Changing Agricultural Land Use In Suzhou, China,
2013
Brigham Young University
Changing Agricultural Land Use In Suzhou, China, Emily J. Long, Dr. Richard H. Jackson
Journal of Undergraduate Research
China’s recent economic boom has brought many changes to its urban and rural landscape. Urban communities are growing larger and are often encroaching upon important agricultural land. The city of Suzhou provides a prime case study of the effects that development can have on once fertile agricultural land in China. Suzhou is located in the fertile Yangtze River delta in the Jiangsu Province bordering Shanghai on the east. The city of Suzhou is over 2,500 years old and is famous for its beautiful scenery, classical gardens, and rich cultural heritage. This fertile delta provided good farming soil for thousands of …
Suzhou Urban Developments And Economic Growth The Impact Of Special Economic Zones And The Light Rail System,
2013
Brigham Young University
Suzhou Urban Developments And Economic Growth The Impact Of Special Economic Zones And The Light Rail System, Songjie Li, Dr. Richard Jackson
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Suzhou, China is an ancient Chinese city facing rapid and wrenching changes. Located in the Delta of the Yangtze River some fifty miles northwest of Shanghai, it is famous for its classical gardens and numerous canals that connect to the famous Grand Canal and Tai Lake. Suzhou is frequently mislabeled as the “Venice of the East”, but Chinese people more likely to call it the “Paradise on Earth”. Written historical records indicate that people started to live in Suzhou area over 4000 years ago, it is one of the oldest settlements in Yangtze River basin.
Principles Of Family-Centered City Planning Achieving True Mixed-Income Housing In New Urbanist Developments,
2013
Brigham Young University
Principles Of Family-Centered City Planning Achieving True Mixed-Income Housing In New Urbanist Developments, David Gay, Dr. Richard Jackson
Journal of Undergraduate Research
New Urbanism, or traditional neighborhood design (TND), is a growing trend in American real estate development. It is characterized by mixed-uses, a variety of housing sizes, and pedestrian-oriented streetscapes. It often encourages more efficient land uses, which, in turn, makes way for better transportation planning and less congested traffic patterns. These designs are more akin to pre-WWII development than to the typical contemporary subdivisions. New Urbanism aims to be more family friendly, especially in terms of affordability, but due to several underlying factors, these developments often demand an artificially large cost from homebuyers, excluding many potential residents who would most …
A Climate Reconstruction And Drought Assessment Of The Wasatch Front,
2013
Brigham Young University
A Climate Reconstruction And Drought Assessment Of The Wasatch Front, Daniel F. Bently, Dr. Matthew F. Bekker
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The purpose of this study was to extend the climate record of the Wasatch Front Area in order to assess drought along the Wasatch Front. In order to accomplish this, tree-ring analysis was done using Limber Pine (Pinus flexilus) trees from the rocky, north face of Mount Olympus, Wasatch Mountains.
Vietnamese Migration To Cambodia,
2013
Brigham Young University
Vietnamese Migration To Cambodia, Kyle Larsen, Dr. Chad Emmett
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Vietnamese migration to Cambodia is unique because, unlike most immigrants who seek sanctuary in a nation more economically and socially stable countries, the Vietnamese in Cambodia face many worse conditions than in Vietnam. In many ways, Cambodia is much less-developed than Vietnam in terms of GDP, literacy, poverty rates, and more. The traditional rivalry between Cambodia and Vietnam exacerbates the situation, which results in violence and social ostracism to the immigrants. According to the 2005 CIA Factbook, the Vietnamese make up five percent of the Cambodian national population of more than 13 million. Virtually all of them have migrated since …
Shack Settlement Planning And Public Participation: Duncan Village, South Africa,
2013
Brigham Young University
Shack Settlement Planning And Public Participation: Duncan Village, South Africa, David Kay, Dr. Richard Jackson
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Over the last ten years, government programs have facilitated the redevelopment of many South African communities; however, for many the promise of redevelopment has been elusive. In 2002, there were an estimated 8 million people living in shack settlements in South Africa. From 1994 to 2004, the government had built over a million houses in order to provide adequate shelter for its citizens, but there are many more still in need of assistance.
Russian Orthodox Churches In The Century Of Change: How The Soviets Affected National Identity,
2013
Brigham Young University
Russian Orthodox Churches In The Century Of Change: How The Soviets Affected National Identity, Jennifer Johnson, Dr. Richard Jackson
Journal of Undergraduate Research
As a missionary in Russia, I was always told: To be Russian is to be Orthodox. What does it mean to be Russian after seventy years of Soviet rule, when atheism was religiously enforced? Walking down the streets and passing Orthodox churches in dilapidated condition, I could not help but ask myself what had happened to the church buildings during communism and what was becoming of these buildings today. If the Soviets were so intent on atheism, then it would seem that Russian national identity should also change. But despite the way the Soviets destroyed the churches, the Orthodox Church …
City Of Zion Masterplan,
2013
Brigham Young University
City Of Zion Masterplan, Stephen H. Alfandre, Dr. Richard Jackson
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The City of Zion is something that is commonly discussed but rarely conceptualized. The only information we have pertaining to the spatial characteristics of Zion is a plat created by Joseph Smith in 1833. And although the plat revolutionized city settlement in the western United States, there are still many unanswered questions about the design relating to the overall masterplan for the City of Zion. It does not address the regional plan, open space, parks, or transportation, which are all vital to the planning and building of any city or town.
Local Attitudes Towards Bear Management After Illegal Feeding And Problem Bear Activity,
2013
University of British Columbia
Local Attitudes Towards Bear Management After Illegal Feeding And Problem Bear Activity, Sara Dubois, David Fraser
Wildlife Population Management Collection
The “pot bears” received international media attention in 2010 after police discovered the intentional feeding of over 20 black bears during the investigation of an alleged marijuana-growing operation in Christina Lake, British Columbia, Canada. A two-phase random digit dialing survey of the community was conducted in 2011 to understand local perspectives on bear policy and management, before and after a summer of problem bear activity and government interventions. Of the 159 households surveyed in February 2011, most had neutral or positive attitudes towards bears in general, and supported the initial decision to feed the food-conditioned bears until the autumn hibernation. …
Homo Religiosus? Religion And Immigrant Subjectivities,
2013
Singapore Management University
Homo Religiosus? Religion And Immigrant Subjectivities, David Ley, Justin Kh Tse
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
Once ignored in national and international public policy, religion has made a comeback as policymakers have noticed the significance of the resurgence of religion, especially due to migration flows. While laudatory of these developments, this chapter specifies the need for a theological reading of the migrant religious practitioner as homo religiosus. First, we describe the social geographies of immigrant religion in an international context, drawing attention to the vibrancy of religious devotion, especially Christianity from the global south, among migrant groups. Second, we re-conceptualise religious belief through the theoretical work of John Milbank and Charles Taylor as they recuperate a …
Dendrochronology: Exploring Land Use In Montezuma Canyon,
2013
Brigham Young University
Dendrochronology: Exploring Land Use In Montezuma Canyon, Julia Matheny, Dr. Matthew Bekker
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Montezuma Canyon, of San Juan County, Utah has a long and rich history of human occupation with land use by various peoples. The Anasazi occupied the area from 200 to 1300 A.D., at which time the area was abandoned. Euroamerican pioneers came into the canyon in the 1880’s and introduced domestic cattle, which promoted grazing into the area. Since the time of Euroamerican settlement, the landscape of Montezuma Canyon has undergone dramatic changes due to erosion. Grazing, along with various other land uses involved in ranching and farming, have been suggested as possible causes of erosion, loss of viable soils …
Reducing The Cost Of Soil Mapping In Precision Agriculture,
2013
Brigham Young University
Reducing The Cost Of Soil Mapping In Precision Agriculture, Elizabeth Gillins, Dr. Ruth Kerry
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Using electrical conductivity data (ECa) in soil survey is related to several soil properties. Particular use has been made of ECa data in precision agriculture because it is related to properties that could affect crop yield. Although theoretically sound reasons exist to explain these relationships, they vary spatially, making ECa data interpretation difficult, even within fields.
Intermittence For Humans Spreading 45,000 Years Ago: From Eurasia To The Americas,
2013
Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile
Intermittence For Humans Spreading 45,000 Years Ago: From Eurasia To The Americas, J. C. Flores
Human Biology Open Access Pre-Prints
From northeastern-Eurasia to the Americas, a three stage spread of Modern Humans is considered through large scale intermittence (exploitation/relocation). Conceptually, this work supports intermittence as a real strategy for colonization of new habitats. For the northeastern Eurasia travel, the first stage, we adapt our model to archaeological dates determining the diffusion coefficient (exploitation phase) as D=299.44 [km2/yr] and the velocity parameter (relocation phase) as vo=4.8944 [km/yr]. The relative phaseweight (≈ 0.46), between both kind of motions, is consistent with a moderate biological population rate (r'≈ 0.0046 [1/yrs]). The second stage is related to population …
Quantifying Human Impact On Wetland Landscapes In Utah Valley The Meadows, American Fork, Utah,
2013
Brigham Young University
Quantifying Human Impact On Wetland Landscapes In Utah Valley The Meadows, American Fork, Utah, Benjamin Sykes, Dr. Matthew Bekker
Journal of Undergraduate Research
This Research Project involved the use of Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing Images, Fragstats, GIS Data layers obtained from Utah County, and database programs to quantify change to the natural landscape following human development in the area commonly known as “The Meadows” Shopping Center, located in American Fork, Utah.
Mapping Disease At An Approximated Individual Level Using Aggregate Data: A Case Study Of Mapping New Hampshire Birth Defects,
2013
Dartmouth College
Mapping Disease At An Approximated Individual Level Using Aggregate Data: A Case Study Of Mapping New Hampshire Birth Defects, Xun Shi, Stephanie Miller, Kevin Mwenda, Akikazu Onda
Dartmouth Scholarship
Limited by data availability, most disease maps in the literature are for relatively large and subjectively-defined areal units, which are subject to problems associated with polygon maps. High resolution maps based on objective spatial units are needed to more precisely detect associations between disease and environmental factors. Method: We propose to use a Restricted and Controlled Monte Carlo (RCMC) process to disaggregate polygon-level location data to achieve mapping aggregate data at an approximated individual level. RCMC assigns a random point location to a polygon-level location, in which the randomization is restricted by the polygon and controlled by the background (e.g., …
Uncertainty Analysis Of The Large Zone Economic Module (Lzem) Of The Se3m Model Of Land Use And Transportation,
2013
Brigham Young University
Uncertainty Analysis Of The Large Zone Economic Module (Lzem) Of The Se3m Model Of Land Use And Transportation, Alex Norr, Dr. Michael Clay
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Integrated land use and transportation forecasting models are used to assist decision makers in the policy analysis and infrastructure capital improvements selection process (1, 2, and 3). These models are typically given precise, point-estimate inputs that are mathematically linked, through a series of submodels, to forecasted model outputs (4 and 5). These point-estimate inputs represent an unrealistic level of precision and a growing body of research is focusing on statistical techniques to model uncertainty in model inputs and parameters and tracking the effects of this uncertainty through the various submodels to the model outputs (see 4, 6, and 7 and …
Dendroarcheology: William Hawk’S Cabin And The Human History Of Utah,
2013
Brigham Young University
Dendroarcheology: William Hawk’S Cabin And The Human History Of Utah, J. Joseph Naylor, Dr. Matthew Bekker
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Dendrochronology is the process by which tree rings are measured and compared with others to determine the age and growth rates of trees. It has a variety of emphasis that allow for the extensive use of tree rings in studying many different fields. Some of these include; dendroclimatology, the study of climate patterns, dendromorphology, the study of natural hazard events (earthquakes, avalanches, mass movements), and dendroarcheology, the study of old wooden structures to determine cutting dates and construction practices.
Examining Links Between The Lds Faith And Cervical Cancer Mortality Rates Of The American West,
2013
Brigham Young University
Examining Links Between The Lds Faith And Cervical Cancer Mortality Rates Of The American West, Austin Parker, Dr. Ruth Kerry
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Several medical geography studies have identified Utah as an outlier in terms of various illnesses with far lower rates than other states in the country. Gooaverts (2009) noticed small clusters of low cervical cancer rates in Utah compared to other states, although he wasn’t specifically studying the heavy LDS influence on Utah’s population. Lower cervical cancer rates in Utah could be attributed to the LDS “Law of Chastity”, which discourages sexual relationships outside of marriage as up to 99% of cases of cervical cancer have been linked to the human papilloma virus, a sexually transmitted disease (http://www.cancerrecovery.org.uk/cervical-cancer). A goal of …
Spatially Explicit Data: Stewardship And Ethical Challenges In Science,
2013
University of New Hampshire
Spatially Explicit Data: Stewardship And Ethical Challenges In Science, Joel N. Hartter, Sadie J. Ryan, Catrina A. Mackenzie, John N. Parker, Carly A. Strasser
Geography
Scholarly communication is at an unprecedented turning point created in part by the increasing saliency of data stewardship and data sharing. Formal data management plans represent a new emphasis in research, enabling access to data at higher volumes and more quickly, and the potential for replication and augmentation of existing research. Data sharing has recently transformed the practice, scope, content, and applicability of research in several disciplines, in particular in relation to spatially specific data. This lends exciting potentiality, but the most effective ways in which to implement such changes, particularly for disciplines involving human subjects and other sensitive information, …
Correlation Of Hyperspectral Bands From Remotely Sensed Imagery And Urban Leaf Area Index,
2013
Brigham Young University
Correlation Of Hyperspectral Bands From Remotely Sensed Imagery And Urban Leaf Area Index, Derek Farnes, Dr. Ryan Jensen
Journal of Undergraduate Research
As the world’s urban population continues to grow, more and more attention is being given to the environment in which humans live – urban areas. Unfortunately, urban expansion often leads to considerable loss of urban forest and its associated amenities. When studying the urban forest, a critical biophysical variable to consider is leaf area index (LAI) which is defined as the ratio of leaf surface area divided by ground area. Due to the importance of this variable, efficient methods have been sought for estimating LAI in urban areas. Potential has been found in measuring LAI with a hyperspectral sensor using …
