19468 research outputs found
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Sediment Stories: Exploring Carbon in Seagrass Ecosystems
No full textGrade Level: 9th Grade, Environmental Science. This lesson will introduce students to long-term carbon storage in seagrass meadows. It will first introduce the importance of carbon storage in coastal systems and introduce ideas of why we care about carbon storage and how we might study sediment carbon. The lesson will also introduce students to seagrass meadows in the Chesapeake Bay and allow them to core "sediment" in order to see if species store different amounts of carbon.
Focus: This lesson will introduce students to long-term carbon storage in seagrass meadows. It will first introduce the importance of carbon storage in coastal systems and introduce ideas of why we care about carbon storage and how we might study sediment carbon. The lesson will also introduce students to seagrass meadows in the Chesapeake Bay and allow them to core "sediment" in order to see if species store different amounts of carbon
Karthago pallianda est: The creation and rebirth of the Pallium
No full textThis thesis explores how the pallium, a seemingly unimportant garment, became a proxy for the Roman hostility and memory of Carthage and how later scholars like Tertullian and Apuleius recreated the Carthaginian identity by using the pallium in spite of the Roman hostility.Classical StudiesBachelors of Arts (BA
Exploring Metrics of Biological Diversity to Better Predict and Respond to Emerging Diseases
No full textThe emergence of infectious diseases is largely driven by spillover events from animal communities into human populations, with zoonotic pathogens accounting for 75% of novel infectious agents. In recent years, the incidence and prevalence of these pathogens have been on the rise, and efforts to understand the underlying ecological principles responsible for the reported increases have highlighted the role of biodiversity loss as a major contributing factor. Despite its role in pathogen emergence, how biodiversity is measured can differ drastically and may underlie variability in study results, making the impacts of biodiversity on pathogen behavior difficult to untangle. Here, we first examine how landscape parameters affect disease transmission and then evaluate metrics used in various disease systems to discuss the ways that different aspects of biodiversity, such as functional, phylogenetic, and trophic diversity, can provide novel insight into the relationship between host communities and disease emergence and transmission. We focus on the tick-borne pathogen that causes Lyme disease in this review and discuss how functional, trophic, and phylogenetic diversity can improve our understanding of the relationship between host community structure and disease transmission. The growing public health burden of tick-borne diseases necessitates holistic thinking to inform actions to decrease the risk of disease to humans and protect natural communities
Examining the Links Between LGBTQ Attitudes, Personality, and Political Ideology
No full textObjective: Attitudes toward LGBTQ communities have been a prominent feature of contemporary American politics; recently, more homophobic and transphobic sentiments have increasingly dominated the American political right. The present research seeks to better understand how individual differences relate to attitudes toward and perceived importance of LGBTQ issues. Method: Participants completed measures of Big Five personality and different political measures (including Right-Wing Authoritarianism, Social Dominance Orientation, and political party preference). Participants also completed items assessing their general attitudes toward LGBTQ issues. Results: Although there were significant links between Big 5 personality traits and attitudes toward LGBTQ issues, these effects were mostly diminished or rendered non-significant once we account for the impact of political ideology.. Specifically, more concrete political ideologies (i.e., Right-Wing Authoritarianism and Social Dominance Orientation), rather than political party identification, were more likely to be key associates of attitudes toward LGBTQ issues. Conclusion: This work offers future directions for research into the personality and ideological correlates of attitudes toward LGBTQ issues. Keywords: LGBTQ; Big Five; political ideology; right-wing authoritarianism; social dominance orientation.PsychologyBachelors of Arts (BA
Separate But Equal? A Critical Examination of K-12 Homebound Services
No full textThis thesis offers a critical, anthropologically grounded analysis of K–12 homebound instruction in the United States, interrogating its cultural, structural, and pedagogical dimensions through the lens of disability studies. Although homebound instruction is a federally mandated educational service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, it remains underexamined in both academic literature and policy discourse. Employing a mixed-methods design, this study draws on qualitative and quantitative data from surveys of current and former homebound students, caregivers, and educators to assess the implementation, impact, and limitations of homebound services. The findings reveal profound disparities in access, instructional quality, and emotional well-being, with students frequently receiving minimal educational support and experiencing significant social isolation. Using theoretical frameworks from critical medical anthropology, disability studies, and legal analysis, the study argues that homebound instruction often reinforces ableist norms under the guise of educational support. It calls for a reframing of homebound services as an inclusion issue—one that requires expanded instructional access, better training for educators, emotional and social supports, and policy reform that prioritizes equity over compliance. Ultimately, this research challenges the notion that separate can ever be equal, advocating for structural transformation in how educational systems engage with disability.AnthropologyBachelors of Arts (BA
GIS Data – 2025 Shoreline Management Model - York County
No full textGeodatabase: York_SMMv6_2025_FileGDB
Feature classes.
• York_SMMv6_ShorelineBMPs _2025 - a polyline feature class containing best management practices recommendations.
• York_SMMv6_OysterSuitabilityModule_2025 - a polygon feature class containing suitable areas for oyster structure placement.
The metadata file is embedded in the geodatabase feature classes and defines attribute accuracy, data development, and any use restrictions that pertain to data
Disclaimer: The Center for Coastal Resources Management (CCRM) provides these data with the understanding that they are not guaranteed to be correct or complete, and conclusions drawn from the data set are the sole responsibility of the user. Every attempt has been made to ensure that these data and the documentation are reliable and accurate. CCRM, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (VA-DEQ -VCZMP) assume no liability for any damages caused by inaccuracies in the data or documentation; and make no warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or utility of this information, nor does the fact of distribution constitute a warranty. CCRM, VIMS, and VA-DEQ -VCZMP endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this dataset.In 2011, the Virginia General Assembly adopted a policy into law that specifies living shorelines as the preferred management practice for erosion control in Virginia waters. The Center for Coastal Resources Management (CCRM) at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) has been developing tools for many years to guide local governments in shoreline management. In particular, they have focused on the use of ecologically preferred alternatives for erosion control and have conducted research into refining the appropriate uses for a large suite of possible treatments based on existing shoreline conditions. A series of Decision Trees were developed to determine shoreline best management practices (BMPs) when conducting onsite inspections. These were developed to support integrated guidance at the management and regulatory level. This body of work has been expanded and re-developed as a GIS spatial model known as the Shoreline Management Model (SMM) to determine appropriate shoreline BMPs from the desktop using available spatial data and the decision tree logic. The assessment is conducted at a parcel level scale, but the output represents a reach-based or cumulative approach to shoreline management.
In 2023, CCRM began an update of the SMM. Version 6.0 continues to use fetch, nearshore bathymetry, bank height, marsh presence, beach presence, presence of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), roads and permanent structures within the riparian zone, and existing shoreline erosion control structures. To enhance the model’s capabilities for evaluating best management practices and determining where erosion control practices may impact ecologically sensitive areas, version 6.0 adds wave energy, federal Form 06/27/2023 navigation channels, presence of RTE species via predicted suitable habitat, bank slope, and narrow creeks.
Most appropriate for desktop reviews, regulatory compliance, and comprehensive planning, the recommendations derived from the SMM may be altered due to lot size, shoreline length along a single parcel, proximity of primary buildings to the shoreline, type of existing erosion control structures, land use practices, and local biota.
The SMM v.6.0 also includes a module that identifies suitable areas for oyster structure placement, which can provide erosion control and habitat enhancement benefits.This project was funded in part by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program at the Department of Environmental Quality through Grant #NA24NOSX419C0026 of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Effects of Office Layout
No full textFace-to-face communication is important to job satisfaction, productivity and organizational commitment. Organizations can manipulate the workspace to promote these interactions and thereby enhance these outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the office layout on face-to-face interactions, the effects of face-to-face interactions on the outcomes, and to note any effects of the office layout on the outcomes as transmitted through face-to-face interactions. 28 employees from a university administrative office completed an online survey that measured the outcomes, workspace variables and interaction frequency on seven-point Likert scales. Other items on the survey asked participants to express as a percentage the amount of time they spend on various activities. Bivariate correlations were computed and among the findings was a statistically significant correlation between accessibility and frequency of impromptu interactions as well as between accessibility and productivity. Job satisfaction and organizational commitment had a significant positive correlation, but neither had a significant relationship with productivity. Frequency of informal and unplanned interactions also seems to enhance an employee’s job satisfaction, organizational commitment and productivity. Social network analysis and precise quantitative measures of integration, distance and visibility could increase the study’s reliability and shed more light on the present findings
Spatial Extent and Vertical Structure of Marine Heatwaves in Chesapeake Bay: Relevant Model Output
Get PDFThis data set was derived from a long-term simulation (1985-2023) of Chesapeake Bay Biogeochemical and Hydrographic conditions with William & Mary Research Computing (https://www.wm.edu/it/rc) computational resources. Only temperature and salinity output was used in this analysis.
The files are submitted in the netCDF file format, which can be opened in any software.
Dataset type is simulation/modeling.Marine heatwaves (MHWs) adversely impact marine ecosystems globally, yet data scarcity limits understanding of their subsurface extent, particularly in estuaries. Using a high-resolution regional ocean model, we characterized the horizontal extent and subsurface structure of MHWs across the Chesapeake Bay (CB). Additionally, we developed a supplementary definition for local climatology-identified MHWs, “Vertical MHWs,” which quantifies their water column presence. Surface MHWs were generally shorter, more frequent and intense, and impacted ~5% of CB surface area, while the deepest MHWs were generally longer, less frequent and intense, and regularly occupied >50% of deep-water areas. Synchronous MHWs—a vertical MHW class which occur simultaneously in the surface and bottom sometime during their duration—were predominant in shallow regions (isobaths 9 m) and occurred primarily during the highly stratified spring-summer season. High synchronicity in the shallow regions indicates a surface MHW signal likely reflects a concurrent bottom one, potentially impacting benthic communities, across the vast majority of CB. Meanwhile asynchronous events, which occur across CB, especially in deeper regions, suggest surface MHWs are inconsistent predictors of subsurface events and their vertical structure, highlighting the need for subsurface monitoring of extreme events to better understand, predict, and manage MHW impacts on coastal and estuarine ecosystems. This is the repository for this work.Coastal & Ocean Processe
Contradictory Views in Peter Viereck’s War Poetry
No full textThis paper explores the conflicting perspectives on World War II America and its soldiers featured in Peter Viereck's most famous poems, "Kilroy" and "Vale from Carthage." It offers as an explanation for their differences the death of Viereck's brother, George, at war.I would like to thank Professor H. George Hahn for sharing freely with me his wealth of allusions