140816 research outputs found
Sort by
A Comprehensive Catalog of the Important Insects Found within the USA\u27s National Parks
No full textTo fulfill the Masters in Entomology Masters Project requirement, I chose to focus on creating a list of the important insects found within the National Parks of the United States. Important insects, although subjective, was grouped into four categories for my project: Keystone Insect Species, Invasive Insect Species, Insect Species of Conservation Concern, and Culturally Significant Insect Species. Keystone insects include those that are important parts of ecosystems and who which without would cause a significant upset to the food web. Invasive insect species includes those that are introduced into parks accidentally, usually through anthropogenic means, and are causing ecological harm to the native plants and animals. Insect species of conservation concern include insects that have conservation statuses such as endangered, imperiled, critically imperiled, vulnerable, and a few other statuses as well. Finally, Culturally significant insects include those that are not of conservation concern nor invasive nor keystone insects, yet they are publicized for extraordinary features such as the long migrations of the Monarch butterfly, or the synchronicity of the flashing synchronous fireflies. All sections include photos of the insects when possible, with the list of images located after the bullet-point lists
College of Charleston: Program Profile
No full textFounded in 1770 and located in historic Charleston, South Carolina, the College of Charleston (CofC) is a public comprehensive university with a curriculum grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. Academic offerings include 67 majors, 81 minors, 20 master’s degree programs, and 9 graduate-level certificate programs. The College of Charleston had 10,660 undergraduate students enrolled in fall 2023, along with 1,069 graduate students. Of those enrolled students, 68% identify as female, and minority students comprise 19% of the student population. Nearly a third of the undergraduates live on campus in residence halls, and 53.2% of the students are SC residents. The college has a 14.5:1 student-faculty ratio, and approximately 56.5% of the faculty are full-time
The Impact of Daybook Reflection Practices in the Honors First-year Seminar
No full textThe National Collegiate Honors Council contends that an “honors college or program [should provide] opportunities for measurably broader, deeper, and more complex learning-centered and learner-directed experiences for its students than are available elsewhere in the institution.” We feel that this philosophical premise indicates the importance of incorporating semi-structured written reflection practices into first-year honors seminar courses. Furthermore, the primarily affirmative response of both students and instructors to the usefulness of Daybooks, in terms of internal and external course application, indicates that by incorporating written reflection into a course designed to acclimate first-year students to honors methodology, instructors are optimally positioning their students for continued success in the honors college, in the university at large, and in their respective and emerging professional disciplines
Elon University: Program Profile
No full textLocated in Elon, North Carolina, Elon University was founded in 1889. It currently offers 76 undergraduate majors within the College of Arts and Sciences, the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, the School of Communications, the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education, and the School of Health Science, as well as 10 graduate degrees from the main campus and the School of Law. Elon University had 6,202 undergraduate and 655 graduate students enrolled in spring 2024. Fifty-nine percent of undergraduate students are female, and 25% are North Carolina residents. The university has an 11:1 student-faculty ratio
Beef Packing Resilience and Plant Size during COVID-19
No full textDiscusses beef packing resilience and plant size during COVID-19.
This research suggests the current policy focus on small plants, while well-intentioned, may miss the mark. The evidence points toward medium-sized facilities as the backbone of a truly resilient beef processing system.
For policymakers, this means rethinking grant programs and support mechanisms to include medium-scale operations. For producers, it means advocating for policies that build up this middle tier of processing capacity.
The pandemic exposed critical vulnerabilities in the beef supply chain. The question now is whether we\u27ll learn the right lessons and build the resilience we actually need—not just the resilience we assumed we needed
A New Species of \u3ci\u3eViscachataenia\u3c/i\u3e (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) from the Southern Mountain Viscacha, \u3ci\u3eLagidium viscacia\u3c/i\u3e (Hystricomorpha: Chinchillidae), in Boliva
No full textAnoplocephalid cestodes collected from the southern mountain viscacha, Lagidium viscacia, in Boliva in 1986 are here examined, and a new species of Viscachataenia is described. The new species has numerous body measurements that are larger than the existing species, V. quadrata, but the eggs and corresponding structures of the new species are all smaller than those of V. quadrata
A New Subspecies of \u3cem\u3eCelastrina lucia\u3c/em\u3e (W. Kirby) (Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae) in the Central Appalachian Mountain Region
No full textThe Celastrina (“Azure”) populations of the central Appalachian Mountain region have traditionally been identified as Celastrina ladon (Cramer) by numerous authors. However, the discovery of elongated dorsal wing scales in males of C. ladon (Wright & Pavulaan, 1999; Ômura et al., 2015) established that this diagnostic trait is limited to C. ladon, C. nigra (W. Forbes), and subsequently C. iryna (Pavulaan). Microscopic examination of male “Spring Azure” specimens from higher elevations in the Appalachian Mountains revealed a complete absence of these elongated scales in the resident populations, despite their outward resemblance to C. ladon. This finding demonstrates that C. ladon does not occur as a resident species at higher elevations. Additionally, the natural history characteristics of these populations strongly indicate their placement within the C. lucia species complex (“Northern Azures”)
Adaptation Planning to Mitigate Flood Risk: Bellevue, Nebraska as a Case Study
No full textFlooding remains one of the most pressing natural hazards in the United States, with increasing frequency and intensity driven by climate change. This thesis explores the adaptation planning strategies employed to mitigate flood risks in Bellevue, Nebraska, a city significantly impacted by the 2019 floods in eastern Nebraska. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines quantitative analysis of flood vulnerability with a critical review of local planning policies using documents, zoning ordinances and institutional frameworks. Spatial analytical tools such as Global Moran’s I and Hot Spot Analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*) were used to detect clustering of inundated buildings during the 2019 flood event. Results reveal that while only about 1% of the city was inundated, flood damage was spatially clustered all over the city.
The document analysis also showed that Bellevue demonstrates strong foundational planning capacity and regulatory frameworks, including protective overlays and green infrastructure strategies. However, some gaps remain in the integration of long-term climate projections and participation in federal resilience programs such as the Community Rating System (CRS) and StormReady.
Given that there is no framework or tool to assess the adaptive capacity of cities and communities to flooding, the methodology used in this study provides a preliminary base framework that cities and communities could adopt and adapt to evaluate their present level of adaptiveness and identify priority areas to improve resilience. Beyond this, this study is the first to investigate the adaptiveness of Bellevue post the 2019 floods. By leveraging GIS tools, it has also exposed the city’s vulnerabilities to flooding which can direct targeted investments. The study also made further recommendations as to how they can strengthen their adaptation efforts.
Advisor: Jaime Lope
A Comparative Analysis of Complete Streets and Multimodal Transport Approaches: Implications for Sustainable Urban Mobility in Lincoln, and Global Contexts
No full textMovement of people and goods in urban areas through different modes of transportation including walking, cycling, public transit and by autos is termed as urban mobility. Urban mobility presents significant environmental, social, and economic challenges for cities worldwide as they grapple with the impacts of conventional transportation systems, particularly in North America context where car-centric planning approaches has dominated urban developments since 1950s. Car-centric dominance is 80% in North American Metropolitan areas (Manaugh et al., 2015). The impacts of these conventional systems include greenhouse gas emission emissions contributing approximately 24% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, air pollution causing respiratory diseases, and transportation inequity limiting access to employment and services for low-income populations (Oswald Beiler, 2021) This study explores the implementation of Complete Streets and multimodal transport approaches as pathways toward sustainable urban mobility. Focusing on Lincoln, the research examines how these strategies can enhance safety, accessibility, equity, and environmental sustainability, drawing comparative insights from global best practices via literature review.
Complete Streets policies prioritize inclusivity by designing roadways accommodating all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and transit riders. Multimodal transport systems aim to integrate various transportation modes, promoting seamless transitions and reducing reliance on private vehicles. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, primarily combining a comprehensive literature review with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) spatial analysis. Existing infrastructure data layers for Lincoln include designated Complete Streets corridors, bicycle trails, on-street bike lanes, and bike share locations were overlaid with demographic data such as population density and poverty levels to assess the current transportation landscape and identify disparities.
Findings reveal that Lincoln, Nebraska’s Complete Streets initiatives and robust bicycle facilities (trails, lanes, bike share) are generally distributed in a way that can help those with lower income levels use transportation modes not exclusively focused on automobiles. The analysis also indicates a positive correlation between the presence of complete streets and higher rates of micromobility usage, specifically cycling, highlighting their potential role in fostering sustainable transportation habits.
Advisor: Elizabeth G. Jone
A Practice-based Framework for Teaching Geography at the Secondary Level
No full textFurther work is necessary to carry out the goals set forth in geography education initiatives like the Geography for Life: National Geography Standards and Road Map for 21st Century Geography Education Project. Methods to communicate the focus of geographic lessons at the secondary level can help guide teachers who are otherwise unaware of the ability for geography to answer questions and develop solutions to problems. Research and development of effective instructional tools to teach geography is needed. This research aims to provide a practice-based model for lesson-development in geography, as supported in academic literature. Input from higher-education faculty and existing research were used for the foundation of the development of the Geographic Practices Model and Lesson Development Aid. Field-testing the model with secondary teachers provided insights into its usefulness, how teachers interacted with the model, and complicating factors in its implementation. The result is a research-supported model to help communicate the practices of geography to teachers to help them in the process of designing lessons.
Advisor: Christina Dand