyze reforested chronosequences (4–36 years post-abandonment) in formerly cultivated subtropical thornscrub woodlands to assess SOC dynamics across gradients of soil texture and degradation. We introduce a novel degradation index (DI), integrating SOC deficit and grass dominance, to evaluate how invasive grasses, commonly overlooked in restoration metrics, impede nitrogen (N2)-fixing tree establishment and, consequently, …

A Multidecadal Analysis Of Groundwater Level And Streamflow Decline In Southern Forest Catchments, Western Australia, Richard J. George, Rose-Anne Bell, W. Lachlan Mccaw, Gregory Paul Raper

Natural Resources Research Articles

Previous analysis of hydrological data in the eucalypt dominated forests of Western Australia’s Darling Ranges show that reduced winter rainfall over the last 50 years has lowered groundwater levels and diminished streamflow by up to 70%. Consequently, climate-independent reverse osmosis seawater desalination and groundwater resources now supply Perth and nearby regional areas, as runoff from forested catchments is no longer sufficient or reliable. In the high rainfall (~1200 mm/yr) mixed forest areas dominated by Eucalyptus diversicolor (karri) and Eucalyptus marginata (jarrah) 200 km to the south of Perth (the ‘Southern Forest’), similar analysis of climate impacts on watertables has not …

Fisheries Research Report No. 354: Recreational Fishing For Abalone In Western Australia In 2024/2025 - Estimates Of Participation, Effort And Catch, Claire B. Smallwood, Karina L. Ryan, Lachlan W. Strain

Fisheries Research Reports

The Western Australian Recreational Abalone Fishery (RAF) operates in shallow coastal waters as a hand collection fishery while wading or diving. Three species of abalone are allowed to be caught. Roe’s abalone (Haliotis roei) are generally collected while wading from the shore in accessible nearshore reef complexes along the West and South Coast Bioregions. Greenlip abalone (H. laevigata) and Brownlip abalone (H. conicopora) are collected while wading (including snorkelling and freediving) and diving (using compressed air) predominantly along the South Coast Bioregion.

Recreational fishing for the three abalone species is licensed and highly regulated, especially in the Western Zone (which …

How Eppley Airfield Could Be Reducing Your Power Bill (But They’Re Not), Cherry Pham

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Eppley Airfield in Nebraska is spending $950 million on their renovation and services are still running, even during construction. Part of the airport’s renovation budget could be allotted to installing solar canopies. In the long run, airports with solar canopies reduces their own electricity expenses.

Carbon Markets: A New Opportunity For Farmers, Emma Wrede

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Farmers have always known that healthy soil is their greatest asset to their success. Carbon markets are simply finding a new way to identify, measure, and compensate that value in a new way. In a time where every dollar counts, carbon credit markets can strengthen farmers’ margins and enhance their land health which they depend on. With continued research, improved regulation, and clearer guidelines, this system will work for both farmers and the environment.

Nebraska's Hidden Goldmine: Wind Power On Farms, Adelaide Witte

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Nebraska’s been hesitant to go all in on wind energy. People often worry about things like noise, how turbines look, or even potential impacts on human health. Community concerns are valid and should always be acknowledged. However, addressing them doesn’t require putting all development on hold.

“The Good Life” Of Ai, Lauren Smith

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is powered by data centers, sprawling warehouses of servers that require massive amounts of electricity and water to operate. The United Statesalready has more than 1,000 data centers, with nearly 400 more on the way.

Nebraska is next. Google is building a major new data center in North Lincoln, adding to the 18 operating across the state.

Our collective use of tools like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot has fueled a boom in generative AI, and with it a surge in energy and water consumption.

The need for AI regulation isn’t a future concern. It’s …

The Land Competition Between Crops And Solar: Why Nebraska Farmers May Not Have To Choose, Jada Vogel

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

There are significant benefits that can come from implementing agrivoltaics on farms in Nebraska. The economic gains from the use of agrivoltaics alone may be sufficient to get individuals to pursue their use.