2199 research outputs found
Sort by
Flying Insect Communities Respond to EcosystemTtype, but not to Trees or Soil
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10075/10194-thumbnail.jpgTransitional areas between ecosystems, called ecotones, are areas of biotic and abiotic change leading to differences in plant communities and soil conditions. Insect communities using surrounding plants and soil are likely to be structured by these resources. However, flying insects have unique advantages for avoiding obstacles giving them a large potential range to gather resources. As a result, flying insect communities should not be structured by surrounding plant communities or abiotic factors. We conducted a survey of the flying insect communities to compare with existing tree and soil surveys. This study was conducted in Jennings Woods, a temperate hardwood forest in Northeast Ohio comprised of riparian, upland, and bottomland forests separated by elevational gradients and soil parameters. We used baited traps to collect flying insects during 4 separate collection time periods and sight-identified to lowest practical taxonomic level. As expected, the flying insect community was not structured by the tree community nor the soil. However, community structure was significantly related to ecosystem type. We found that Shannon’s diversity and taxonomic richness were significantly different between ecosystems and dates. Taxonomic richness was highest in fall sampling dates while diversity was highest in spring and summer sampling dates. In addition, we did not find a significant change in community structure near the ecotones specifically. This suggests that edge effects do not play a critical role in structuring flying insect communities and that ecosystem and time differences structure flying insect communities, but communities are not limited by the surrounding soil or tree communities.</p
Classification of Wetland Vegetation Based on NDVI Time Series Generated From HLS Dataset
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10087/10204-thumbnail.jpgNatural wetlands intrinsically heterogeneous, and are typically composed of a mosaic of ecosystem patches with different plant types. The adaptation of these plants communities to water-dominated environment is the basis for their use in improving the water quality in constructed wetlands. The understanding of wetland vegetation effects on the environment is the key to determine which plant to grow in a constructed wetland in term of nutrients removal. Wetland vegetation can influence water movement. The plant density and life form affect the drag and thus controls the residence time of water in different parts of the wetlands, as well as the rate of deposition of suspended solids. Furthermore, emergent plants with high transpiration rates can lower the water level. Accurately identifying the vegetation patches is important to understanding their hydrological effects and further effects on nutrients removal. Compared to labor consuming field survey, remote sensing is an efficient way to monitor plant communities in wetlands. However, wetlands are typically small and vegetation patches within wetland vary at an even smaller scale, such that moderate resolution will not be able to discern the different vegetation. Alternatively, the NASA’s Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 (HLS) makes it possible to acquire moderate-high spatial resolution imagery at high temporal resolution, which creates the opportunity to build time series of wetland vegetation characteristics at sufficient spatial and temporal resolutions. This study aims to use NDVI time series generated from NASA’s HLS dataset to classify vegetation patches at an estuarine wetland. We collected HLS data for the year of 2019 and generated the NDVI time series for each pixel of the wetland. Unsupervised classification was then applied on these pixels using the time series. And results will be evaluated with ground truth points.</p
Reducing Waste in Portage County: Educating students about the importance of Reducing Waste
No full textCurrently over 40% of all food in the United States ends up in a landfill where it will sit and rot for years and contribute to the vast amount of unnecessary pollution in this country. If done properly, this food can turn into a soil conditioner and benefit agriculture, environmental conditions, and overall health. As a group of public health students at Kent State University we would like to reduce food waste in our own community by piloting a composting program at Walls Elementary School and then implementing that program into all Kent City Schools. Ensuring a sustainable way to reduce waste cannot be done without an extreme emphasis on education regarding food waste and insecurity. We will implement this program in partnership with Rubber City Reuse which will promote healthy alternatives of waste and provide a great fertilizer to be used in the community garden at Walls Elementary School. This program will make the district healthier and more environmentally friendly. By the end of the school year we would like to reduce the waste coming out of Walls Elementary School by 10%.</p
Effect of Seasonal Variation on Hydrologic Variables
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10095/10209-thumbnail.jpgThe effect of projected 21st Century climate change on hydrological variables in Old Woman Creek estuary was evaluated using 20 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) precipitation and temperature projections as input to the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Model calibration and validation was done using the Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm and Pareto Optimization. PRISM climate data for the period 1985 -2014 compared with the average of the 20 CMIP5 models show good agreement in both precipitation and temperature with CMIP5 exhibiting low variability across models. Flow, sediment, and organic nitrogen analyzed from simulations run with PRISM show good correlation with the average of 20 CMIP5 simulations. The performance of each of the 20 CMIP5 inputs to the SWAT model was tested using Euclidean distance relative to their average. The three best CMIP5 models (GFDL-ESM2M, MPI-ESM-MR, EC-EARTH) were used for seasonal analysis. The analysis was done in one past and three future climate windows (1985 -2014, 2018 -2045, 2046 -2075 and 2076 -2100). For the historical period, the result shows an over-estimation of flow, sediment and organic nitrogen from January to March in the SWAT model runs with CMIP5 inputs, relative to runs with the PRISM input. Peak flow, sediment and organic nitrogen were observed changing from winter to spring across the time periods. The expected seasonal and annual changes in each variable over the 21st century have implications for algae growth and general health of the Old Woman Creek estuary.</p
Investigating the Bioavailability of Phosphorus in the Presence of Iron Under Fluctuating Redox Conditions in Arctic Soils
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10102/10364-thumbnail.jpgNorthern latitudes are rapidly warming. As permafrost thaws, soil carbon (C) stocks are at risk of being released into the atmosphere, transitioning arctic systems from C sinks to sources. Soil microbial C metabolism is constrained by temperature, water and nutrients. Nutrients such as phosphate (PO43-), are in turn regulated by iron (Fe) geochemistry, but these interactions vary across redox conditions in arctic soils. Where present, poorly crystalline Fe (oxyhydr)oxides sorb PO43-, limiting its bioavailability. To assess microbial PO43- acquisition in the presence of Fe, we examined phosphorus (P) uptake by the microbial community in arctic soils in Abisko, Sweden. Mesh bags were filled with Fe-rich soil that was either saturated with PO43- or not saturated. Bags were incubated for one week along a thaw gradient representing different redox conditions. Preliminary results show that PO43- concentrations in microbial biomass are low, suggesting that microbes are acclimated to low P conditions and/or may be limited by nutrients other than P in arctic soils resulting in limited uptake of P molecules. Alternatively, PO43- liberated from microbial biomass by chloroform fumigation may have re-sorbed to soil Fe oxides, resisting detection. Continued analysis of soil Fe and P will further elucidate P storage pools.</p
Between Individual and Society: Social Justice Through Fashion. IFFTI 2020 Paper and Creative Practice Presentations.
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10437/10666-thumbnail.jpgPresented [here] are all of the accepted papers and creative practice-based research that
was scheduled to be presented at the 2020 IFFTI conference. The international academic fashion community has long known of the potential of fashion as a powerful tool of change for good. Fashion is an essential conduit of communication about who we are as individuals, what we believe in as a group, and is often emblematic of changes in social policy. The papers of this conference publication are therefore generally categorized under the subthemes of the Individual, the Community, and the Global.</p
Refashioning Adaptive Clothing for Persons Living with Hemiparesis
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10450/10621-thumbnail.jpgHemiparesis, or partial paralysis on one side of the body, can be a result of stroke. Persons with hemiparesis often have difficulties with significant movements in their limbs, which restrict their clothing choices. The selections available to this population are limited to either ready to wear (RTW) clothing, adaptive clothing, or custom-made, locally designed apparel. Although there is currently a dearth commercially in fashionable and stylish adaptive clothing, the area has been analyzed only through the lens of functional and symbolic values while omitting the affordability criteria.
This paper aims to map the current challenges and explores the need for readily available, stylish and aesthetically pleasing and reasonably priced adaptive garments in the mass market that can contribute to improving the customers’ social experience and their self-esteem.
Thirteen female stroke survivor participants were recruited using advertisements through community agencies and support networks. The study used a mixed methods research design consisting of a quantitative questionnaire rating the ease of donning and doffing the garment and semi-structured interviews and qualitative questionnaires. All sessions were video and audio recorded for post-analysis.
The authors suggest that there is an urgent need for the unique lines (or capsule collections) to be designed, manufactured, and marketed by the mainstream retailers specifically for the person with a disability on a fixed income.</p
Throwaway
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10459/10630-thumbnail.jp
#NoStitchSeptember – A Surreal Journey Towards Sustainable Fashion
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10460/10631-thumbnail.jpgFashion - an aesthetic and popular expression is contributing heavily in generating carbon footprint and polluting environment. Sadly, in the present times of climate emergency we cannot let our sense of aesthetics endanger the planet and our existence in turn. It is the need of the hour to explore sustainable fashion and aim for zero waste. Timo Risannen in his investigation about creating fashion without generating fabric waste explored 5 main techniques for zero/minimal waste namely – cut & sew, fully fashioned, jigsaw puzzle, cradle to cradle and A-POC. But like Olympics medalist, Peter Westbrook said “so much of our future lies in preserving our past!”, there is scope for an alternative by reviving from our ancestors, the art of fashion - a draped cloth. It was seen in history (Indus Valley/Egyptian/Greek/Roman) of clothing. A rectangular piece of cloth provides infinite possibilities, ‘one size fits all’, easy maintenance, easy storage and zero waste. It can be styled in numerous ways providing scope for personalization.
With aim at exploring the potential of draped clothing to be a wardrobe staple, an experiment was conducted inviting volunteers from social media to see if they could pull off a month with use of draped clothing in their everyday lifestyle. The participants were asked to use rectangular pieces of fabric styled as clothing. They could layer and use fasteners/belts/accessories. It was observed that the first challenge was to overcome fear of malfunction and ease for daily use. Overall feedback was positive and shows scope for consideration as a sustainable fashion option. The participant with prior knowledge of draping were better at coping. However, it was difficult to stay warm in cold weather. Thus, results have been compiled as a short film to see if the future of fashion can take a tangential turn towards draped clothing.</p
Changes in alcohol use as a function of psychological distress and social support following COVID-19 related University closings
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10684/11447-thumbnail.jpgAmidst the coronavirus pandemic, universities across the country abruptly closed campuses and transitioned to remote learning. The effects of these unprecedented closures are unknown. The current study examined reported alcohol consumption during the week prior to and after campus closure at a public university in Northeast Ohio. Analysis of data from 1,958 students, who endorsed using alcohol in the past 30 days, demonstrates that alcohol consumption (amount and frequency) increased as time progressed. Those with more symptoms of depression and anxiety reported greater increases in alcohol consumption (assessed via retrospective timeline follow-back) compared to students with fewer symptoms. Furthermore, students with greater perceived social support reported less alcohol consumption. Together, these findings highlight the need for universities to offer services and programs to students that will minimize risk factors and maximize protective factors in order to reduce or prevent alcohol abuse during the coronavirus pandemic.</p