6,267 research outputs found

    USD Magazine Spring 2023

    Get PDF
    Torero News; Why Not Us?; Taking Flight; With Heart and Soil; Class Noteshttps://digital.sandiego.edu/usdmagazine/1106/thumbnail.jp

    Natural and Technological Hazards in Urban Areas

    Get PDF
    Natural hazard events and technological accidents are separate causes of environmental impacts. Natural hazards are physical phenomena active in geological times, whereas technological hazards result from actions or facilities created by humans. In our time, combined natural and man-made hazards have been induced. Overpopulation and urban development in areas prone to natural hazards increase the impact of natural disasters worldwide. Additionally, urban areas are frequently characterized by intense industrial activity and rapid, poorly planned growth that threatens the environment and degrades the quality of life. Therefore, proper urban planning is crucial to minimize fatalities and reduce the environmental and economic impacts that accompany both natural and technological hazardous events

    Landscape characteristics shape surface soil microbiomes in the Chihuahuan Desert

    Get PDF
    IntroductionSoil microbial communities, including biological soil crust microbiomes, play key roles in water, carbon and nitrogen cycling, biological weathering, and other nutrient releasing processes of desert ecosystems. However, our knowledge of microbial distribution patterns and ecological drivers is still poor, especially so for the Chihuahuan Desert.MethodsThis project investigated the effects of trampling disturbance on surface soil microbiomes, explored community composition and structure, and related patterns to abiotic and biotic landscape characteristics within the Chihuahuan Desert biome. Composite soil samples were collected in disturbed and undisturbed areas of 15 long-term ecological research plots in the Jornada Basin, New Mexico. Microbial diversity of cross-domain microbial groups (total Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, Archaea, and Fungi) was obtained via DNA amplicon metabarcode sequencing. Sequence data were related to landscape characteristics including vegetation type, landforms, ecological site and state as well as soil properties including gravel content, soil texture, pH, and electrical conductivity.ResultsFilamentous Cyanobacteria dominated the photoautotrophic community while Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria dominated among the heterotrophic bacteria. Thaumarchaeota were the most abundant Archaea and drought adapted taxa in Dothideomycetes and Agaricomycetes were most abundant fungi in the soil surface microbiomes. Apart from richness within Archaea (p = 0.0124), disturbed samples did not differ from undisturbed samples with respect to alpha diversity and community composition (p ≥ 0.05), possibly due to a lack of frequent or impactful disturbance. Vegetation type and landform showed differences in richness of Bacteria, Archaea, and Cyanobacteria but not in Fungi. Richness lacked strong relationships with soil variables. Landscape features including parent material, vegetation type, landform type, and ecological sites and states, exhibited stronger influence on relative abundances and microbial community composition than on alpha diversity, especially for Cyanobacteria and Fungi. Soil texture, moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, lichen cover, and perennial plant biomass correlated strongly with microbial community gradients detected in NMDS ordinations.DiscussionOur study provides first comprehensive insights into the relationships between landscape characteristics, associated soil properties, and cross-domain soil microbiomes in the Chihuahuan Desert. Our findings will inform land management and restoration efforts and aid in the understanding of processes such as desertification and state transitioning, which represent urgent ecological and economical challenges in drylands around the world

    Canada\u27s Evergreen Playground: A History of Snow in Vancouver

    Get PDF
    The City of Vancouver is not as snowy as the rest of Canada; rain, not snow, is its defining weather feature. But snow is a common seasonal occurrence, having fallen there nearly every winter since the 1850s. This dissertation places snow at the centre of the City of Vancouver’s history. It demonstrates how cultural and natural factors influenced human experiences and relationships with snow on the coast between the 1850s and 2000s. Following Vancouver’s incorporation, commercial and civic boosters constructed – and settlers adopted – what I call an evergreen mentality. Snow was reconceptualized as a rare and infrequent phenomenon. The evergreen mentality was not completely false, but it was not entirely true, either. This mindset has framed human relationships with snow in Vancouver ever since. While this idea was consistent, how coastal residents experienced snow evolved in response to societal developments (such as the rise of the automobile and the adoption of new snow-clearing technologies) and regional climate change. I show that the history of snow in Vancouver cannot be fully understood without incorporating the southern Coast Mountains. Snow was a connecting force between the coastal metropolis and mountainous hinterland. Settlers drew snowmelt to the urban environment for its energy potential and life-sustaining properties; snow drew settlers to the mountains for recreation and economic opportunities. Mountain snow became a valuable resource for coastal residents throughout the twentieth century. Human relationships with snow in the mountains were shaped, as they were in the city, by seasonal expectations, societal circumstances, and shifting climate conditions. In charting a history of snow in Vancouver and the southern Coast Mountains, this dissertation clears a new path in Canadian environmental historiography by bringing snow to the historiographical forefront. It does so in an urban space not known for snow, broadening the existing geography of snow historiography. In uncovering snow’s impact on year-round activities, this work also expands the field’s temporal boundaries. Through this work, one sees how snow helped to make Canada’s Evergreen Playground

    Irish Famine memorials and the influence of place Cuimhneacháin Ghorta na hÉireann agus tionchar áite : A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University

    Get PDF
    The Irish Famine is a defining moment in Ireland’s history. Surprisingly mass commemoration did not take place for this event until the 150th anniversary. This mass commemorative activity was however undertaken on a global scale, with almost 140 memorials being developed across eight countries. The gap between the event and the large global scale of the subsequent commemoration makes it unique. Given this, the role that place plays in the development of the memorial is magnified, as a result of other factors such as raw emotion, direct memory and socio-political factors being muted. To understand the impact of place further, quantitative categorisation is undertaken of each memorial to allow for the entirety of the memorials to be analysed. The use of radar diagrams to assist in this analysis allows for the patterns associated with the memorials to be visualised and compared. This analysis highlights the role that place plays in influencing the representation of the Irish Famine through memorials, whilst also underscoring the cumulative impact of other variables in memorial development. Despite generational distance, the emotions evoked through Irish Famine Memorials are clear. The Place of these memorials contributes and informs the design of the memorial landscapes

    Archaeological palaeoenvironmental archives: challenges and potential

    Get PDF
    This Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) sponsored collaborative doctoral project represents one of the most significant efforts to collate quantitative and qualitative data that can elucidate practices related to archaeological palaeoenvironmental archiving in England. The research has revealed that archived palaeoenvironmental remains are valuable resources for archaeological research and can clarify subjects that include the adoption and importation of exotic species, plant and insect invasion, human health and diet, and plant and animal husbandry practices. In addition to scientific research, archived palaeoenvironmental remains can provide evidence-based narratives of human resilience and climate change and offer evidence of the scientific process, making them ideal resources for public science engagement. These areas of potential have been realised at an imperative time; given that waterlogged palaeoenvironmental remains at significant sites such as Star Carr, Must Farm, and Flag Fen, archaeological deposits in towns and cities are at risk of decay due to climate change-related factors, and unsustainable agricultural practices. Innovative approaches to collecting and archiving palaeoenvironmental remains and maintaining existing archives will permit the creation of an accessible and thorough national resource that can service archaeologists and researchers in the related fields of biology and natural history. Furthermore, a concerted effort to recognise absences in archaeological archives, matched by an effort to supply these deficiencies, can produce a resource that can contribute to an enduring geographical and temporal record of England's biodiversity, which can be used in perpetuity in the face of diminishing archaeological and contemporary natural resources. To realise these opportunities, particular challenges must be overcome. The most prominent of these include inconsistent collection policies resulting from pressures associated with shortages in storage capacity and declining specialist knowledge in museums and repositories combined with variable curation practices. Many of these challenges can be resolved by developing a dedicated storage facility that can focus on the ongoing conservation and curation of palaeoenvironmental remains. Combined with an OASIS + module designed to handle and disseminate data pertaining to palaeoenvironmental archives, remains would be findable, accessible, and interoperable with biological archives and collections worldwide. Providing a national centre for curating palaeoenvironmental remains and a dedicated digital repository will require significant funding. Funding sources could be identified through collaboration with other disciplines. If sufficient funding cannot be identified, options that would require less financial investment, such as high-level archive audits and the production of guidance documents, will be able to assist all stakeholders with the improved curation, management, and promotion of the archived resource

    The brown algal genus Fucus : A unique insight into reproduction and the evolution of sex-biased genes

    Get PDF
    Doctoral thesis (PhD) - Nord University, 2023publishedVersio

    With the process comes the progress: A systematic review to support governance assessment of urban nature-based solutions

    Get PDF
    The last decade has seen a profound increase in the development of assessment frameworks for ecosystem ser-vices, green infrastructure and nature-based solutions (NBS). This has improved understanding of NBS impact assessment, including processual aspects related to participatory planning and governance. We argue that, although representing a move in the right direction, NBS assessment frameworks would benefit from a broader framing of governance, including the role of government-led laws, policies and regulations along with community-led and collaborative multi-stakeholder initiatives. The consideration of marginalised communities and environmental justice should also be strengthened. To ensure a feasible and comprehensive approach to NBS governance assessment, we carried out a systematic literature review on the topic of urban NBS governance. Using thematic analysis, we developed a framework of five themes encompassing nine governance dimensions, of which some are further broken down into sub-dimensions. To assess the different NBS governance dimensions, we developed a tool in the format of a survey for urban decision-makers and other stakeholders, encompassing nine urban NBS governance indicators corresponding with the identified dimensions. Further to complementing NBS governance assessment approaches in important ways, we were able to highlight knowledge gaps around integrating features of the planning process and community-based or traditional knowledge. Our tool for monitoring urban NBS governance is simple to use and provides cities with a low-cost and comprehensive approach for monitoring and evaluating their readiness for mainstreaming NBS

    From ecosystems to people: examining the variability in the provision of ecosystem services by eelgrass meadows in Atlantic Canada

    Get PDF
    Seagrass meadows provide functions that support other species and ecosystem services that directly and indirectly benefit human wellbeing. However, growing in estuarine environments, seagrass meadows are exposed to interacting pressures from terrestrial and marine systems, resulting in their degradation worldwide. Efforts to conserve these social-ecological systems have met challenges, including insufficient maps to assess seagrass status and value, a limited understanding of seagrass meadow ecosystem traits underpinning the provision of ecosystem services, and a lack of public awareness necessary to support management decisions. This thesis presents multidisciplinary studies of eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, that contribute toward addressing these challenges. In the first study, I evaluated the reproducibility of using remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) to collect seasonal maps of submerged eelgrass meadows in a temperate environment. I show that higher altitude surveys are beneficial when surveying in rapidly changing environments; however, RPAS surveys using three-colour band imagery alone may be insufficient to discriminate seasonal changes. In the second and third studies, I identified meadow structural and environmental traits underpinning eelgrass service as fish habitat and function as a coastal filter. In the second study, I show that shallower and more saline eelgrass meadows enhance diversity in fish life history traits. In the third study, I show that carbon and nitrogen content in the surface sediment was negatively related to sediment density, where isotopic ratios indicated that the carbon was predominantly derived from marine allochthonous (non-eelgrass) sources. Lastly, in the fourth study, using an online survey, I show strong awareness of eelgrass by Canadian coastal Atlantic community members, and support for conservation efforts. Participants identified fish habitat, coastal protection, and water quality maintenance as the three most important ecosystem services provided by eelgrass in Atlantic Canada. Together, the components of this thesis characterise three Newfoundland and Labrador eelgrass meadows, the services they provide, and synthesises the perception of eelgrass by Canadian coastal Atlantic community members. These findings are relevant to local management decision-making and eelgrass monitoring, while also contributing to the growing global characterization of the variability in eelgrass meadow function driving ecosystem services

    Rendezvous at Chesuncook: A Chronicle of Surveyors, Landowners, Loggers, Settlers, & Sports

    Get PDF
    Abstract provided by the author: Rendezvous at Chesuncook, 1827-1902 is the only comprehensive history of Chesuncook Lake and Chesuncook settlement (village) from 1827 through 1902. The text’s two major focal points are people and old photographs. Over 350 biographical sketches include surveyors, landowners, lumbermen, drive bosses, loggers, settlers, and builders of dams and boats. For the 170 plus pictures this book is their only aggregate presentation. The photos communicate a history of what the landscape and settlements once looked like and how they changed over the decades in this book. This book purposely ends December 30, 1902. Through 1902 the loggers were independent and orchestrated their cooperation through their organization the Penobscot Log Driving Company, an entity that reformed every year with those who were logging. The book’s decade-by-decade chapter organization draws attention to their consistent year-to-year remarkable efforts and successes. Within each chapter the content focuses on who surveyed the land, who bought property, who logged, who settled, and who worked with sports; what were their activities; and how and with what did they function. Within this information are the wilderness farms that served the area: Lily Bay, Roach River, Ragged Lake, Ripogenus Lake, Deer Pond, and the head of Chesuncook Lake. The decade-by-decade organization reveals how ways and means of living and logging evolved. For example loggers used horses, but prior to the 1890s the predominant work animal was an ox; why was that? The last chapter, “Remembering the drive bosses,” has pictures of 13 of these 22 men and for everyone a verbal snap shot through which to remember them
    • …
    corecore