Sewanee: The University of the South
Sewanee DSpace Repository (The University of the South)Not a member yet
4066 research outputs found
Sort by
Phosphorus Concentration in Agricultural Runoff
Get PDFThere are several factors that need to be monitored to fully understand agricultural contributions to environmental degradation as well as the effectiveness of implementing sustainable practices. This study did so by sampling cow ponds from different locations in northern Virginia with different cattle exclusion methods to evaluate the phosphorus levels in each aquatic system. Through comparing these sites, there were conclusions shown through a statistical analysis to summarize both the current health of agricultural ponds compared to government recommended criteria and the effectiveness of varying forms of clean water practices. The data collection came from samples taken at six cattle farm ponds in northern Virginia that were collected in November 2021 and January 2022. The samples were compared using an ANOVA statistical analysis, which compared sample results by location. The findings of this study showed that all the test sites were above the recommended value by the EPA for the total P concentrations. There was also statistical significance shown through some of the locations, which provided partial credibility to the efficiency of clean water practices. These studies are important to both the overall issue of clean water in agricultural industry regions as well as the specific situation of Virginia agricultural practices. Currently under a voluntary stream exclusion program, there is potential for mandates to be put in place without a shown improvement in water quality by 2025. Taking progressional measurements into consideration it is clear that there is still a way to go to meet federal satisfaction. This study opens up the door for future research regarding the progress of clean water restoration efforts as well as the monitoring of agricultural impacts on overall regional water quality
Marine Debris on a Barrier Island in the Southeastern United States
Get PDFAnthropogenic marine debris is a global issue that has significant ecological, societal, and economic impacts on marine and coastal environments. Marine debris is defined as any persistent, manufactured, or processed material discarded, disposed of, or abandoned in marine and coastal environments. The five most abundant types of marine debris include: plastic, paper, metal, textile, and glass. Classifications of debris include micro-debris ( 2.5 cm). Marine debris commonly is deposited onto beaches of barrier islands where it can injure or kill marine and coastal wildlife and degrade habitats. While the quantification of marine debris has begun to be understood globally, there has been limited research examining the accumulation of marine debris on beaches in the Southeastern United States. The current study examined the abundance of both anthropogenic and natural debris on an uninhabited barrier island off the coast of the Southeastern United States during June 13th to 21st , 2021. St. Catherine’s Island is a private, barrier island off the coast of the state of Georgia, that is eastward facing and has 14.7 miles of beach that are divided into six sections based on dispositional regime and geographic location. A standing stock survey sampled randomly selected transects for macro-debris that were deposited onto the six beach sections. The abundance, categorical compensation, and spatial trends of debris were assessed. Results indicated that debris densities varied by beach location, material, size of debris, and type of terminus habitat. The most abundant type of anthropogenic debris were hard plastics, foam, and flimsy plastics. Distance of debris from the wrack line varied significantly by material type and beach location. Flimsy plastics and filament were located closer to terminus habitats, posing threats to native species. The North beach had the highest average density of debris while the Northeastern beach had the lowest density. The top beach had the highest abundance of debris while the Northeastern beach had the lowest abundance. Differences in debris density and abundance are likely due to depositional regimes and other anthropogenic and natural factors. Results provide baseline information for future studies
Cracking the Code to Student Flourishing Posters
No full textA college is a place of growth and transformation where young adults are prepared both intellectually and socially for professional and adult life. However, over the last 10 years, the prevalence of mental health problems has risen steadily among college students with a particularly notable increase in symptom prevalence over the last 5 years. What is this down to? What are some key determinants of student flourishing and well-being? How do factors such as race and gender influence well-being? Using Healthy Mind’s Survey data that examines mental health, service utilization, and related issues among undergraduate and graduate students, our team of researchers at Sewanee DataLab is seeking to understand the well-being of students, and where to target resources to improve student flourishing, specifically at Sewanee: The University of The South. This report serves as an exploration of prior research on the topic of student flourishing, well-being, mental health, service utilization, and help-seeking behavior specifically in the college setting.Sylvia Gray, Nicole Noffsinger-Frazie
End the Payday Loan Scam
No full textPredatory payday, title, and flex loans are a growing affliction in low-income communities that lead people to pay hundreds in interest and fees every month yet never pay down their loans. Our non-profit partner BetterFi offers those borrowers a pathway out of debt traps and toward financial fitness by refinancing their loans at reasonable rates, as well as offering new loans to those who qualify. Using past client data, we will develop predictive models which will create a more efficient and scalable way for BetterFi to service the community and end the cycle of debt.Sam Shaw, Spike Hosch, Huarui Jing, BetterF
Demonstration of a TAR-based coronavirus reverse genetics system for the generation of recombinant viruses
Get PDFCoronaviruses (CoVs), like all viruses, are obligate intracellular parasites, meaning they rely on host molecular machinery (e.g., ribosomes), resources (e.g., nucleotides, amino acids, NTPs), and cellular environment in order to produce progeny. Viral reverse genetics is a key experimental tool for the generation of recombinant viruses that enable the study of viral replication, evolution, and the evaluation of potential therapeutic targets. Herein, we present the first plasmid-launched, transformation-associated recombination (TAR) reverse genetics system for the BSL-2 betacoronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus strain A59 (MHV-A59) and provide proof-of-principle for the utility of this system to generate a panel of recombinant viruses in only a few weeks
THE HOLY EUCHARIST AND THE MISSION OF GOD: PRINCIPLES AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR EUCHARISTIC WORSHIP IN THE NEW APOSTOLIC AGE
No full textThe Episcopal Church, like many American mainline churches, is facing a compounding set of challenges that threaten its identity and missional integrity. These challenges are not new and it is possible, when placed in the larger geographic and historical context of the church
catholic, to draw upon resources that enable the Episcopal Church to weather the storm with its missional integrity intact. Chief among these resources is the church’s eucharistic practice. Even before the resurrection of Jesus, his followers gathered regularly for meals where they embodied the boundary-breaking inclusion and incorporation of the “other,” engaged teaching on the ethics of the coming kingdom of God, and practiced rituals that grounded them in their new, communal identity. After the resurrection, the followers of Jesus continued to a table-oriented ritual practice, albeit with new significance. They saw this practice as central to the ongoing participation in the saving work of Jesus, whom they believed to be present with them even as he was inviting them to eat together. While participation in the practice has ebbed and flowed throughout church history, it has remained central to the church’s engagement with the mission of God as an embodiment and participation in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This project argues that as the church explores creative solutions to the challenges posed by the new apostolic age, the eucharist should remain the fixed, ritual point around which the church arranges its common life.J.Neil Alexande
The Effect of Dune Age and Microtopography on Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow tree) Recovery from Hurricane Disturbance
No full textThe distribution and density of invasive species is a function of dispersal combined with the effects of disturbance. Disturbance is a necessary prerequisite for the colonization of most invasive species. Coastal dune communities experience a high frequency of disturbance, such as associated with hurricanes, making them susceptible to invasion by non-native species. Due to a rapid growth rate, high fecundity, stress tolerance, and persistent seed bank the non-native Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow tree) is an aggressive invader of the southeastern coastal plain. We examined tallow population recovery after hurricane disturbances in 2017 as a function of three variables; microtopography (swale, slope, ridge), dune age (young, intermediate, old), and time since disturbance (pre-hurricane, post, and 4 years out). We investigated whether the initial tallow invasion on the island in the early 1990s had been facilitated by hurricane disturbance. We hypothesized that mechanisms of population persistence would vary as a function of microtopography and dune age. We predicted that adult survivorship would increase with dune age and would be restricted to slopes and ridges. We found that tallow, unlike most invasive species, had invaded without the facilitation of major disturbances. We found that after four growing seasons all tallow populations had recovered to pre-hurricane densities regardless of dune age. Adult survivorship was significantly higher in slopes and ridges as compared to swales. Population recovery in swales was almost exclusively a result of recruitment of new individuals from the buried seed pool despite the salt water inundation from the hurricanes. Our results show that tallow was able to successfully invade and establish populations across a barrier island dune chronosequence in the absence of a major disturbance event. Following a major hurricane, tallow was resilient to disturbance allowing it to persist and maintain pre-hurricane abundance
Something Left Behind
No full textA collection of poetry that explores what is left behind as one goes through the process of grief: The story of a personal loss and the journey from the beginning lost days to hope
End the Syndemic Project Proposal and Final Report
No full textSyringe sharing continues to increase the spread of HIV, viral hepatitis, STIs, and other serious diseases, creating a syndemic and skyrocketing healthcare costs. Every county in Tennessee has been significantly affected by the syndemic, and by analyzing state-wide hospital discharge data, we will determine which counties would benefit most from new syringe exchange programs that assist patients with substance use disorders, slow the spread of disease, and reduce the overall healthcare cost. We will also create an interactive dashboard that will assist in lobbying for new syringe exchange programs in the Tennessee counties that need them the most.Camelia Simoiu, Matthew Rudd, Amber Coyn