North American beavers (Castor canadensis) are ecological engineers that improve biodiversity and can improve the health of riparian ecosystems. Beavers are generalist herbivores with some evidence of species preference, utilizing woody material for both food source and dam construction. In the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Charleston, Oregon, a...
Includes Partial Least Squares Regression and Univariate Linear model RStudio code and results in PDF form for each of the three specimen populations scanned by two different light sources. Also included is a generalized PDF document and RMarkdown document for predicting percent wood failure.
An Invasive Plant Management Plan developed for Big Sur Land Trust, a non-profit conservation organization located on California's Central Coast, to guide its vegetation management activities and serve as a decision-support tool. The effort included the creation of a digital field data collection tool through Survey123 Connect, survey and data...
We explore one numerical method for dealing with uncertainty quantification, stochastic collocation. We adapt this method for the uncertain kinematic magnetohydrodynamic system. We then demonstrate well-posedness of the uncertain forward problem. We also describe the method in detail, and perform an error analysis of the method, describing the necessary assumptions...
We discuss an efficient numerical method for the uncertain kinematic magnetohydrodynamic system. We include aleatoric uncertainty in the parameters, and then describe a stochastic collocation method to handle this randomness. Numerical demonstrations of this method are discussed. We find that the shape of the parameter distributions affect not only the...
We discuss the well-posedness of the forward problem for the magnetohydrodynamic system with the inclusion of the ion-slip parameter. We also demonstrate the convergence of a parameter estimation scheme. Focusing on power-generation, we implement and the validate a numerical model with an engineering multi-physics software, COMSOL, using ideal-power equations. We...
The suffering of animals and the environment due to the advancement of anthropocentric endeavors is undeniable. There is no unitary cause that can account for the “why” of people’s belief in humanities exceptional status compared to animals: Some believe capitalism is the root of disparagement, others believe our scientific prowess...
Wave energy is one of the most promising renewable energy sources. Thus, research in this field has increased substantially over the last decade. However, significant costs associated with development and maintenance have so far impeded the implementation of commercially viable projects. Furthermore, the hydrodynamic interactions between water and prototypes meant...
The Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery harvests a diverse and large grouping of fishes, but it did not become heavily fished until around WWII. This makes the groundfish fishery a comparatively young fishery. Despite its youth, it is one of the largest and most lucrative fisheries in Oregon—with a current harvest...
This research focused on population dynamics of two gelatinous zooplankters (Aequorea & Pyrosoma atlanticum) in the northern California Current to assess their relationship to environmental conditions and role in the pelagic ecosystem. Data collected since 1999 showed seasonal and interannual fluctuations in the abundance and distribution of Aequorea in the...
Water quality impacts both human and ecosystem health. Many pharmaceuticals and personal care products are considered contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) due to their bioactive properties. Among these, metformin—the most commonly prescribed drug for treatment of type 2 diabetes—has been reported at high concentrations (μg L⁻¹) in stream, lake, and...
Oregon implemented a series of marine reserves from 2012 through the beginning of 2016 that will be evaluated in 2023. As part of that evaluation, several studies are focusing on the impact of the reserves on coastal communities. This project focused on tribal members with ancestral territory on the Oregon...
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Invasive species are one of the most significant threats to native ecosystems in the nation (Mooney, 2001). As defined by Federal Executive Order 13112, a species is considered invasive if it is not native to the ecosystem under consideration, and its establishment causes or is likely to cause...
The three major public forest land managing agencies In Oregon (USDA - Forest
Service, Bureau of Land Management and State of Oregon) were studied to determine
how public lands are allocated to different uses. This project looked at pertinent laws
and policies to develop an understanding of the impacts these...