University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Central Washington University
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia
Aligning Tenure With Institutional Values: Supporting And Rewarding Engaged Scholarship In College Tenure Policies,
2026
Smith College
Aligning Tenure With Institutional Values: Supporting And Rewarding Engaged Scholarship In College Tenure Policies, Sian Bareket, Alexander R. Barron, Abigail O’Meara, Charavee Basnet Chettri
Environmental Science and Policy: Faculty Publications
Scholars have described the current era as a polycrisis, with climate change overlapping and interacting with other social justice and environmental challenges. While the expertise and capacity housed in academia has tremendous potential to help society face these threats, scholars and others have long critiqued academia as too isolated from the practical problems of society and front-line communities. While engaged scholarship (ES) connects academia and real-world problems, tenure policies are usually designed to primarily reward “traditional” scholarship focused on journal articles and academic books. This study sought to investigate the contrast between higher education institutions’ publicly shared values aligned with …
Pathways For Coordinating High-Quality Exploitation Of Marine Resources And High-Level Protection Of Marine Ecosystems,
2026
South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
Pathways For Coordinating High-Quality Exploitation Of Marine Resources And High-Level Protection Of Marine Ecosystems, Jianping Yin, Peimin Duan, Si Zhang
Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)
The ocean serves as a vital strategic space and a reservoir of resources essential for human survival and development, offering robust support for socioeconomic progress. Simultaneously, as a critical component of the Earth’s ecological environment, the ocean plays a pivotal role in regulating climate change, conserving biodiversity, and maintaining ecological balance. In recent years, China has continuously intensified the exploitation and utilization of marine resources, with the growth of the marine economy injecting blue momentum into the nation’s development. Nevertheless, the long-term, high-intensity exploitation of offshore resources, coupled with the ongoing advancement into deep-sea resource development, has led to frequent …
Mono Gold: An Informal Account Of The Geology, Production, And History Of Mono County Gold And Silver Mining Districts,
2026
Citrus College
Mono Gold: An Informal Account Of The Geology, Production, And History Of Mono County Gold And Silver Mining Districts, D. D. Trent
Eastern Sierra History Journal
Mono Gold explores the mining production, technology, and history of the Eastern Sierra, with a special focus on Mono County. Author Dee Trent, a geologist, spent decades visiting, researching, and photographing each of the mining operations discussed in this book-length monograph.
Prediction Of Pasture Condition In The Kimberley Rangelands Of Western Australia Using Simple Classification Tree Models,
2026
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia
Prediction Of Pasture Condition In The Kimberley Rangelands Of Western Australia Using Simple Classification Tree Models, Ben Nestor, Kath Ryan, Charles Martin, Philip Thomas, Chris Hetherington, Matthew Fletcher, Robert Sudmeyer, Karyn Reeves
Natural Resources Research Articles
Pasture condition assessments assist pastoralists, regulators, and policy makers in making informed decisions around livestock production and the preservation of natural resources in the Kimberley rangelands of Western Australia (WA). Reliable qualitative assessments of pasture condition require assessors with extensive expertise, which means frequent and reproducible assessments can be difficult to achieve. To develop a quantitative approach that can complement existing qualitative assessment approaches in the Kimberley, we investigated the use of simple classification tree models to predict pasture condition using assessment data from the Western Australian Rangeland Monitoring System (WARMS). Quantitative traits were derived from WARMS observation data for …
Investigation Of Yy Production Methods For Invasive Channel Catfish Ictalurus Punctatus Population Management,
2026
Utah State University
Investigation Of Yy Production Methods For Invasive Channel Catfish Ictalurus Punctatus Population Management, Andrew M. Wisniewski
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present
Aquatic invasive species are one of the leading causes of native fish declines in the Southwestern United States. Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus were introduced into the Colorado River Basin, including the San Juan River, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah for fishery enhancement during the 20th century. This introduction has contributed to the decline of native species and despite intensive mechanical removal efforts, the Channel Catfish population has persisted in the San Juan River. The Trojan Sex Chromosome approach is a promising eradication strategy that proposes the production and release of Trojan sex chromosome carriers (YY) to skew a targeted population’s …
A Community Planning Approach To Green Infrastructure And Hazard Mitigation,
2026
Purdue University
A Community Planning Approach To Green Infrastructure And Hazard Mitigation, Kara Salazar, Daniel Walker, Carrie Mckillip
Journal of Extension
As communities seek to increase their resilience to climate change and natural hazards, integrating mitigation and adaptation solutions into local planning has become essential. Purdue Extension, the University of Illinois Extension, and Illinois–Indiana Sea Grant developed a program, funded by the Extension Disaster Education Network, which supports community-based updates to hazard mitigation and resilience planning, with an emphasis on green infrastructure. This paper highlights the lessons we learned after implementing the program in Hancock County, Illinois, and LaPorte, Indiana, and the toolkit we created, which provides engagement and education techniques, planning processes, and other resources to Extension professionals working in …
Planetary Health: Scientific Frontier For Harmonious Coexistence Between Humans And Nature,
2026
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Planetary Health: Scientific Frontier For Harmonious Coexistence Between Humans And Nature, Zhu Yongguan, Jue Liu, Hua Zheng, Yaoyang Xu, Weiqi Zhou, Hongliang Zhang
Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)
Against the backdrop of deeply intertwined global environmental change, biodiversity loss, and health risks, Planetary Health is emerging as a new interdisciplinary field that is gradually becoming the scientific frontier for understanding harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. This study systematically reviews the evolution of Planetary Health from the “Planetary Boundaries” theory to a comprehensive disciplinary framework. Through a paradigmatic comparison with concepts such as public health, global health, and One Health, it reveals that the core breakthrough of Planetary Health lies in redefining human health as an endogenous variable embedded within the stability of Earth’s natural systems. Three major …
Ecological Gdp Of “Lucid Waters And Lush Mountains Are Invaluable Assets”,
2026
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Ecological Gdp Of “Lucid Waters And Lush Mountains Are Invaluable Assets”, Wang Guangqian, Deyu Zhong
Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)
Based on the concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”, this study investigates the theoretical connotation and accounting pathways of ecological GDP. (1) The core connotation of ecological value is elucidated from three dimensions—time, space, and civilization—and an economic quantification framework of principal–interest–interest rate is constructed. With four categories of ecological products as the foundation, the Green Certificate as the entitlement instrument, and a 5% annual simple interest rate as the accounting benchmark, ecological value is transformed from qualitative description to quantitative accounting. (2) The concept of ecological new quality productive forces is proposed, revealing its four-dimensional …
Home On The Range: Where Deer And Antelope Compete With Feral Horses For Limited Resources,
2026
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Home On The Range: Where Deer And Antelope Compete With Feral Horses For Limited Resources, Katelyn Davies, Hannah B. Klugman, Kathryn A. Schoenecker, David C. Stoner
All Current Publications
Given projections for continued drought conditions in the West, a better understanding of how native wildlife respond to competition with feral horses will be critical for developing effective conservation programs in the future. This fact sheet provides information on feral horses and presents study data comparing their use of water resources with that of native wildlife.
How Important Is Clean Energy To Utahns?,
2026
Utah State University
How Important Is Clean Energy To Utahns?, Elizabeth Brunner, Stacia Ryder
Utah People and Environment Poll (UPEP)
Utah's energy mix has changed significantly over the past several decades as it has moved to cleaner forms of generation. For example, according to the Energy Information Administration, in 2024, coal fueled about 45% of Utah's total electricity net generation, down from 75% in 2015. As can be seen in the chart below, the state anticipates demand growth, with further reductions in coal alongside a significant increase in solar, storage, and natural gas by 2032. Though not represented in these charts, plans for nuclear power generation have been proposed in Brigham City as well as outside of Green River. Utah …
Geothermal Energy In Utah: A Safe Technology With Limited Environmental Impacts,
2026
Utah State University
Geothermal Energy In Utah: A Safe Technology With Limited Environmental Impacts, Joseph Harding, Kendall Becker, Logan Mitchell, Jennifer Bodine, Scott Hotaling
All Current Publications
Geothermal energy has the potential to transform Utah’s electricity landscape, driving a future with improved air quality, lower carbon emissions, and fewer environmental impacts. In this fact sheet, we provide an overview of geothermal energy and its potential environmental implications in Utah. We highlight that recent geothermal projects in Utah do not use fresh water and that new well designs are expected to reduce the consumption of salty, brackish water. If these efforts are successful, geothermal energy would have lower water consumption, reduced seismic risk, and a similarly low land-use footprint compared to fossil fuel sources of electricity.
Managing Prairie Dogs On Agricultural Lands,
2026
Utah State University
Managing Prairie Dogs On Agricultural Lands, Cory Farnsworth, S. Nicole Frey
All Current Publications
While prairie dogs are an important species in the region because their burrows provide shelter for many wildlife species, they are also preyed upon by many mammals and birds. However, because of the damage they can cause to cropping and range systems, their populations may occasionally need to be controlled. After you have identified which prairie dog species you are in conflict with and the scope of the damage, you will want to decide how to manage them. This fact sheet provides information on control options and the general ecology of the three prairie dog species in Utah.
Geothermal Energy In Utah: Massive Potential To Meet Growing Electricity Needs,
2026
Utah State University
Geothermal Energy In Utah: Massive Potential To Meet Growing Electricity Needs, Emily Labonty, Kendall Becker, Logan Mitchell, Jennifer Bodine, Scott Hotaling
All Current Publications
Including more geothermal energy in Utah's energy mix would help address issues of concern for many Utahns: poor air quality, climate change, and the need to support renewable energy research. Geothermal energy, heat from within the Earth, is a renewable energy source that can provide flexible, baseload electricity––like coal or natural gas––but without the climate-warming and polluting effects. This fact sheet provides information about geothermal energy, generating electricity from geothermal energy, and current geothermal projects in Utah.
Effects Of Changing Fire Regimes On Black Huckleberry Habitat Suitability,
2026
Portland State University
Effects Of Changing Fire Regimes On Black Huckleberry Habitat Suitability, Emily Labarge
University Honors Theses
Black huckleberries are a significant cultural, ecological, and economic species in the Pacific Northwest. Historically, black huckleberries were tended with cultural fire by Indigenous peoples, and now also hold importance as a resource in the non-timber forest product economy. Research has begun on the impacts of climate change on suitable black huckleberry habitat and on changing fire regimes, but not in relation to each other. To address this gap, I examined the area of overlap between suitable black huckleberry habitat and fire burn probability into mid-century climate projections. I determined the current ownership entities with management jurisdiction in areas with …
[2026 Honorable Mention] Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary,
2026
California State University, Monterey Bay
[2026 Honorable Mention] Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, Daylyn R. Reese
Ethnic Studies Research Paper Award
This research offers unique insights into the creation and development of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (N.M.S.) with a focus on indigenous populations’ roles (primarily Chumash and Costanoan). In this episode, I analyze what makes this NMS different from every NMS precluding it, how it recognizes a new goal in conservation (thrivability), and the areas in which improvements still must be made to authentically include and honor indigenous voices.
Multimodal Machine Learning For Soil Burn Severity Mapping Across California Wildfires,
2026
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Multimodal Machine Learning For Soil Burn Severity Mapping Across California Wildfires, Sanjana Checker
Master's Theses
Accurate mapping of soil burn severity (SBS) is critical for post-fire watershed management, erosion risk assessment, and ecological recovery planning, yet traditional field-based approaches remain costly, time-intensive, and spatially limited. This thesis presents a machine learning pipeline for wall-to-wall SBS classification across California wildfires using multi-sensor satellite imagery, terrain derivatives, and bioclimatic covariates. Field-collected SBS observations (n = 2,180) from 52 wildfires occur- ring between 2013 and 2025, sourced from the U.S. Forest Service and CAL FIRE, were used to train and evaluate multiple classification architectures within a Google Earth Engine and Google Cloud-based prediction framework. After upsampling the unburned …
Western Kentucky University Stormwater Utility Survey 2026,
2026
Civil Engineering
Western Kentucky University Stormwater Utility Survey 2026, Warren Campbell
SEAS Faculty Publications
In the U.S., more than 2200 stormwater utilities have been enacted. This year, we have expanded the survey to include stormwater utilities in other countries. Many of these stormwater assessments are called taxes, but if the assessment is recurring, is not an ad valorem tax, and is dedicated to stormwater purposes, we call it a stormwater utility. With the help of ChatGPT we have been able to identify 25 stormwater fees in Australia. We were also able to identify 3 in New Zealand, and some in Europe as well.
Gobbling Activity And Use Of Structural Habitat At Nest Sites By Wild Turkeys (Meleagris Gallopavo) In Western Nebraska,
2026
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Gobbling Activity And Use Of Structural Habitat At Nest Sites By Wild Turkeys (Meleagris Gallopavo) In Western Nebraska, Robyn M. Dausener
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) populations in Nebraska have declined substantially in recent years. Understanding gobbling chronology and its environmental drivers may inform spring hunting season structure and management actions. I used autonomous recording units (ARUs) in two ecologically distinct regions of Nebraska, the northwestern (NW) Pine Ridge landscape, and the southwestern (SW) agricultural landscape, to quantify gobbling activity from 2023-2025. I paired gobbling data with nesting chronology, cumulative daily hunting pressure, weather conditions, and moon phase using Bayesian generalized additive mixed models. Gobbling peaked during mid-to-late April in both regions, preceding peak nest initiation and incubation, with no …
Ecological Interest Theory Of “Lucid Waters And Lush Mountains Are Invaluable Assets” And Its Application In The Yellow River Basin,
2026
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Ecological Interest Theory Of “Lucid Waters And Lush Mountains Are Invaluable Assets” And Its Application In The Yellow River Basin, Guangqian Wang, Deyu Zhong
Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)
To address the core challenges of quantifying ecological value and converting it into economic gains, this study proposes a theoretical framework of ecological interest (EI) based on the principle that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”. Three fundamental origins of ecological interest are explained, including the temporal value discount, the spatial ecological compensation, and the civilizational occupation-compensation balance. These three dimensions establish the logical connection between ecological and economic values. Setting a 5% annual simple interest rate as the benchmark and adopting “Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains” green certificates as the standardized ecological assets for property rights delineation …
“The New Normal”: California’S Escalating Wildfire Crisis,
2026
Fordham University
“The New Normal”: California’S Escalating Wildfire Crisis, Alexandra Vasquez
Student Theses 2015-Present
This paper addresses the current state of California's wildfire epidemic and how the increasing effects of climate change have worsened the fires, harming residents' health and the state's economy. The wildfires are shaped by factors such as climate change, land-use choices, and policy designs. California wildfires have worsened substantially in the 21st century, with the worst burns in the 2020 season setting a record of 4.2 to 4.5 million acres destroyed. Given current policies and the administration's disinterest in combating climate change, understanding wildfire history and data is essential to improving California's wildfire resilience, creating sustainable land management practices, and …
