published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

A study was undertaken to explore relationships between wetland characteristics which make them efficient water purifiers versus their ability to serve as wildlife habitat. The effects of designing constructed wetlands for improved habitat on water treatment efficiencies were quantified. Results indicate that some sacrifice in treatment efficiency is required and that the degree of efficiency reduction is dependant upon pollutant loading rates. However, sacrifice in efficiency is much smaller than increase in habitat quality, and can be offset by increasing wetland area. A practical, theoretical application was then attempted.

No description available.

Cottontail rabbit, Sylvilagus floridanus, utilization of 16 artificial burrows was studied during the winters of 1976-1977 and 1977-1978. The burrows were located in Delaware County, Indiana, in four vegetative cover types including ungrazed deciduous forest, fescue grassland, wildlife plantings, and multiflora rose hedgerow. Each burrow consisted of a lay-up chamber made from the upper portion of a 55-gallon steel drum set on top of the ground. Two entrances made of slotted plastic drainage pipe extended in opposite directions. Soil was filled around the burrows and over the entrance tunnels. Cottontails found in the burrows were captured, marked by ear tagging, sexed, weighed, measured and released.Burrow utilization was noted in each cover type with greatest usage occurring in the multiflora rose hedgerow and in the forest. Snow cover and low ambient air temperature seemed to be the two most important factors contributing to burrow usage.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

No description available.

Although flow deflectors are routinely placed in streams to create fish pool habitat, there is dissent in the literature as to what constitutes for them an appropriate design height to ensure their success. Our objectives were to (1) examine the temporal evolution of bed topography around submerged deflectors in a laboratory flume, for different deflector heights and discharge; and (2) quantify the flow dynamics in their vicinity. Results indicate that, all else being equal, higher deflectors (characterized by less overtopping) produce a greater volume of fish pools. In contrast, over a fixed deflector design, a higher discharge (synonymous with greater overtopping) results in larger pools, because flow velocities are then faster. We also observed differences in the temporal behaviour of scour: that next to high and medium height deflectors is self-similar, but not that for the shorter model. Our results challenge the notion that low deflectors are ineffective, provide information on the development of scour next to submerged structures, and reveal key differences between the geometry of the scour holes engendered by the different deflector height models.

A three-dimensional numerical model (PHOENICS) was used to investigate the role of stream deflector angle and length on the flow field in a rectangular laboratory flume. Subsequent bed topography surveys were performed to examine the role of obstruction angle on scour hole development over time. The model was capable of predicting laboratory velocity and turbulent kinetic energy measurements, performing better for flow over a flat stable bed than over a deformed sand bed. A new method of incorporating complex bed topography into a structured Cartesian mesh was developed in the process. Flow field properties such as dynamic pressure, velocity amplification, separation zone length and width, and downwelling extent and magnitude were found to be strongly dependent on deflector geometry. Equilibrium scour hole depths and geometry are also angle-dependent. A predictive equation was produced explaining the rate at which scour holes reach equilibrium, and compared well with existing literature. Finally, a method was developed whereby characteristics of the flow field over a flat, stable bed could be used to predict equilibrium scour hole geometry.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential for protecting critical resplendent quetzal habitat on private lands bordering the south-western edge of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica. First, a habitat analysis was made of 12 forest patches using a 10% strip method to obtain an importance value for the Lauraceae fed on by the resplendent quetzal. Second, a landowner survey was conducted using a structured interview questionnaire to determine landowner attitudes, and the possible factors influencing these attitudes, towards forested land, wildlife, the resplendent quetzal and potential habitat protection incentives. Significant differences were found between forest patch importance values for the Lauraceae suggesting that for conservation purposes careful forest patch selection is important. Most landowners were found to value their forested land more than their land under other uses and to favor technical forest management assistance over leasing. If funding can be made available there is a good chance that resplendent quetzal habitat can be adequately protected and managed through providing assistance to those landowners with the most critical forest patches. / Department of Natural Resources

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2007. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [157]-174).