The present status of plastics is one of constant change, but
this thesis attempts to focus attention on the state of the industry as of
1967. Beginning with a brief title definition and history of plastics,
the writer proceeds to a discussion on the structural characteristics
of plastics. Under this...
Over one third of the earth’s land surface has been modified to some extent for agricultural purposes. The large global footprint of agriculture, combined with the knowledge that existing reserve networks are likely insufficient for long-term conservation of native biodiversity, has necessitated that agricultural systems contribute to conservation of native...
This research assessed the effect of western juniper (Junlperus
occldentalls) removal on understory plant production and cover and
ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) growth and plant water status.
A complete randomized block design, with four blocks and four
treatments was established in the summer of 1984 near Prineville,
Oregon. The four...
On May 21, 1998 Kip Kinkel drove to Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon. Kinkel killed two students and wounded another twenty-two students. He killed his parents the day before. The shootings at Thurston High School came on the heels of a number of prominent school shootings and Kip Kinkel...
The “fat-hunger paradox” is a relatively recent phenomenon in the United States in which people of low socioeconomic status are disproportionately overweight or obese, and yet frequently lack access to adequate food and nutrition. Research indicates additional disparities in the prevalence of overweight and obesity amongst most racial and ethnic...
A marine seismic refraction study, conducted in August 1976 by personnel
from Oregon State University and the University of Connecticut between Cape
Simpson and Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, provides data for analysis which yields a
subsurface structural and geological cross-section of the area.
The results suggest that the structural homocline which...
The social and economic impacts of climate change on the Oregon Coast may be reduced if coastal managers begin planning now to put in place adaptation measures. Oregon Sea Grant conducted a web-based survey of Oregon coastal professionals to target climate change adaptation outreach and engagement efforts toward this audience....
A novel design, material, and fabrication method are presented to fabricate a passive micro-ball valve. Microvalves are critical components in microflow control devices used to control the fluid flows in microchannels. These microflow control devices can be integrated with microsensors to form micro analysis systems. Glass/silicon-based fabrication is complicated and...
The proposed construction of a four lane road, the
Salem Parkway, was evaluated regarding the potential environmental
impacts its location would have upon biotic resources and water
quality. Due to existing commitment of the study area to urbanization
and agriculture, only limited environmental sensitivity was observed
overall. It was found...
Congress created the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) in 2009 with the passage of the Forest Landscape Restoration Act (Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 Title IV). The purpose of the CFLRP legislation is to implement forest restoration work on national forest lands through a competitive grant program....
Research was conducted at the Starkey Experimental Forest and
Range in northeastern Oregon to determine cattle performance, diet
quality, botanical composition of forage ingested, and production
and utilization among rest-rotation, season-long, and deferred
rotation grazing systems. The grazing season lasted from June 20 to
October 10 of each year. Cows...
Oregon is currently in the process of establishing Marine Reserves (MRs) and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) within Oregon’s Territorial Sea. To assure that residents are aware of impending policy and the science behind it, science educators must formulate education tools that define terms and identify issues, but do not alienate...
This thesis explores the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits at the Corvallis and Albany, Oregon Farmers' Markets and its role in food access for SNAP participants. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach combining a farmers' market survey and household interviews, the study investigated who uses SNAP at the farmers'...
There have been several epidemiological studies linking alcohol
consumption to a decreased risk of contracting illness from foodborne
bacterial contamination. To study this phenomenon, we examined the
survival of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella typhimurium in grape
juice and wine and then designed a model stomach to investigate the effect...
Xanthohumol [XN, (E)-6´-methoxy-3´-(3-methylbuten-2-yl)-2´,4´,4´´-trihydroxychalcone], the principal prenylated chalcone from hops, and its 2,3-dihydro- (DXN) and O6-desmethyl-2,3-dihydro- (DDXN) congeners, are of potential utility for the amelioration of metabolic syndrome; however, their complex bioactivity profiles cannot be properly studied and understood without access to appropriately produced synthetic materials.
In the first part of...
The Columbia River Treaty (CRT) is often used as an example of how treaties can work to normalize, regulate, and improve the cooperative management of shared water resources between basin countries. Few would argue that, in its limited mandate to regulate hydropower generation and flood risk management for downstream communities,...
Nearshore and estuarine environments along the U.S West Coast are ocean acidification (OA) "hotspots". Carbon dioxide-enriched water has been correlated with production losses of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) larvae at hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest. Limited and unreliable supply of larval seed has implications for the economic well-being of commercial...
The status of wild sheep in North America typifies the plight of many wildlife species in modern times: wild sheep have declined to 10-40% of their numbers during pristine times and on a global scale approximately 31% of Caprine are considered threatened or critical. As human populations and the number...
River ecosystems throughout the arid southwestern U.S. are imperiled. Water management infrastructure, climate change, unsustainable water use, and political conflict harm the region's aquatic and riparian ecosystems. This case study surveys one such desert river, an endemic fish species, and conservation efforts in southwestern Utah. The analysis focuses on the...
The goal of the project was to develop a functional prototype of an environmental risk assessment parameter database on the World-Wide Web. The ability to develop a consolidated environmental database has become possible due to the phenomenal growth of the Internet and the World-Wide Web over the past few years....
Quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides, has experienced severe declines in recent years in part due to the effects of changing climate and extreme drought. As the dominant deciduous tree in Western North American forests, aspen plays a critical role in forest biodiversity and ecosystem function. Therefore, the persistence of this species...
The Younger Dryas climatic event is a global phenomenon associated with a 1,000 year return to glacial conditions during the late Pleistocene period between 12,800 and 11,500 cal BP. Because of its significant effects on paleoenvironmental conditions in some parts of the world, archaeologists commonly seek to assess whether the...
A study was conducted using data collected from a sample of mint and
vegetable farmers in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The study identifies the
influence of demographic differences, economic factors and irrigator attitudes on
irrigation efficiency.
Only two of the 19 characteristics theorized to influence irrigation
efficiency proved to...
At a time of rapid global change, a socio-ecological system (SES) approach can provide a framework through which to quantify and communicate the risks and uncertainties of coupled human-natural systems. Islands, and tropical coral reef islands in particular, can be excellent models for SES research since they may be considered...
This research analyzes how family forest owners conceptualize biodiversity in one high-conservation value area of oak woodland in the Willamette Valley of Western Oregon. Oregon white oak (Quercus garyanna) woodland, one of the most biologically diverse ecotypes in the state of Oregon, is in decline. Much of the oak ecotype...
Excavations conducted at Indian Sands (35-CU-67C), located along Oregon's southern coast, during 2002 and 2003 identified two discreet, artifact-bearing stratigraphic units. The uppermost unit is a deflated surface containing burnt shell and lithic artifacts associated with early Holocene ¹⁴C dates, while the underlying unit contained only lithic tools and debitage,...
Soil properties may hold the key to improved predictions of soils during digital soil mapping (DSM), which has developed with a focus on environmental factors external to soil. The spatial variability in soil properties was modeled across Malheur National Forest in eastern Oregon as an approach to improve DSM. The...
Ecosystem nitrogen (N) supply strongly influences the availability and cycling of other essential nutrients in temperate forests, especially calcium (Ca). Short-term additions of N that exceed ecosystem demands often increase dissolved nitrate fluxes and decrease soil pH, which can stimulate soil Ca loss. However, the long-term effects of high N...
Oregon’s coast draws millions of visitors every year to witness the natural wonders of one the world’s most vibrant and publicly accessible areas where mountain forests meet sandy beaches and the sea. Communities along the Oregon coast are restricted to narrow stretches of developable land overlying sand deposits between the...
The significance of geology is commonly overlooked by the general public and underrepresented in free-choice learning environments including national parks that exhibit spectacular examples of geological features and processes. Parks are a major contributor to public learning, and a key way to teach how geology influences many aspects of our...