Geography Commons^™

Augmenting Land Cover/Land Use Classification By Incorporating Information From Land Surface Phenology: An Application To Quantify Recent Cropland Expansion In South Dakota, Lan Hoang Nguyen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding rapid land change in the U.S. NGP region is not only critical for management and conservation of prairie habitats and ecosystem services, but also for projecting production of crops and biofuels and the impacts of land conversion on water quality and rural transportation infrastructure. Hence, it raises the need for an LCLU dataset with good spatiotemporal coverage as well as consistent accuracy through time to enable change analysis. This dissertation aims (1) to develop a novel classification method, which utilizes time series images from comparable sensors, from the perspective of land surface phenology, and (2) to apply the land …

Mass Wasting Investigation And Assessment In The Midwest: Case Study Of The Minnesota River Valley, New Ulm To St. Peter, Minnesota, Usa, Melissa Kohout

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Many mass- wasting studies have been conducted worldwide, however, investigations have focused in mountainous or coastal regions. This has proven problematic in areas lacking those features yet are experiencing mass wasting. Several anthropogenic risks, economic loss, and environmental issues are associated with mass wasting such as destruction of property, loss of life, and sediment pollution. The midwestern USA, is generally considered a low relief region, therefore limited data exist for mass wasting occurrence. Within the last decade, however, several events have occurred across Minnesota with little understanding of the ongoing hillslope processes leading to failure. The Minnesota River valley is …

Criar Y Dejarse Criar: Trans-Situ Crop Conservation And Indigenous Landscape Management Through A Network Of Global Food Neighborhoods, Cass Madden

Capstone Collection

As climate change progresses, global food security is likely to become increasingly threatened and crop biodiversity will be a significant source of resiliency and adaptability. However, these adaptations will only be fully realized through cooperative in situ and ex situ conservation and cultivation of domesticated crops, crop wild relatives, and wild foods. This conservation is best realized in places where communities have the cultural resources to invest meaningfully in the cultivation of native crops, and where the cultivation of those crops can reinforce place-specific livelihoods and identities. To this end, the principal objective of this research is to propose a …

Size Estimation Of Pre‐Columbian Caribbean Fish, Sandrine Grouard, Sophia Perdikaris, Nídia Cristina Espíndola Rodrigues, Irvy R. Quitmyer

School of Global Integrative Studies: Faculty Publications

In this contribution, we present a methodological approach to the identification of pre‐Columbian Caribbean fisheries and examine the interrelationships of exploitation according to size for eight fish families, in a diachronic perspective for the Lesser Antilles. Based on the principles of size and growth allometries, biometric repositories have been reconstructed for modern families that represent different ecological environments: Holocentridae, Serranidae, Carangidae, Lutjanidae, Haemulidae, Scaridae, Acanthuridae, and Scombridae. The measured fish bone elements were selected based on their robustness and potential for recovery at archaeological sites. This resulted in a sample size totaling 563 modern osteological specimens, which provided reconstructed standard, …

From Nativism To White Power: Mid-Twentieth-Century White Supremacist Movements In Oregon, Shane Burley, Alexander Ross

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Two document cases in the Oregon Historical Society (OHS) Research Library's George Rennar papers contain significant documentation of White supremacist organizations that developed in Oregon during the period between World War I and World War II. In this Research Files article, Shane Burley and Alexander Reid Ross highlight connections found within the collection between the variety of interlinked, racist, and nationalist organizations during that time period. Burley and Ross argue that while “membership numbers remained relatively small, these organizations provided a crucial link to the development of radical right-wing groups during the postwar era.”

Classification Of Aerosol Population Type And Cloud Condensation Nuclei Properties In A Coastal California Littoral Environment Using An Unsupervised Cluster Model, Samuel A. Atwood, Sonia M. Kreidenweis, Paul J. Demott, Markus D. Petters, Gavin Cornwell, Andrew C. Martin, Kathryn A. Moore

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Aerosol particle and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) measurements from a littoral location on the northern coast of California at Bodega Bay Marine Laboratory (BML) are presented for approximately six weeks of observations during the boreal winter–spring as part of the CalWater-2015 field campaign. The nature and variability of surface (marine boundary layer, MBL) aerosol populations were evaluated by classifying observations into periods of similar aerosol and meteorological characteristics using an unsupervised cluster model to derive distinct littoral aerosol population types and link them to source regions. Such classifications support efforts to understand the impact of changing aerosol properties on precipitation …

Characterizing Spatiotemporal Patterns Of White Mold In Soybean Across South Dakota Using Remote Sensing, Confiance L. Mfuka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soybean is among the most important crops, cultivated primarily for beans, which are used for food, feed, and biofuel. According to FAO, the United States was the biggest soybeans producer in 2016. The main soybean producing regions in the United States are the Corn Belt and the lower Mississippi Valley. Despite its importance, soybean production is reduced by several diseases, among which Sclerotinia stem rot, also known as white mold, a fungal disease that is caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is among the top 10 soybean diseases. The disease may attack several plants and considerably reduce yield. According to …

Classification Of North Africa For Use As An Extended Pseudo Invariant Calibration Sites (Epics) For Radiometric Calibration And Stability Monitoring Of Optical Satellite Sensors, Mahesh Shrestha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An increasing number of Earth-observing satellite sensors are being launched to meet the insatiable demand for timely and accurate data to help the understanding of the Earth’s complex systems and to monitor significant changes to them. The quality of data recorded by these sensors is a primary concern, as it critically depends on accurate radiometric calibration for each sensor. Pseudo Invariant Calibration Sites (PICS) have been extensively used for radiometric calibration and temporal stability monitoring of optical satellite sensors. Due to limited knowledge about the radiometric stability of North Africa, only a limited number of sites in the region are …

Methods For Earth-Observing Satellite Surface Reflectance Validation, Moe Talal Badawi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study an initial validation of the Landsat 8 (L8) Operational Land Imager (OLI) Surface Reflectance (SR) product was performed. The OLI SR product is derived from the L8 Top-of-Atmosphere product via the Landsat Surface Reflectance Code (LaSRC) software and generated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. The goal of this study is to develop and evaluate proper validation methodology for the OLI L2 SR product. Validation was performed using near-simultaneous ground truth SR measurements during Landsat 8 overpasses at 13 sites located in the U.S., Brazil, Chile and France. The ground …

How Are Interannual Variations Of Land Surface Phenology In The Highland Pastures Of Kyrgyzstan Modulated By Terrain, Snow Cover Seasonality, And Climate Oscillations? An Investigation Using Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data, Monika Anna Tomaszewska

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the semiarid, continental climates of montane Central Asia, with its constant moisture deficit and low relative humidity, agropastoralism constitutes the foundation of the rural economy. In Kyrgyzstan, an impoverished, landlocked republic in Central Asia, herders of the highlands practice vertical transhumance—the annual movement of livestock to higher elevation pastures to take advantage of seasonally available forage resources. Dependency on pasture resource availability during the short mountain growing season makes herds and herders susceptible to changing weather and climate patterns. This dissertation focuses on using remote sensing observations over the highland pastures in Kyrgyzstan to address five interrelated topics: (i) …

The Impacts Of Land Use And Land Cover Change On Water Quality In The Big Sioux River: 2007-2016, Dinesh Shrestha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Between 2006 and 2012, conversion of 485,000 acres of grassland to cropland in eastern South Dakota was reported. In 2012, the Big Sioux River (BSR) running through most of eastern South Dakota was listed among the dirtiest rivers in the nation. This rating convinced state authorities to study trends of land cover changes in the BSR watershed and its association with BSR water quality with respect to increases in nitrate levels. This research i) quantifies spatial and temporal changes in the land cover types within the BSR watershed, and ii) identifies any correlation between these changes and changes in BSR …

Land Cover Changes Within And Around Protected Areas In Côte D’Ivoire From 1986 To 2017: A Case Study Of The Mabi-Yaya-Songan-Tamin Reserved Forests, Olena Boiko

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tropical forests mitigate climate change, provide habitat for the most biologically diverse terrestrial communities, and yield ecosystem services that support human wellbeing. These forests are some of the most threatened ecosystems because of the increasing human impact on the environment. Côte d’Ivoire has one of the highest deforestation rates in sub-Saharan Africa, and the expansion of agriculture to produce cash crops, such as cocoa and rubber, is presented as the primary reason for forest loss. These changes are apparent even within the boundaries of the protected areas, which raises concerns about the effectiveness of the protection strategies. This project illustrates …

Local Knowledge And Climate Information: The Role Of Trust And Risk In Agricultural Decisions About Drought, Adam J. Snitker

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Climate change is projected to dramatically impact agricultural production across the world. Agricultural producers must adapt to changing conditions by implementing practices and utilizing knowledge that creates resilient operations. This study explores how Montana farmers and ranchers use of different types of knowledge during periods of drought and how risk perceptions and trust influence the use of knowledge. To understand the role trust and risk in producers’ use of local knowledge and climate information, I conducted five focus groups with 34 Montana agricultural producers. Producers explained that they encounter many agriculture-related risks, including uncertain forecasts, financial losses, and adverse weather. …

Remote Sensing Of Avalanche Paths In Glacier National Park, Montana, Morgan Voss

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Snow avalanches are the common form of mass wasting in the high mountain environments of Glacier National Park (GNP), Montana. These natural disturbances play important roles in mountain ecosystems by regularly disturbing montane systems, providing critical habitat for some species, transporting debris, and influencing vegetation and fire dynamics. Since the 1900s, natural avalanche-related activity recorded along important transportation corridors within the park has frequently disrupted transportation.

While many of the steep slopes of GNP are susceptible to avalanching, formal inventories exist only for small, critical portions of the park and they vary substantially from one another. GNP’s protected status does …

The Quest Of Vision: Visual Culture, Sacred Space, Ritual, And The Documentation Of Lived Experience Through Rock Imagery, Aaron Robert Atencio

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This document will approach the multifaceted concepts that arise through the study of rock art and the cultivation of culture and belief through vision. Through this document the audience will encounter conceptual ideas regarding belief systems, ritual, experience, cognition, sacredness, and space/landscape — and how these are all essential dynamics that take place in the processes that cultivate the Shoshone visual culture. This document will employ an anthropological lens on the mentioned subject matters, while also approaching these concepts with an interdisciplinary curiosity of how they intermingle; creating a cohesive experience that focuses on these processes which empowered these people[s] …

Review Of The Herds Shot Round The World: Native Breeds And The British Empire, 1800—1900, By Rebecca Woods, Andrew Sluyter

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

การวิเคราะห์แบบรูปการกระจายทางพื้นที่และผลกระทบด้านเศรษฐกิจและสังคมของนักเรียนข้ามชาติในอำเภอเมือง จังหวัดสมุทรสาคร, จริญา บุญส่ง

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

งานวิจัยนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์ เพื่อวิเคราะห์แบบรูปการกระจายทางพื้นที่และผลกระทบด้านเศรษฐกิจและสังคมของนักเรียนข้ามชาติ ในอำเภอเมือง จังหวัดสมุทรสาคร โดยแบ่งการวิเคราะห์ออกเป็น 2 ส่วน คือ การวิเคราะห์แบบรูปการกระจายทางพื้นที่ของนักเรียนข้ามชาติที่ศึกษาอยู่ในโรงเรียนสังกัดสำนักงานเขตพื้นที่การศึกษาประถมศึกษาสมุทรสาคร โดยใช้โปรแกรมระบบสารสนเทศทางภูมิศาสตร์ พบว่าแบบรูปการกระจายของนักเรียนข้ามชาติสัญชาติเมียนมาในพื้นที่ศึกษาเป็นแบบเกาะกลุ่ม ส่วนแบบรูปการกระจายทางพื้นที่ของนักเรียนข้ามชาติลาว และกัมพูชา พบว่าเป็นแบบสุ่มทั้ง 2 สัญชาติ และวิเคราะห์ผลกระทบในด้านเศรษฐกิจและสังคมผ่านมุมมองของครูจากการมีนักเรียนข้ามชาติเข้าศึกษาร่วมกับนักเรียนไทยและมุมมองของผู้ปกครองของนักเรียนไทยที่มีบุตรหลานเรียนร่วมกับนักเรียนข้ามชาติ โดยวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลที่ได้จากแบบสอบถามด้วยวิธีการทางสถิติ ทำการสำรวจด้วยแบบสอบถามจากครูและผู้ปกครองของนักเรียนไทยจำนวน 423 คน พบว่า ผลกระทบด้านเศรษฐกิจในมุมมองของครูเป็นผลกระทบในด้านบวกระดับน้อย โดยประเด็นที่ครูให้ผลกระทบด้านบวกมากที่สุด คือ การที่จำนวนนักเรียนข้ามชาติเพิ่มขึ้นส่งผลให้โรงเรียนมีรายได้เพิ่มขึ้นจากเงินสนับสนุนในส่วนต่าง ๆ ทั้งจากภาครัฐและเอกชน และในมุมมองของผู้ปกครองเป็นผลกระทบด้านลบระดับมาก โดยประเด็นที่ผู้ปครองให้ผลกระทบด้านลบมากที่สุด คือ เงินยากจนที่รัฐบาลจัดสรรให้สำหรับเด็กยากจนส่วนใหญ่จะตกไปอยู่กับเด็กข้ามชาติมากกว่าเด็กไทย เนื่องจากสภาพความเป็นอยู่และอาชีพของผู้ปกครอง ส่วนผลกระทบในด้านสังคมพบว่า ในมุมมองของครูเป็นผลกระทบในด้านลบระดับน้อย ประเด็นที่ครูให้ผลกระทบด้านลบมากที่สุด คือ การที่นักเรียนข้ามชาติไม่มีเอกสารยืนยันตัวตนหรือหลักฐานในการสมัครเรียนไม่ครบถ้วน ทำให้เกิดปัญหาในการบันทึกและส่งต่อข้อมูลเมื่อจบการศึกษา แต่ในมุมมองของผู้ปกครองกับพบว่ามีผลกระทบทั้งด้านบวกและลบพอ ๆ กัน

Belonging While Black At Lake Merritt: The Black Spatial Imaginary And Place-Making In Oakland, Ca, Betel Solomon Tesfamariam

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis aims to demonstrate how the processes of gentrification and displacement are interrelated processes that invent new ways of perpetuating anti- blackness in the U.S. I demonstrate this through an engagement with Christina Sharpe’s (2016) analysis of the imagery of the wake, the ship, the hold, and the weather as axis points that position Black life in the afterlife of slavery—how the conditions of slavery are ongoing today—presenting the racist encounters at Lake Merritt as illustrative examples. In her most recent book, In the Wake: On Blackness and Being, Sharpe (2016) deploys an interdisciplinary approach to critically theorize …

Gis Suitability Analysis To Situate Recreational/Retail Marijuana Stores In Denver, Colorado, Aniekan Okon Akpanekong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

On October 1, 2013, the city of Denver adopted bill CB 570 allowing state-licensed retail marijuana businesses. Section 6-211(b) of the Denver Code of Ordinance codified distance separations between licensed retail marijuana sites and prohibited locations. Using distance decay theory coupled with Geographic Information systems (GIS)-based multicriteria analyses, Denver's licensed retail marijuana stores were evaluated in relation to their proximity compliance with �6-211(b). Using GIS topology testing from 1000 feet to 650 feet, current retail marijuana stores had a compliance percent ranging between 29% to 56% from each other, 2% to 7% from licensed medical marijuana stores, 39% to 68% …

Impact Of A Geography-Literature Collaborative On Secondary School Pedagogy, John Matthew Mccormick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Geography education has been relegated to a subset of social studies standards in most of the United States and has been overshadowed by a history-centered curriculum. Student achievement in geography has not improved for several decades due to the focus on history content in the social studies curriculum. Rooted in a conceptual framework encompassing elements of self-efficacy and the whole teacher approach, the purpose of this case study was to examine the impact of the West Virginia Geographic Alliance (WVGA) professional development workshop on teachers' practices in delivering cross-disciplinary geography education. The research questions addressed teachers' perceived self-efficacy in delivering …