Environmental & Conservation Sciences Doctoral Work
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Recent Submissions
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Evolutionary and Ecological Processes in Conservation and Preservation of Plant Adaptive Potential
(North Dakota State University, 2022)Anthropogenetic disturbances, such as habitat loss and fragmentation, overexploitation, and climate change have diminished population sizes of many species, increasing risks of population extirpation or species extinction. ... -
Graphene Oxide Supported Metal Oxide Nanohybrids for Aqueous Arsenic Removal
(North Dakota State University, 2021)Arsenic contamination of drinking water is a major public health concern affecting more than 200 million people globally. Iron(Fe)-based adsorbents though promoted for aqueous arsenic removal because of their low cost and ... -
Taphonomic, Taxonomic, and Behavioral Diversity of Wormworld Fossil Assemblages from Ediacaran Units of the Western United States
(North Dakota State University, 2020)The western United States Deep Spring and Wood Canyon formations contain a variety of late Ediacaran fossils, representing the enigmatic Ediacara biota and a metazoan worm-like fauna. The latter, dubbed “Wormworld”, is ... -
Holocene Postglacial Fluvial Processes and Landforms in Low Relief Landscapes
(North Dakota State University, 2020)Postglacial rivers are part of the relatively young low-relief landscape system left behind by glaciers. Over time, postglacial rivers are susceptible to both minor and major channel planform changes as the Earth and its ... -
Nitrogen Mineralization Dynamics of Post Harvest Crop Residue in No-Till Systems
(North Dakota State University, 2020)In North Dakota, adoption of conservation tillage practices has resulted in an accumulation of crop residue remaining on the soil surface. North Dakota producers receive a nitrogen credit for long-term no-till but due to ... -
Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Response to Shifts in Hydroclimatic Variability and Ecohydrological Conditions in Prairie-Pothole Wetlands: Implications for Biodiversity Conservation
(North Dakota State University, 2020)Ecosystem degradation and subsequent biodiversity loss has plagued freshwater environments globally. Wetland ecosystems, such as the depressional wetlands found in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America, have been ... -
Chironomids Then and Now: Climate Change Effects on a Tundra Food Web in the Alaskan Arctic
(North Dakota State University, 2019)Although climate change is a global phenomenon, the Arctic is warming faster than any other region on earth. These climatic changes have driven rapid regional changes over the past half-century in both the physical landscape ... -
The Effect of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Plants, and on Host-Pathogen Interactions
(North Dakota State University, 2019)Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are a type of engineered nanomaterial that is currently being explored for use in different aspects of agriculture. So far, research on this area is limited to evaluating the phenotypical ... -
Multi-Element Composition of Triglochin Maritima L. from Contrasting Habitats including Hot Springs and Metal Enriched Areas
(North Dakota State University, 2011)The aim of this PhD research was to study multi-element composition in wetland plants from contrasting habitats, including hot springs, temporary wetlands, and metal-rich areas. Triglochin maritima L. (seaside arrowgrass) ... -
Multi-Element Fingerprinting of River Sediments to Identify Diffuse Pollution Sources
(North Dakota State University, 2011)This study was carried out in the Souris and Turtle Rivers in North Dakota. The aim of this study was to develop multi-element fingerprints of the Souris River and Turtle River sediments and to evaluate the suitability of ... -
Examination of the Period of Preparation for Breeding in Male and Female Songbirds
(North Dakota State University, 2017)In virtually all species, reproduction must be precisely timed to coordinate breeding and rearing of offspring with favorable conditions. It is imperative for individuals to time the highest energetic cost to themselves ... -
Understanding the Relationships between Plant Communities, Fish Communities, and Sediment Chemistry in Pristine Shallow Lake Wetlands, Red Lake, MN
(North Dakota State University, 2016)Over 90% wetland loss in many areas of the United States has triggered extreme concern for declining biodiversity and loss of ecosystem services. Studies assessing ecological characteristics of unaltered wetlands are ... -
Determining Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Nitrogen Dynamics of Solid Beef Manure Applied to Fargo-Clay Soil of the Red River Valley
(North Dakota State University, 2018)Land application of solid beef manure may prompt greenhouse gases (GHGs) - nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Nitrogen (N) in manure can also be lost through ammonia volatilization ... -
Sperm Telomere Dynamics: Natural Variation and Sensitivity to Environmental Influences in House Sparrows (Passer domesticus)
(North Dakota State University, 2018)Understanding the mechanisms that contribute to variation in lifespan is of central importance to diverse fields including life history theory. Although the causes of aging are not fully understood, telomere dynamics (length ... -
Impact of Carbon Nanotubes on Bacterial Viability: Indicators, Mitigation, and Role of Phage Shock Proteins
(North Dakota State University, 2014)The toxicity of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) to a model bacterium, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 was investigated. Estimates of E. coli viability following treatment with SWCNTs were similar using four viability ... -
Reproductive Timing in a Changing World: Understanding Mechanisms and Costs Associated With Reproductive Timing Decisions
(North Dakota State University, 2018)Organisms in temperate zones time reproduction to occur when conditions are optimal for raising offspring. However, individuals of many taxa vary in precise timing of breeding. The mechanisms underlying the existing variation ... -
Processing Trade-offs in a Cellulosic Biorefinery
(North Dakota State University, 2017)Commercial scale cellulosic biorefineries face significant challenges to produce low-cost fermentable sugar from biomass. Biorefinery processing steps are interrelated and trade-offs between process parameters impact the ... -
Impact of Artificial Aeration on Nutrients in a Small Eutrophic Lake
(North Dakota State University, 2015)The Heinrich- Martin Dam Impoundment (HMDI), located in northcentral LaMoure County, North Dakota, is an important water body for fishing, boating, and other recreational activities. To eliminate the thermal stratification ... -
Influences of Climate Variability and Landscape Modifications on Water Dynamics, Community Structure, and Amphipod Populations in Large Prairie Wetlands: Implications for Waterbird Conservation
(North Dakota State University, 2014)Northern prairie pothole wetlands provide crucial habitat for numerous waterbirds. However, wetland abundance and quality in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America has declined because of agricultural landscape ... -
Ecology of Cryptosporidium Parasites in Wild Rodent Populations
(North Dakota State University, 2015)Cryptosporidium is a genus of ubiquitous parasites that have been detected worldwide in nearly 500 species of amphibians, birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles. Most research has focused on the Cryptosporidium species and ...