Geography Commons^™

Kombucha: Probiotics Part 1, Jean Lavigne

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Recent Trends In The Development Of Jewish Life And Heritage Tourism In Trani, Italy, Andrea Corsale

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper focuses on the recent revival of Jewish religious and cultural activities in the coastal town of Trani, in Southern Italy, after several centuries of substantial interruption. The specific events which led to the re-establishment of an institutional Jewish community and the restoration and reclamation of the local synagogues, along with the renewed visibility of the well-preserved Jewish district, of Medieval origins, are unique to this case study. However, at the same time, they reflect similar phenomena of restoration of Jewish sites and revival of Jewish communities in southern and eastern Europe, and beyond. As the case study analysis …

Business Operators’ Perception Of The Impact Of The Portuguese Way Of St. James, Paula Remoaldo, Eduardo Duque, Vítor Ribeiro, José Cadima Ribeiro, Hélder Silva Lopes, Sandro Ferreira, Cátia Faria

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This research aims to analyse business operators’ perception of the impact of the Portuguese Way of St. James and to assess the landscape situation along a total section of 115 kilometres. Perceptions were collected in a survey of 112 small operators between 2020 and 2021. The diversity and singular components of the landscape make it a pleasant route to experience, where pilgrims have the possibility to improve wellbeing, and enjoy the landscape. Operators have profited from the significant increase in the number of pilgrims walking along the Way and claim that they aim to continue their operations.

Uncovering The Dynamic Nature Of Fire Refugia Across Landscapes In Oregon's Western Cascades, Alec Scott Dyer

Dissertations and Theses

With increased fire activity, the presence of fire refugia is critical to support forest resiliency and mitigate large-scale vegetation conversion, however, the persistence of fire refugia within burn perimeters over time is uncertain. This study examines the dynamic nature of fire refugia by mapping the decline in forest cover over time, identifying spatiotemporal patch- and landscape-scale patterns and the biophysical drivers of delayed mortality following the 2020 Labor Day Fires occurring in Oregon’s western Cascades. After three years post-fire, delayed mortality accounted for an additional 8.5% of forest loss (total of 24,147 hectares in all five burns) compared to pre-fire …

The Ecosystem As Super-Organ/Ism, Revisited: Scaling Hydraulics To Forests Under Climate Change, Jeffrey D. Wood, Matteo Detto, Marvin Browne, Nathan J.B. Kraft, Alexandra G. Konings, Joshua B. Fisher, Gregory R. Quetin, Anna T. Trugman, Troy S. Magney, Camila D. Medeiros, Nidhi Vinod, Thomas N. Buckley, Lawren Sack

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Classic debates in community ecology focused on the complexities of considering an ecosystem as a super-organ or organism. New consideration of such perspectives could clarify mechanisms underlying the dynamics of forest carbon dioxide (CO₂) uptake and water vapor loss, important for predicting and managing the future of Earth's ecosystems and climate system. Here, we provide a rubric for considering ecosystem traits as aggregated, systemic, or emergent, i.e., representing the ecosystem as an aggregate of its individuals, or as a metaphorical or literal super-organ or organism. We review recent approaches to scaling-up plant water relations (hydraulics) concepts developed for …

Evidence Of Climatic Influence On Subsistence Strategies At Sage Hen Springs, Nevada, Andrew Rogers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Models of settlement patterns in the northwest Great Basin describe a decrease in residential mobility, intensified use of upland spring ecozones, and an increase in diet breadth during the Middle and Late Archaic. Here, I present data collected from the Sage Hen Springs site in northwestern Nevada during a Phase II testing project conducted by the BLM and an analysis of these data focusing on patterns of subsistence and mobility strategies throughout the Archaic. Results of this analysis support existing models of lifeways in the northwest Great Basin at the small scale and point to climatic factors as influences on …

Paradoxes And Potential Of Tourism Development In Nicaragua, Cody J. Silveira

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research evaluates the successes and challenges of tourism integration and expansion as both a broad human development strategy and a catalyst for local populations to achieve greater economic and social opportunities. The country of Nicaragua serves as the primary case study for such an evaluation due to its relatively recent promotion and expansion of tourism through government led incentives and oversight. As a case study, Nicaragua is a country whose tourism industry remains nascent, yet commands great economic potential and influence, which can serve as an example for future tourism development initiatives for developing countries in the region …

A Geospatial And Machine Learning Framework For Forecasting Ground Level Ozone Pollution, William J. Keenan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The major detrimental health effects of ground-level ozone (GLO) pollution make it imperative that both policy makers and ordinary citizens have access to high accuracy, high-resolution forecasts of their local area. Recently, advancements in computing power have made it possible to apply artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to a variety of big data modelling problems, including GLO forecasting and estimation. Of these AI methods, deep neural networks (DNN) have demonstrated the highest accuracy due to their ability extract non-linear relationships from high dimensional, noisy data inputs.

This research effort uses novel data sources, namely NOAA’s High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) meteorology …

Foreign Object Debris: A Spatial Analysis Of Wildlife At Seatac Airport, Eli Elias

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

This study investigates the relationship between birds and prey within the airport environment at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEATAC). In 2023, instances of bird and prey activity near Runway 16C/34C were recorded using Foreign Object Debris (FOD) detection radar. The study stems from the importance of safety within the airport environment and analyzing these relationships to better protect people and mitigate aircraft damage. Runway 16C/34C is the runway of focus as it is the only runway equipped with FOD detection radar. Temperature and rainfall averages acquired from the National Weather Service (NWS) were also used to expand this analysis. The results …

Visualization Of Indiana And Northern Long-Eared Bats Using Spline Surfaces To Enable Targeted Land Management, Devin Escue

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

This project introduces a Bat Visualization Tool to help manage habitats for threatened bat species while considering broader ecosystem dynamics. It integrates data from acoustic bat surveys at the Corriell Nature Preserve in Iowa. The tool attaches spatial context to non-spatial survey data, weights species calls based on statistical p-values, and creates visual bat species distribution maps using spline surfaces. It also generates future survey locations based on these patterns. By using geospatial analysis and statistics, the tool identifies priority areas for conservation actions, focusing on factors like forest composition, roosting preferences, and land cover types that affect bat habitat …

Spatial Analysis Of Transgender And Gender Diverse Students’ Mental Health And School Board Policies In Colorado And Montana, Elizabeth Heiny

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

As the number of policies impacting transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people increase among school boards, understanding the impacts these policies have on mental health is important. These policies can be positive or negative. Using geographic information systems (GIS) to analyze where better mental health and TGD impacting policies are correlated can offer clear results on where students mental health is affected by these policies in Colorado and Montana. This study found that TGD impacting policies did not explain the majority of variation in mental health index score. Positive or negative correlations between the mental health index and policy positivity …

Gis-Based Dashboard For Data Analysis And Visualization At The Water Hub In Franschhoek, South Africa, Liliana Rosa Simon

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

This capstone project analyzes the land use change in the Franschhoek Valley, South Africa, and implements this information into an ArcGIS Experience Builder Dashboard. The development of an ArcGIS Experience Builder is utilized as a tool for improved spatial data communication at The Water Hub. An increase in urban development in the informal settlement upstream of the Stiebeuel River in the catchment basin north of the Water Hub research institute is found. The capstone uses geographic information systems, remote sensing, and ArcGIS Experience Builder to integrate spatial data into the Water Hub’s standard operating procedures. It highlights the importance of …

Understanding The Nuances Of Transit Accessibility: Temporal And Spatial Resolution, And Neoliberalism, Joe Chestnut

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores accessibility via public transit through several lenses. In doing so, some of the lesser known nuances of accessibility are better understood. These nuances are explored in several ways. First, various demographic variables and their relationship to accessibility to jobs via public transit are modeled at a fine spatial resolution in an exploratory analysis across several cities in the United States. Next, temporal and spatial resolution and their impacts on accessibility to jobs via public transit are analyzed and quantified in several cities across the United States. Finally, the relationship between neoliberalism and public transit accessibility is explored …

How Well Do Nature-Based Solutions To Climate Change Address Gender Equity?, Stephanie Efua Yamoah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the climate crisis continues to deepen, there have been calls for adaptation and mitigation approaches that rely on nature-based solutions. These solutions are approaches that offer the potential to reduce and remove greenhouse gas emissions. Examples include forest restoration, coastal wetland conservation, and no-till agriculture, among other practices. In this thesis, I employ an intersectional feminist political ecology perspective to critically examine the integration of gender equity within such nature-based solutions. I make two interrelated arguments using a qualitative methodology and an intensive case study of three projects in Ghana. First, I argue that women’s participation in nature-based solutions …

Using Historic Glacial Data And Gis To Predict Mount Rainier National Park’S Glacial Future, Daniel Kincaid

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Will Washington state have glaciers 100 years from now (year 2124)? Due to generally warmer weather glaciers are largely in retreat globally, including the glaciers in Washington state. In Washington state summer glacial meltwater plays a vital role in the survival of wildlife and is needed for human purposes that include recreation, power generation, drinking, agricultural, and industrial. This project looked at the most resilient glaciers in Washington state, the glaciers at Mount Rainier National Park. Historic measurements were used in an exponential growth calculation to project the amount in acres each glacier at Mount Rainer will advance or retreat …

We Need To Talk About Airbnb, Jean Lavigne

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Scale-Dependent Effects Of Urban Canopy Cover, Canopy Volume, And Impervious Surfaces On Near Surface Air Temperature In Portland, Or, Carson Ralls

Geography Masters Research Papers

Cities are significantly warmer than their surrounding rural environments. Known as the ‘urban heat island effect’, it can affect the health of urban residents and lead to increased energy use. Although this effect is extensively researched, less is known about how landscape characteristics within cities affect local temperature variation. With a warming climate and the need for heat mitigation strategies becoming more urgent, having a finer detailed understanding of the effects on temperature is critical to guide proper management policies. This study examined how tree canopy cover, canopy volume, and impervious surface cover affect daytime near surface air temperature, and …

Wasted Space: Using Parking Lots & Vacant Land To Improve Neighborhood Completeness, Ryan Martyn

Hatfield Graduate Journal of Public Affairs

This study conducts a spatial analysis of Portland, Oregon, focusing on leveraging underutilized areas like parking lots and vacant land—termed "wasted space"—to improve the city's completeness. Central to this investigation is the concept of a "complete neighborhood," characterized by access to daily necessities within convenient active transportation trip. This comprehensive idea encompasses walkability, equitable access to services, and sustainability.

This paper aims to redefine the concept of a complete neighborhood with precision and delve into its implications. The research looks at five regional, town, and neighborhood centers as defined by the city of Portland. These centers act as pivotal hubs …

“Salmon Don’T Have Time For Us To Fix The Climate”: The Politics Of Climate Change And Dam Breaching On The Lower Snake River, Zanna Stutz

Geography Undergraduate Senior Theses

This thesis examines the politics of climate change and dam breach on the Lower Snake River. Located in Southeastern Washington within the Columbia River Basin, the four Lower Snake River dams (LSRD) have long been a source of political and legal controversy. While dam proponents advocate for services that they provide, which includes hydropower, navigation, and irrigation, others contend that their environmental impacts, particularly on salmon and steelhead, make them legally, environmentally, and morally irresponsible. Within this space, I specifically investigate how climate change has influenced the environmental politics and conflicts that surrounds dam breaching, further exploring how competing values …

“I Had To Go There For My Own Safety” Negotiations Of Access And Autonomy Among Dc Birth Settings, Elizabeth Avery Borgmann

Geography Undergraduate Senior Theses

Childbirth experiences are shaped by spatial context. This study considers the relationships between access to, selection of, and experiences with labor and delivery care among Black birthing people in Washington, DC. Informed by Reproductive Justice and reproductive geographies frameworks, I employ a mixed methods GIS design that integrates mapping of potential spatial access with qualitative analysis of community members’ lived experiences. On the quantitative side, nearest-neighbor and 2-step floating catchment area analyses reveal an east-west gradient of potential spatial access to labor and delivery wards, with low access concentrated in predominantly Black and low-income census tracts of Wards 5, 7, …