Master of Science

thesisPark and protected area managers continue to address pressing conservation issues, such as biodiversity preservation and the prevention of species loss. However, parks and protected areas are frequently faced with financial constraints, and increasingly use ecotourism to generate financial support. One tool of ecotourism, travelers' philanthropy, is recognized as a viable method to increase funding for protected areas and conservation efforts. Travelers' philanthropy is money or time donated to a place or community by tourists that feel a responsibility to give back to the destinations they visit. Although travelers' philanthropy has been studied, there is a lack of understanding about the internal factors that motivate tourists' to donate to protected areas and conservation efforts. A better understanding of travelers' philanthropy could help increase managers' ability to generate revenue, enhance the role of ecotourism, and improve conservation outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between an organization's on-site messaging and tourists' a) trust in the agency, b) caring for a species, c) on-site donation behavior, and e) intentions to donate in the future. First, in Phase 1, I conducted a content analysis of the on-site messaging (N = 24 signs). Next, based on Phase 1 results and existing scales, a quantitative questionnaire was developed during Phase 2. Finally, in Phase 3, I administered the instrument to travelers (N = 204). Data analysis consisted of scale validation, model verification, and multiple regressions derived from structural modeling. Results indicate that: 1) on-site messaging and trust influence intentions to donate, 2) on-site messaging and caring influence on-site donation behaviors and intentions to donate, and 3) an interaction exists between trust and caring. Results will help to inform Ol Pejeta's conservation funding initiatives, advance understanding about travelers' philanthropy programs, and enhance the role of ecotourism in parks and protected areas

The Digestive Tract and Derived Primordia Differentiate by Following a Precise Timeline in Human Embryos Between Carnegie Stages 11 and 13

The precise mechanisms through which the digestive tract develops during the somite stage remain undefined. In this study, we examined the morphology and precise timeline of differentiation of digestive tract-derived primordia in human somite-stage embryos. We selected 37 human embryos at Carnegie Stage (CS) 11-CS13 (28-33 days after fertilization) and three-dimensionally analyzed the morphology and positioning of the digestive tract and derived primordia in all samples, using images reconstructed from histological serial sections. The digestive tract was initially formed by a narrowing of the yolk sac, and then several derived primordia such as the pharynx, lung, stomach, liver, and dorsal pancreas primordia differentiated during CS12 (21-29 somites) and CS13 (≥ 30 somites). The differentiation of four pairs of pharyngeal pouches was complete in all CS13 embryos. The respiratory primordium was recognized in≥26-somite embryos and it flattened and then branched at CS13. The trachea formed and then elongated in≥35-somite embryos. The stomach adopted a spindle shape in all≥34-somite embryos, and the liver bud was recognized in≥27-somite embryos. The dorsal pancreas appeared as definitive buddings in all but three CS13 embryos, and around these buddings, the small intestine bent in≥33-somite embryos. In≥35-somite embryos, the small intestine rotated around the cranial-caudal axis and had begun to form a primitive intestinal loop, which led to umbilical herniation. These data indicate that the digestive tract and derived primordia differentiate by following a precise timeline and exhibit limited individual variations