SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
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PROMOTING PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIORS: THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS ON LITTERING WITHIN TWO ECOTOURISM DESTINATIONS IN TRINIDAD
No full textThe purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of environmental education and awareness on littering behavior within two ecotourism destinations (Asa Wright Nature Center and Rio Seco Waterfall). Furthermore, an attempt was made to produce a model that identified and explained the possible relationships between various constructs that affected the pro-environmental behavior of “not littering by ecotourists at the two ecotourism destinations. The conceptual background of this research venture was derived from the Theory of Planned Behavior and was further informed by the Grounded Theory. A mixed methods approach including both a qualitative phase and quantitative phase was utilized for the relevant data collection and analyses in this study. The qualitative data were collected from informal interviews with a total of two managers and six tour guides. Data analysis through a thematic coding procedure utilized the results to inform a final questionnaire design for quantitative data collection. Subsequently, quantitative data were collected via the administration of survey questionnaires to a total of 404 ecotourist participants at the Asa Wright Nature Center and the Rio Seco Waterfall. Descriptive statistics and path analyses were executed for analysis of the quantitative data. Findings indicated the hypothesized significance of ecotourists practicing more pro-environmental behavior based on their level of environmental awareness
Stem Water Potential in Desert Willow Grown in Clinoptilolite Zeolite and In-Situ Riparian Soil
Get PDFReestablishing native vegetation in riparian areas of southwestern United States is difficult because of the reduction of natural floods by channelization practices, timing of rainfall, and competition against saltcedar. A previous study demonstrated that clinoptilolite zeolite (CZ) could be used as a wicking material to raise sufficient moisture from shallow groundwater ( \u3c 3 m deep) to sustain plant establishment and growth. However, no studies have explored the effects that CZ has on water stress in established vegetation. This study evaluated the stem water potential (\Jfstem), which increases when plant water stress increases, of desert willow ( Chilopsis linearis) grown in CZ cores or in-situ riparian soil (RS) as part of a riparian zone restoration study in Sunland Park, New Mexico. Root zone volumetric moisture content (0v), plant \j/stem, and leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) for three to four randomly selected specimens in each substrate treatment within different depth to groundwater (DGW) zones were undertaken from June 7 to July 7, 2016. Results from the study showed that in a DGW zone of2 m, plants grown in CZ had significantly lower \j/stem (less water stress) than plants in RS, but in the 1.4 m DGW zone, the RS treatment had significantly higher soil moisture and less water stress. This demonstrated that the effectiveness of CZ in reducing water stress is a function ofDGW. Root zone 0v was negatively correlated with \j/stem, but this relationship was weaker for CZ treatments. Most treatment 8v and LCC averages decreased while \Jfstem increased over the course of the study. This was related to low precipitation and the consistent increase in mean temperatures, with daily maxima reaching as high as 41 °C and during the study period. These results can be used to determine the appropriate groundwater conditions where CZ could be used in future urban riparian restoration projects
Assessment of Field Gastric Lavage Efficacy: Salmo salar
Get PDFPost-mortem dissection (gastric) was performed on juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar ranging from 52 mm to 104 mm in total length (tip of snout to end of tail) and weighing 1.04 g to 9.42 g to assess the efficacy of gastric lavage conducted in the field (Kennedy and Strange 1981). Little Creek, Rice Creek, Eight Mile Creek, Point Rock Creek, and Furnace Creek served as the sampling sites (all located in New York). The size, and quantity of recovered food items were compared between field lavage contents and laboratory dissection contents. Macroinvertebrates were extracted from the buccal region, gill rakers, esophagus, and stomach of Salmo salar and then identified to determine the most numerous orders, breadth of dietary items consumed, the mean length of ingested contents (excluding cerci and antennae), and field lavage efficiency. The most abundant order collected from field lavage was Ephemeroptera at 279 individuals and the most abundant order collected from post-mortem dissection was Diptera at 23 individuals. The mean length of food items recovered in the field via gastric lavage was not significantly different from the mean length of food items extracted via post-mortem dissection. Field lavage was performed with 90.93% efficiency when accounting for all of the sampling sites combined. 70.45% of the fish sampled had all of their stomach contents extracted successfully in the field
Temporal and Seasonal Variation of Predator Visitation to Exclosed Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Nests at Jones Beach State Park, New York
Get PDFSignificant resources have been spent attempting to manage predators of the threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus). Various nest predator species are active throughout the day and night while monitoring staff that might deter predators are usually present only during select hours of the day. Monitoring efforts are also uniform throughout the nesting season, while predator activity may not be. The purpose of this study was to identify potential critical periods throughout the 24-hr cycle and the breeding season of the piping plover to allow for more targeted allocation of resources for monitoring nest predators. Camera traps were installed near exclosed piping plover nests (N= 16) at Jones Beach State Park, New York during egg incubation. Potential nest predators were identified from camera observations, and visit frequencies were summarized by time and seasonal period. Red fox (n=12) were most prevalent from 03:00-06:00, while raccoon (n=8) visited primarily between 00:00-03:00. Avian predators (n= 39) including gulls, crows, and American oystercatcher visited nests mainly from 06:00-18:00. Visit frequency of mammals and oystercatcher did not vary seasonally, however, crows (n=13) only visited between 14 June and 5 July. Visitation amongst the different predator species had limited temporal overlap, with peak visitation times coinciding only for diurnal species. The mid-evening hours (21:00-23:59) had the lowest number of recorded predator visits. Major predator species often vary between sites, nonetheless, management activities during the breeding season may be optimized by incorporating the activity windows of their respective predator suite in their piping plover monitoring schedules
Integrating Information Literacy and Research Strategies into a Sophomore Chemistry Course: A New Collaboration
Get PDFLibrarians at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) teach a one-credit information literacy course which is required for several majors. For many years, a section of this course was integrated into a senior level professional chemistry course. Students in this course work with chemistry faculty to develop a research proposal, and spend five weeks with the chemistry liaison librarian learning library and information research skills related to their topics. Recognizing that students need to begin learning research and career skills sooner than their senior year, chemistry faculty approached the library to work with them in integrating information literacy skills into a new sophomore level course. During this new course’s pilot semester, the chemistry liaison librarian was invited to teach two class sessions and to develop an assignment for students to help them write a paper on a chemistry topic. This chapter discusses specific outcomes, topics covered, assignments, observations, and future directions of the information literacy instruction in this new sophomore level course
Scanning Electron Microscopy Laboratory Portfolio
Get PDFThese images were prepared as part of the class MCR 484 Scanning Electron Microscopy at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Fall 2016
Scanning Electron Microscopy Laboratory Portfolio
No full textThese images were prepared as part of the class MCR 484 Scanning Electron Microscopy at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Fall 2016. All images were acquired on the JEOL JSM 5800 LV Scanning Electron Microscope in the N. C. Brown Center for Ultrastructure Studies
Assessment of Purification Methods for the Removal of Endotoxins from Polymers Generated by E. coli
Get PDFIn the medical field, specialty polymers have great potential to meet the demands for bioabsorbable materials as base materials for new technologies. Targeted drug delivery, scaffolds for stem cell growth and intraoperative hemostasis are just a few of the many potential applications for these polymers. Bacterially derived polymers, which are known to be biocompatible, often contain harmful endotoxins. Removal of these endotoxins is necessary to create a safe biocompatible product that meets the FDA requirements on endotoxin limits for implants. This study examines the effectiveness of methanol and sodium hydroxide purification of Clear Coli™ developed by Lucigen and on LSBJ and RSCO2 strains of£. coli. The two purification methods, a non-solvent precipitation and a 0.2 M sodium hydroxide treatment method, were evaluated for their efficacy in removing endotoxin. Poly(3- hydroxybutyrate) was produced in all three strains harboring the recombinant enzymes PhaCl(STQK), PhaA, and PhbB. Sodium hydroxide proved to be the most effective for method of removing endotoxins. After a single round of Na OH purification, 87% of endotoxins were removed from LSBJ and all detectable endotoxins were removed from RSCO2. It required three rounds of methanol purification to achieve a 77% reduction of en do toxin in LSBJ and removal of all detectable levels of endotoxin for RSCO2. Clear Coli was easiest to purify as one round of methanol purification removed 70% of LAL detected endotoxins from the polymer
The Forms and Sources of Nitrogen used by Phytoplankton in Guinea Creek, DE
Get PDFTo study a site of eutrophication, mesocosms with pore water additions, connections to the substrate (seeps) and controls were designed to test the response of phytoplankton to differences in nitrogen sources. We analyzed concentrations of nitrate, ammonium, phosphate, and chlorophyll a, along with the 815N and 8180 values of nitrate in mesocosms with various treatments in Guinea Creek, DE. Nutrient concentrations in the groundwater (delivered to the seeps) and in the pore water (delivered to the pore water mesocosms) differed markedly; the average nitrate concentration for the pore water (295 ± 3.55 μmol/L) was significantly higher than the groundwater (83 ± 33.80 μmol/L); while the average ammonium concentration for the pore water (4 ± 0.18 μmol/L) was significantly less than the groundwater (48 ± 5.59 μmol/L). Elevated levels of nitrate which ranged from 30 to 50 μM were found in the pore water mesocosms while the other two treatments ranged from 1 to 13 μM. The phytoplankton biomass increased over time for the seeps, from about 8 μg/L to 11 μg/L, and in the pore water mesocosms, from about 4.5 μg/L to 6.5 μg/L. The 815N and the 0180 values of nitrate ranged from +5.1 %0 to +12.5%0 and +2%o to +13.6%0 respectively. The nitrate isotope values reflected the presence of fertilizer and manure in the groundwater as the source of nitrate to the estuary. These data are useful tools to engage further research at this study site and begin to guide management plans in order to remediate water quality issues in this area
Macroinvertebrate Assemblage in the littoral Zone of Green Lake, Fayetteville, NY ; in Comparison with Three Nearby Lakes
Get PDFMacroinvertebrates were collected and identified to the genus level from ten sites at Green Lake, Fayetteville, NY. Green Lake is a meromictic plunge pool formed 11,000 years ago by a glacial waterfall. Due to the nature of its creation it has a very unique benthic habitat for macro invertebrates. The data collected were compared to three local lakes of varying human disturbance, Onondaga lake (most disturbed), Otisco Lake (mildly disturbed) and Cazenovia Lake (least disturbed). The comparison of Green Lake to Onondaga Lake is especially appropriate because they both have very high specific conductance levels (2,470 μS/cm and ~1,600 μS/cm, respectively). Genera richness did not differ between Green and Onondaga Lakes or between Green and Otisco Lakes. Green Lake had greater COTE (Coleoptera, Odonata, Trichoptera and Ephemeroptera) richness and number of intolerant taxa than Onondaga Lake according to the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test and post hoc Dunn\u27s test. The differences could be caused by differing lake morphology or habitat types in each lake. Both Onondaga Lake and Green Lake have high conductivity levels relative to Cazenovia and Otisco Lakes, but the conductivity in each lake is driven by different ions (Green lake: Ca2• and So/ · Onondaga Lake: Cl ). The difference in ions in each lake may cause the changes observed