SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
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Bio-Tower Application In Wastewater Treatment In Village of Minoa For Removing Chemical Oxygen Demand, Ammonia Nitrogen, And Total Phosphorus
Full text linkThis dissertation discusses two Bio-Tower applications in wastewater treatment in the Village of Minoa for removing Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Ammonia Nitrogen (NH3 -N), and Total Phosphorus (TP). The Laboratory Benchtop Bio-Tower System and the Packed Bio-Tower System can effectively remove 60% to 80% of COD and over 90% of NH3-N in wastewater from the primary clafier effluent under various feeding rates. The Bio-Tower’s ability to remove TP was not significant. For the Laboratory Benchtop Bio-Tower System, five out of nine results showed that the removal efficiency was under 20%. In another Laboratory Benchtop Bio-Tower System test was done by pre-running the system with diluted cow manure indicated that the system could remove 60% to 80% of TP. This study also found the four-parameter logistic regression model can best describe the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Ammonia Nitrogen (NH3 -N), and Total Phosphorus (TP) concentration change over time for both The Laboratory Benchtop Bio-Tower System and the Packed Bio-Tower System under various feed flow rate
Resource Partitioning and Density Drivers of Two Endangered Large Felids: Amur Tiger (Panthera Tigris Altaica) and Amur Leopard (Panthera Pardus Orientalis) In the Russian Far East
Full text linkIn Russia, long-term conservation interventions have bolstered the critically endangered Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) as well as their dominant competitor, the endangered Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica). Within the Land of the Leopard National Park, I investigated the potential for tigers to displace or suppress leopards. I used data from winter track surveys to fit resource selection functions and camera trap surveys to both fit spatially-explicit capture-recapture models and document leopard productivity. I found no evidence of habitat displacement or numerical limitation of leopards by tigers in this region. Leopards resource selection was defined by landscape features and density was explained by the putative availability of sika deer rather than competition from tigers. Lastly, the number of observed leopard litters of all ages increased positively with local tiger density. This research lays an important foundation for conservation actions that prioritize minimizing human impacts on both felids rather than limiting tigers to benefit leopards
A spatial multi-objective approach for modeling the ecosystem services and benefits of urban trees.
Full text linkTrees provide important ecosystem services and benefits, with some, such as air pollutant and heat reductions, being linked to improved human health and well-being. With numerous tree planting initiatives being undertaken in different cities, careful thought needs to be put into considering the placement of trees, their beneficiaries as well as viable alternatives. Using a spatially distributed implementation of the i-Tree suite of ecosystem service models and mapping tools, this research estimated the current and future ecosystem services and benefits of a recent tree planting initiative within each census block group of the Bronx, NY for 2010 and for three 2030 tree cover scenarios (assuming different mortality rates). Results highlight how tree cover and benefits can be enhanced by maintaining existing canopy and ensuring the survival of newly planted trees. Traditional and non-traditional quantitative approaches of assessing environmental equity were used to establish whether there is an equitable distribution of ecosystem services derived from trees among various socio-demographic and socio- economic variables at the census block group level in the Bronx, NY. All ecosystem services and benefits appear to be unequally and inequitably distributed, with disadvantaged socio- demographic and socio-economic block groups receiving disproportionately lower ecosystem services from urban trees. The vast majority of the inequality is explained by variations within each socio-demographic and socio-economic subgroup rather than variations between subgroups. To guide future greening initiatives towards prioritizing planting locations that maximize multiple objectives, as well as the best areas to preserve urban forests and achieve equity, a spatially explicit methodology was used to develop a multi-objective decision support framework which was applied in the Bronx, NY to identify optimal planting locations. Overall, the findings of this research have the potential to guide more local and fine scale decision making regarding where to improve or protect tree cover and maximize the services and benefits of trees
Lake-effect Dry Periods In The Great Lakes Region During The Late Spring And Early Summer Months
Full text linkThe Great Lakes can seasonally alter local weather patterns with warm lake water contributing to significant snowfall in the region during the winter and a reverse effect occurring in the early summer when areas near the lakes receive lower precipitation totals than areas further from the lakes. While this pattern of precipitation deficits has been observed before, the mechanisms behind the deficit have not been deeply investigated. Early summer precipitation at near-shore and inland land-based stations are compared under varying conditions. Differences in temperature between lake water and overland air temperatures are considered to lead to differences in convective processes. This is coupled with analysis of the impact of wind direction and wind speed data. These localized effects (within 60 km of the lake) are difficult to separate from synoptic weather events, which are likely impacting the results from this study. While lower precipitation totals around the lakes are confirmed for the majority of station pairs, further study is required to understand the extent to which local conditions impact precipitation in this region
Long-term Variations in Wintertime Arctic Frontal Positions and Their Mercury Anthropogenic Emission Impacts
No full textWintertime Arctic frontal positions are particularly important in determining the inclusion of mercury emissions from anthropogenic sources in the Arctic. Using the streamline confluence method, the 30-year average positions of wintertime (November-March) Arctic fronts exhibited similar spatial variability (39°N-67°N) over North America and Eurasia during 1988-2017 with considerable interannual variations up to 10° year-to-year shifts in latitude. The long-term variations in Arctic frontal positions partly superseded the impact of the decreasing North American anthropogenic mercury emissions by up to 30%, leading to no significantly detectable emission trend in the North American Arctic. The northward shifts in Arctic frontal positions in some winters in Eurasia have counteracted the impacts of anthropogenic emission changes by 5.3%. This is the first study to examine and quantify the impact of long-term variations in Arctic frontal positions on Arctic anthropogenic mercury emissions; it provides insight into the impact of climate change on Arctic anthropogenic emissions
Optimization Of Arabinase Yield From Wheat Bran With Aspergillus Niger
No full textOwing to the depletion of petroleum resources and the continuous emergence of environmental problems, lignocellulosic biomass, as a green, renewable, and environmentally friendly energy alternative, has attracted increasing attention to research its applications. Arabinans and arabinan-degrading enzymes have gained interest in plant biochemistry, food technology, and nutritional science. In this research, arabinase production using wheat bran as a carbon source and inducer by Aspergillus niger under solid-state fermentation was studied. The optimization of different fermentation parameters was performed by response surface methodology using superlative box design. Liquid-to-solid ratio, temperature, and pH were identified as more significant factors in enzyme production. The optimum conditions of liquid-to-solid ratio, temperature, and pH were found to be 7, 36°C, 4.5, respectively
Filling Gender Gaps: Determining How Traditional Knowledge of Lacandon Maya Women Shape the Diet and the Landscape in Lacanja Chansayab, Mexico
Full text linkWomen’s knowledge and work in agroforestry food systems is poorly represented in the literature. I investigated women’s role in the food system, their relationship to food, and how Lacandon Maya women manage the landscape in Lacanja Chansayab, Mexico. Qualitative research included interviews and participant observation. Quantitative research included plant community surveys of plots managed by women and men. Women’s roles in food systems are central; they transform ingredients into meals and for agroforestry management. They express their relationship to food as a source of empowerment, as memory, a relationship to non-humans, and as a source of discrimination. No differences were found in terms of diversity and richness of ethnotaxons in agroforestry systems by gender. However, composition of ethnotaxons differs, a difference driven by the amount of maize, squash and disservice plants. This difference corresponds to unique management techniques. Women are producing and conserving diverse landscapes and diets in Lacanja Chansayab
Ecological Separation of Mallards (Anas Platyrhynchos) and American Black Ducks (Anas Rubripes) In the Adirondack Park of New York State
Full text linkThe American black duck is a large–bodied native dabbling duck in the northeast United States and Canada which has declined \u3e 50% to ~ 500,000 breeding pairs since the 1950s. Concurrently mallards have replaced black ducks in Atlantic flyway breeding habitats. I used Bayesian statistical modeling to test for differences in mallard and black duck occupancy and productivity between and within beaver–modified wetlands and lakes in the Adirondack Park of New York. Mallard occupancy was ≥ 6.7% greater than black duck in all habitats surveyed. I further propose that mallards may outproduce black ducks in years where wetlands experience negative environmental effects such as drought or absence of beaver. I also compared the utility of drones to ground observers to survey black ducks, and discovered drones detect black ducks and other secretive waterfowl more reliably. However, when considering all ducks present, overall detection probability was similar between methods
Modeling Heat Exchange of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) In the Built and Natural Environments of Fire Island, New York
Full text linkThe potential consequences of climate warming on the behavior and distribution of endotherms pose management challenges. This is especially true for organisms that are able to exploit both natural and anthropogenic environments, such as the white-tailed deer. I developed a biophysical model of operative temperature based on various forms of heat transfer between deer and their environment on Fire Island National Seashore using measured variables collected from a small micrometeorological sensor network. I compared operative temperature to observed values of Vernon globe temperature in order to validate the use of the globe as a representation of heat exchange for deer. The globe was an adequate proxy, with minimal difference between the predicted and observed values and compatibility in patterns over the diel. Identifying critical thermal thresholds for deer in a changing landscape will be necessary in order to understand and address future human-wildlife interactions
Separation of Lignin from Lignocellulosic Hydrolyzates using Polymeric Flocculants and Fibrous Depth Filter Media
Full text linkLignocellulosic hydrolysates contain significant amount of colloidal lignin and its removal is vital since it inhibits fermentation, hinders oligomer hydrolysis and affects filtration. Flocculation of lignin prior to filtration is viable and previous research (Yasarla & Ramarao, 2012) demonstrated PEO’s ability to form complexes with lignin in the hydrolyzate. PEO viscosity was determined precisely to use as a control variable for flocculant quality. Flocculation efficiency of PEO in hydrolyzates was studied using parameters such as supernatant turbidity, sedimentation rate, filtration rate and cake permeability. Concentrations, dosages and molecular weights of PEO during flocculation were varied to study its effects. Multicomponent flocculation using APAM and p- DADMAC demonstrated better lignin removal than PEO flocculation. Addition of wood pulp as a filter media to PEO was based on incorporating both flocculation and filtration as a single operation. A depth filtration model was fitted using assumed parameters to obtain concentration profile and filter efficiency