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Title: Attitudes and perspectives about backyard food gardening: a case study in South Florida.
Creator: Zahina-Ramos, John G., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: As cities grew throughout the past century, the availability of locally grown food declined, mostly because urban expansion occurred at the expense of adjacent agricultural land. As a result, city dwellers turned to commercial food market systems that import food from distant production areas. Private greenspace, which is one of the largest land cover types in cities, offers the potential for substantial agricultural production. Because urban food production on private land, such as backyards...
Show moreAs cities grew throughout the past century, the availability of locally grown food declined, mostly because urban expansion occurred at the expense of adjacent agricultural land. As a result, city dwellers turned to commercial food market systems that import food from distant production areas. Private greenspace, which is one of the largest land cover types in cities, offers the potential for substantial agricultural production. Because urban food production on private land, such as backyards, requires the willing participation of landowners, resident's feelings about and experience with food growing are important to understand. The demographic groups that were most likely to food garden were those in long-term relationships, higher income brackets, those with college education and residents over 50 years old. Incentives and programs focused on producing more from existing gardens may be most appropriate for people in these demographic groups, while other groups will most require basic food growing information. Study participants highly valued intangible benefits of food gardening (e.g., relaxation, feelings of happiness and satisfaction), often more than the provision of food. Most barriers and problems with backyard food growing, such as a lack of space and the need for gardening information, were similar for those who food garden and those who do not. Results from this study indicate that traditional agricultural incentives and perspectives must be rethought if they are to be applied in urban settings. By creating incentives and initiatives that reflect the needs and challenges faced by urban growers, urban agriculture will become an integrated part of the community, improving food quantity and quality while enriching residents' lives.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3361258
Subject Headings: Backyard gardens, Food chains (Ecology), Garden ecology, Green movement, Sustainable development
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Comparing salinity models in Whitewater Bay using remote sensing.
Creator: Selch, Donna, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: This study compared models that used remote sensing to assess salinity in Whitewater Bay. The quantitative techniques in this research allow for a less costly and quicker assessment of salinity values. Field observations and Landsat 5 TM imagery from 2003-2006 were separated into wet and dry seasons and temporally matched. Interpolation models of Inverse Distance Weighting and Kriging were compared to empirical regression models (Ordinary Least Squares and Geographically Weighted Regression -...
Show moreThis study compared models that used remote sensing to assess salinity in Whitewater Bay. The quantitative techniques in this research allow for a less costly and quicker assessment of salinity values. Field observations and Landsat 5 TM imagery from 2003-2006 were separated into wet and dry seasons and temporally matched. Interpolation models of Inverse Distance Weighting and Kriging were compared to empirical regression models (Ordinary Least Squares and Geographically Weighted Regression - GWR) via their Root Mean Square Error. The results showed that salinity analysis is more accurate in the dry season compared with the wet season. Univariate and multivariate analysis of the Landsat bands revealed the best band combination for salinity analysis in this local area. GWR is the most conducive model for estimating salinity because field observations are not required for future predictions once the local formula is established with available satellite imagery.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3356015
Subject Headings: Water quality, Measurement, Marine ecology, Remote sensing, Electromagnetic interactions, Water-supply
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Comparison and differentiation in fossil and recent specimens of the melongenid subgenus Rexmela in Florida.
Creator: Pletka, Crystal., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The subgenus Rexmela, located primarily in Florida, is newly evolved, dating back 1.6 million years, first occurring in the Ayer's Landing Member of the Caloosahatchee Formation. This subgenus has highly variably shell morphology and has led to the erection of several species and subspecies. In order to provide a quantitative methodology with which to differentiate between populations, samples of Recent and fossil populations were collected and measured for a variety of parameters. The...
Show moreThe subgenus Rexmela, located primarily in Florida, is newly evolved, dating back 1.6 million years, first occurring in the Ayer's Landing Member of the Caloosahatchee Formation. This subgenus has highly variably shell morphology and has led to the erection of several species and subspecies. In order to provide a quantitative methodology with which to differentiate between populations, samples of Recent and fossil populations were collected and measured for a variety of parameters. The parameters measured included length, width, spire height, and several angles, and allowed for a discriminate analysis to be completed. The analysis supported the distinction of several of the populations as ecophenotypes. Paleoenvironments of the fossil populations were then recreated using analogues of Recent populations.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/187215
Subject Headings: Mollusks, Habitat, Gastropoda, Fossil, Aquatic invertebrates, Identification, Evolutionary paleobiology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Cultural and spatial perceptions of Miami's Little Havana.
Creator: Cordoba, Hilton A., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: Miami's "Little Havana" is known by many for its famous Southwest 8th Street, the Calle Ocho festival, and for the many Latin people, particularly Cubans, that live in the area. However, the current name of the neighborhood hides all of the dynamics of neighborhood change and creates the notion that Little Havana is a static monoculture neighborhood. This study measured people's perception of Little Havana by surveying 153 residents to identify the cultural associations and to capture the...
Show moreMiami's "Little Havana" is known by many for its famous Southwest 8th Street, the Calle Ocho festival, and for the many Latin people, particularly Cubans, that live in the area. However, the current name of the neighborhood hides all of the dynamics of neighborhood change and creates the notion that Little Havana is a static monoculture neighborhood. This study measured people's perception of Little Havana by surveying 153 residents to identify the cultural associations and to capture the participant's spatial perceptions of Little Havana. This study found that survey participants from inside the study area associated Little Havana more with Cuban culture and had more positive things to say about the neighborhood. Finally, this study suggests that the core of Little Havana was encompassed by West Flagler Street on the north, Southwest 8th Street on the south, Southwest 27th Avenue on the west, and Southwest 4th Avenue on the east.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3174508
Subject Headings: Cuban Americans, Social life and customs, History, Description and travel, Social life and customs
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Development of a remote sensing technique for woody vegetation in Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area.
Creator: Franklin, Sarah., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission lacks a viable method for monitoring woody vegetation in expansive wetland communities, such as the Florida Everglades. This study used aerial photographs of Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area in southeastern Palm Beach County, Florida to develop techniques for remotely monitoring changes in woody vegetation. Imagery from 2006, 2008, and 2010 were classified into woody and non-woody categories using Adobe Photoshop's Magic Wand Tool....
Show moreThe Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission lacks a viable method for monitoring woody vegetation in expansive wetland communities, such as the Florida Everglades. This study used aerial photographs of Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area in southeastern Palm Beach County, Florida to develop techniques for remotely monitoring changes in woody vegetation. Imagery from 2006, 2008, and 2010 were classified into woody and non-woody categories using Adobe Photoshop's Magic Wand Tool. Selection was performed with a bias toward over classification, as project objectives required identifying as many trees as possible. Classified pixels in Time 1 within 4 feet (2 pixels) of classified pixels from Time 2 were considered the same canopy. Overall accuracy for the study was 98%.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3175018
Subject Headings: Environmental monitoring, Remote sensing, Vegetation dynamics, Ecosystem management
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An examination of hurricane vulnerability of the U.S. northeast and mid-Atlantic region.
Creator: Prasad, Shivangi, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: Northeastern and mid-Atlantic United States are understudied from the perspective of hurricane vulnerability. In an attempt to fill this gap in research, this dissertation attempted to assess the hurricane vulnerability of the northeastern and mid- Atlantic United States through the construction of a Composite Hurricane Vulnerability Index (CHVI) for 184 counties extending from Maine to Virginia. The CHVI was computed by incorporating indicators of human vulnerability and physical exposure....
Show moreNortheastern and mid-Atlantic United States are understudied from the perspective of hurricane vulnerability. In an attempt to fill this gap in research, this dissertation attempted to assess the hurricane vulnerability of the northeastern and mid- Atlantic United States through the construction of a Composite Hurricane Vulnerability Index (CHVI) for 184 counties extending from Maine to Virginia. The CHVI was computed by incorporating indicators of human vulnerability and physical exposure. Human vulnerability was derived from demographic, social and economic characteristics whereas physical exposure was based on attributes of the natural and built up environments. The spatial distribution of the CHVI and its component indices were examined and analyzed to meet the research goals, which were a) to develop indices of human vulnerability, physical exposure and composite hurricane vulnerability for all counties; b) to assess vulnerability distribution in terms of population size, metropolitan status (metropolitan versus non metropolitan counties) and location (coastal versus inland counties); c) to identify the specific underlying causes of vulnerability; d) to identify the significant clusters and outliers of high vulnerability; and e) to examine overlaps between high human vulnerability and high physical exposure in the region. Results indicated high overall vulnerability for counties that were metropolitan and / or coastal. Vulnerability clusters and intersections pointed towards high vulnerability in the major cities along the northeastern megalopolis, in the Hampton Roads section of Virginia and in parts of Delmarva Peninsula. Evidence of relationship of population size, metropolitan status and location with vulnerability levels provides a new perspective to vulnerability assessment.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3360969
Subject Headings: Hurricane protection, Regional planning, Emergency management, Natural disasters, Risk assessment, Geographic information systems
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Examining the relationship between urban green space and sustainable cities.
Creator: Bloise, Gillian., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: Urban green space plays a vital role in the stability of the environment. Green spaces are increasingly becoming an integral part of the efforts to promote sustainability because of the different areas of benefits they provide. Sustainable city ranking systems were used to identify the most sustainable urban extents within the US. Landsat TM 4-5 imagery and textural classification are used as techniques in identifying, classifying and analyzing urban green spaces within nineteen urban extents...
Show moreUrban green space plays a vital role in the stability of the environment. Green spaces are increasingly becoming an integral part of the efforts to promote sustainability because of the different areas of benefits they provide. Sustainable city ranking systems were used to identify the most sustainable urban extents within the US. Landsat TM 4-5 imagery and textural classification are used as techniques in identifying, classifying and analyzing urban green spaces within nineteen urban extents. Patch analyst was used to analyze the location, structure and fragmentation green spaces within each urban extent. The aim is to determine to what degree urban green spaces can be considered to be an integral part of the sustainability of sustainable urban extents across the US and ascertain whether or not more sustainable urban extents do have more urban green spaces. The results of the study have shown that urban extents that are ranked highly v on sustainable ranking systems do not necessarily have to have large proportion of green spaces. Results have also shown that urban extents that are ranked high on sustainable rankings will not necessarily be affected by increase in population or decrease in urban green space. Finally human modified green spaces have simple geometric shapes compared to natural unaltered green spaces that have more complex geometric shapes.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3360771
Subject Headings: City planning, Environmental aspects, Urbanization, Environmental aspects, Urban ecology (Sociology), Human ecology, Sustainable development, Urban beautification
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Foreclosure effects: the changing landscape and those left behind in Broward County, Florida.
Creator: Shaw, Cindy M., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The recent financial crisis which has beset the United States has made itself felt in a number of ways, not the least of which has been its adverse effect on the housing market. As foreclosure percentages accelerated, increasing numbers of properties across the country became empty and abandoned, leaving a visible imprint of deterioration in neighborhoods that were significantly affected. Initial GIS analysis of both foreclosed and non-foreclosed residential land in Broward County Florida was...
Show moreThe recent financial crisis which has beset the United States has made itself felt in a number of ways, not the least of which has been its adverse effect on the housing market. As foreclosure percentages accelerated, increasing numbers of properties across the country became empty and abandoned, leaving a visible imprint of deterioration in neighborhoods that were significantly affected. Initial GIS analysis of both foreclosed and non-foreclosed residential land in Broward County Florida was conducted, showing that there is a discernible spectral difference in the lawn space of these two types of properties, with foreclosed properties exhibiting more brownness, or loss of green space. In order to evaluate whether or not this visible deterioration has had an effect on residents left behind in areas of foreclosure and their own habits, 950 mail-in surveys were distributed throughout 19 different census tracts in Broward County, inquiring about demographics, surrounding foreclosures, degrees of concern for home value and appearance, and changes in lawn maintenance since the foreclosure crisis along with reasons for such change if such exists. Data received from respondents was then analyzed in order to identify any attributes or correlations which might contribute to further neighborhood change, and how any of these factors might be affecting attitudes or perceptions of those left behind, as well as their lawn maintenance habits.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3361063
Subject Headings: Financial crises, Foreclosure, Community development, Urban, Land use, Urban, Economic conditions
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Geochemical conditions and groundwater-surface interactions within a municipal well field in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Creator: Antolino, Dominick J., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: This thesis presents a preliminary study on geochemical conditions within the Snapper Creek well field in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The study investigates the background groundwater chemistry within the Biscayne aquifer in order to provide information on the geochemical processes and water-rock interactions within the study site. In conjunction with hydraulic gradient information, major ion chemistry and deuterium and oxygen-18 data were used as environmental tracers to help describe the...
Show moreThis thesis presents a preliminary study on geochemical conditions within the Snapper Creek well field in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The study investigates the background groundwater chemistry within the Biscayne aquifer in order to provide information on the geochemical processes and water-rock interactions within the study site. In conjunction with hydraulic gradient information, major ion chemistry and deuterium and oxygen-18 data were used as environmental tracers to help describe the groundwater-surface water interactions between the well field and the Snapper Creek canal. Hydrologic data show there is potential for natural groundwater recharge from the canal within the shallow flow zone of the Biscayne aquifer and chemical data show evidence of canal-groundwater mixing within this zone. The limitations for the v environmental tracers employed within the study are addressed, as well as recommendations for further research involving natural geochemical tracers and groundwater-surface water interactions near municipal well fields. This study was part of a larger effort being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in order to assess municipal well field pumping effects on the Snapper Creek (C-2) canal.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3329830
Subject Headings: Groundwater flow, Simulations, Groundwater flow, Hydrogeology, Aquifiers
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Interpretation of seafloor topologies based on IKONOS satellite imagery of a shallow-marine carbonate platform: Florida Bay to the Florida Reef Tract.
Creator: Steinle, Jacob Thomas., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: A benthic environments classification system is devised from digital interpretations of multi-spectral IKONOS satellite imagery for 1,360 km2 of the carbonate platform and presented in a comprehensive digitized map. The classification scheme is designed as a 7th order hierarchical structure that integrates 5 Physiographic Realms, 24 Morphodynamic Zones, 11 Geoforms, 39 Landforms, 6 dominant surface sediment types, 9 dominant biological covers and 3 densities of biological covers for the...
Show moreA benthic environments classification system is devised from digital interpretations of multi-spectral IKONOS satellite imagery for 1,360 km2 of the carbonate platform and presented in a comprehensive digitized map. The classification scheme is designed as a 7th order hierarchical structure that integrates 5 Physiographic Realms, 24 Morphodynamic Zones, 11 Geoforms, 39 Landforms, 6 dominant surface sediment types, 9 dominant biological covers and 3 densities of biological covers for the description of benthic environments. Digital analysis of the high-resolution (4 m) IKONOS imagery employed ESRI's ArcMap to manually digitize 412 mapping units at a scale of 1:6,000 differentiated by spectral reflectance, color tones, and textures of seafloor topologies. The context of each morphodynamic zone is characterized by the content and areal distribution (in km2) of geomorphic forms and biological covers. Over 58% of the mapping area is occupied by sediment flats, and seagrasses are colonized in almost 80% of the topologies.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3174075
Subject Headings: Submarine topography, Marine sediments, Remote sensing, Marine ecosystem management, Ocean bottom, Sampling, Ocean bottom, Sampling, Coral reef ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Investigating variability of biogenic gas dynamics in peat soils using high temporal frequency hydrogeophysical methods.
Creator: Wright, William J., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: Peat soils are known to be a significant source of atmospheric greenhouse gasses. However, the releases of methane and carbon dioxide gasses from peat soils are currently not well understood, particularly since the timing of the releases are poorly constrained. Furthermore, most research work performed on peatlands has been focused on temperate to sub-arctic peatlands, while recent works have suggested that gas production rates from low-latitude peat soils are higher than those from colder...
Show morePeat soils are known to be a significant source of atmospheric greenhouse gasses. However, the releases of methane and carbon dioxide gasses from peat soils are currently not well understood, particularly since the timing of the releases are poorly constrained. Furthermore, most research work performed on peatlands has been focused on temperate to sub-arctic peatlands, while recent works have suggested that gas production rates from low-latitude peat soils are higher than those from colder climates. The purpose of the work proposed here is to introduce an autonomous Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) method for investigating the timing of gas releases from peat soils at the lab scale utilizing samples originating from Maine and the Florida Everglades, and at the field scale in a Maine peatland. Geophysical data are supported by direct gas flux measurements using the flux chamber method enhanced by timelapse photography, and terrestrial LiDAR (TLS) monitoring surface deformation.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3361256
Subject Headings: Gas dynamics, Wetland ecology, Soil permeability, Estuarine sediments, Ground penetrating radar, Hydrogeology, Geophysics
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The landscape of prosperity and poverty in urban qualified census tracts: deconcentrating poverty or perpetuating existing conditions?.
Creator: Walter, Rebecca J., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, authorized in 1986, has gained recognition over the last decade as America's largest place-based subsidized housing production program. The Qualified Census Tract (QCT) provision of the LIHTC program awards developers for projects built in high-poverty neighborhoods. This research examines whether the QCT provision is deconcentrating poverty or instead perpetuating it by comparing QCTs with LIHTC projects against QCTs with no LIHTC...
Show moreThe federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, authorized in 1986, has gained recognition over the last decade as America's largest place-based subsidized housing production program. The Qualified Census Tract (QCT) provision of the LIHTC program awards developers for projects built in high-poverty neighborhoods. This research examines whether the QCT provision is deconcentrating poverty or instead perpetuating it by comparing QCTs with LIHTC projects against QCTs with no LIHTC projects. In this study, a socioeconomic index is created to examine changes in socioeconomic variables (poverty, income, unemployment, and education) using 1990 Decennial Census data and 2005-2009 American Community Survey data for the twenty most populated MSAs in the United States to determine how LIHTC projects have changed the landscape of poverty in urban QCTs. Control and target groups were established to analyze the impact of LIHTC projects in QCTs. The control group consists of QCTs with no LIHTC projects and the target group contains QCTs with LIHTC projects. In order to determine how the socioeconomic variables have changed over the last fifteen years, the percent change from 1990 to 2005-2009 was calculated for each tract. Independent Sample T-tests were conducted at the national level, MSA level, and county level (when the sample size was large enough) using SPSS to determine if the difference in the target group's derived socioeconomic index and variables were significantly different from the control group. The findings indicate the target groups overwhelmingly outperformed the control groups for the socioeconomic index and every variable except unemployment. The results of this study may be valuable for policymakers to develop thresholds and guidelines for future LIHTC development in areas concentrated by poverty.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3352876
Subject Headings: Low-income housing, Government policy, Rental housing, Finance, Federal aid to housing, Property tax credit, Government policy, Housing subsidies, Government policy
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Late quaternary depositional and erosional environments of the Louisiana continental shelf: interpretation of fluvial terrain with emphasis on distributary systems from seismic and core data.
Creator: Mester, Zachary Samuel., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The submerged paleodrainage system of the early Balize delta complex that extended onto the inner continental shelf at 1500 YBP has not been completely studied in great detail. This study interprets the environmental deltaic facies of the Balize Delta, in the Sandy Point region offshore the southeastern Louisiana coast from 120 km of seismic data and 48 vibracores. The stratigraphic and environmental units established in this study provide a geological framework for this area. Overlying...
Show moreThe submerged paleodrainage system of the early Balize delta complex that extended onto the inner continental shelf at 1500 YBP has not been completely studied in great detail. This study interprets the environmental deltaic facies of the Balize Delta, in the Sandy Point region offshore the southeastern Louisiana coast from 120 km of seismic data and 48 vibracores. The stratigraphic and environmental units established in this study provide a geological framework for this area. Overlying Holocene deposits interpreted to be muds of prodelta and lower delta front origin were interpreted as having been deposited from the retreating delta sit atop a transgressive surface, indicated by the toplapping seismic reflectors, the ravinement surface. The deltaic facies below the ravinement surface are of regressive origin an inner shelf delta with widespread delta front sheet sands from a dense group of many distributaries. This research provides a concise methodology adapted from multiple studies for modeling deltaic facies of offshore sand resource targets.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3171718
Subject Headings: Continental shelf, Seismic prospecting, Environmental policy, Sediments (Geology), Coastal zone management
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Mapping and analyzing the Florida Reef Tract in Palm Beach County in relation to major storm events in a GIS database.
Creator: Pitti, Joseph G., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The Florida Reef Tract in Southeast Florida is made up of hard-bottom formations. The shape and size of the tract is constantly changing. One major factor contributing to these changes is the movement of sand. This is influenced by location-based, human-induced, and natural factors. These shifting sands cover or uncover reef structure. Images of the Florida Reef Tract in Palm Beach County were analyzed by the Department of Geosciences at Florida Atlantic University, using a partially...
Show moreThe Florida Reef Tract in Southeast Florida is made up of hard-bottom formations. The shape and size of the tract is constantly changing. One major factor contributing to these changes is the movement of sand. This is influenced by location-based, human-induced, and natural factors. These shifting sands cover or uncover reef structure. Images of the Florida Reef Tract in Palm Beach County were analyzed by the Department of Geosciences at Florida Atlantic University, using a partially automated method of mapping. There are notable changes in reef structure throughout the years 2004-2006, in which many major storm events occurred in the region. A time series analysis was conducted throughout these years. Losses and gains of reef structure were quantified and compared throughout the county as a whole, in beach renourishment project areas, and inlet intervals. Trends suggest that the major storms of 2004-2006 may have had effects on the reef tract.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3172425
Subject Headings: Continental shelf, Mapping, Geographic information systems, Coral reef ecology, Environmental geology, Coral reefs and islands
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Mapping urban growth in Boca Raton Florida, over a thirty year period.
Creator: Breary, Gillian., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The rapid increase of urban growth is a major issue for many regions around the world, which result in astounding loss in farmlands and increase in population densities. It important that urban growth be monitored as it will aid the local government in implementing the appropriate measures for a growing population. The city of Boca Raton, Florida, is the case study for this research. A multi-temporal analysis is done of five Landsat satellite images over a thirty year time period, 1973-2002....
Show moreThe rapid increase of urban growth is a major issue for many regions around the world, which result in astounding loss in farmlands and increase in population densities. It important that urban growth be monitored as it will aid the local government in implementing the appropriate measures for a growing population. The city of Boca Raton, Florida, is the case study for this research. A multi-temporal analysis is done of five Landsat satellite images over a thirty year time period, 1973-2002. Textural analysis was performed on each of the images, to delineate the urban areas. Three by-products resulted from the textural analysis: time series tinted overlays, dasymetric mapping and a series of animated maps, showing the movement of growth across the landscape through time. All the resulting products of the time series analysis were used to show the magnitude and direction of growth over time.
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Date Issued: 2008
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/172668
Subject Headings: Urbanization, Cities and towns, Community development, Urban, Regional planning
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Mapping urban land cover using multi-scale and spatial autocorrelation information in high resolution imagery.
Creator: Johnson, Brian A., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: Fine-scale urban land cover information is important for a number of applications, including urban tree canopy mapping, green space analysis, and urban hydrologic modeling. Land cover information has traditionally been extracted from satellite or aerial images using automated image classification techniques, which classify pixels into different categories of land cover based on their spectral characteristics. However, in fine spatial resolution images (4 meters or better), the high degree of...
Show moreFine-scale urban land cover information is important for a number of applications, including urban tree canopy mapping, green space analysis, and urban hydrologic modeling. Land cover information has traditionally been extracted from satellite or aerial images using automated image classification techniques, which classify pixels into different categories of land cover based on their spectral characteristics. However, in fine spatial resolution images (4 meters or better), the high degree of within-class spectral variability and between-class spectral similarity of many types of land cover leads to low classification accuracy when pixel-based, purely spectral classification techniques are used. Object-based classification methods, which involve segmenting an image into relatively homogeneous regions (i.e. image segments) prior to classification, have been shown to increase classification accuracy by incorporating the spectral (e.g. mean, standard deviation) and non-spectral (e.g. te xture, size, shape) information of image segments for classification. One difficulty with the object-based method, however, is that a segmentation parameter (or set of parameters), which determines the average size of segments (i.e. the segmentation scale), is difficult to choose. Some studies use one segmentation scale to segment and classify all types of land cover, while others use multiple scales due to the fact that different types of land cover typically vary in size. In this dissertation, two multi-scale object-based classification methods were developed and tested for classifying high resolution images of Deerfield Beach, FL and Houston, TX. These multi-scale methods achieved higher overall classification accuracies and Kappa coefficients than single-scale object-based classification methods., Since the two dissertation methods used an automated algorithm (Random Forest) for image classification, they are also less subjective and easier to apply to other study areas than most existing multi-scale object-based methods that rely on expert knowledge (i.e. decision rules developed based on detailed visual inspection of image segments) for classifying each type of land cover.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3342110
Subject Headings: Image processing, Digital techniques, Remote sensing, Mathematics, Remote-sensing images, Computational intelligence, Cities and towns, Remote sensing, Environmental sciences, Remote sensing, Spatial analysis (Statistics)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A methodology to assess the feasibility for light rail transit in a low to medium density environment via geographic information systems and image interpretation.
Creator: Kennard, Dylan., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The world currently has more people living in cities than in rural areas. In the United States this is no exception, and as a result government policy is focusing on the supply of 'green' jobs that help repair and expand its infrastructure in an attempt to help curb non-renewable resource use. The expansion of public transportation throughout the country is one facet of the multi-pronged US government policy. In the tri-county area of South Florida (Palm Beach County, Broward County, and...
Show moreThe world currently has more people living in cities than in rural areas. In the United States this is no exception, and as a result government policy is focusing on the supply of 'green' jobs that help repair and expand its infrastructure in an attempt to help curb non-renewable resource use. The expansion of public transportation throughout the country is one facet of the multi-pronged US government policy. In the tri-county area of South Florida (Palm Beach County, Broward County, and Miami-Dade County) a research study known as the South Florida East Coast Corridor Transit Analysis (SFECCTA) entered Phase 2 in January 2009. This study looks at incorporating the FEC freight corridor which transverses the downtown areas of 47 cities into a major North- South commuter system. This system would also supplement the existing commuter Tri- Rail corridor. The proposed methodology in this manuscript attempts to address the issue of providing an adaptable, efficient and convenient public transportation in a low to medium density environment where the automobile is the preferred mode of travel. Emphasis is placed on connecting existing origin and destination locations in and around the greater West Palm Beach metropolitan area in Palm Beach County, FL. The goal of the methodology is to establish potential routes that will connect high amounts of residence to places of social interaction, consumption, employment, and the proposed SFECCTA regional transportation system with Light Rail Transit as the end goal. As a result the proposed corridors focus on creating dedicated and shared right of ways that already exist via the road network. The discussion and conclusion provide methodology successes, improvements, and economic development recommendations.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/369192
Subject Headings: Railroads, Local and light, Environmental aspects, Railroads, Planning, City planning, Environmental aspects, Sustainable development
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Mollusks of the late Pleistocene oèolitic facies of the Miami Limestone in the Miami-Dade County, South Florida.
Creator: D'Antonio, Heather M., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The oèolitic limestone that makes up the bedrock of Miami-Dade and parts of Broward County, Florida, is a relatively well studied formation, with poorly studied fossil content. No published systematic record of Pleistocene fossils in the Miami Limestone is available. Besides the basic knowledge of taxonomy and biodiversity of the mollusks, comparison with extant assemblages can yield important information about the biodiversity changes in southern Florida during the past ~130,000 years....
Show moreThe oèolitic limestone that makes up the bedrock of Miami-Dade and parts of Broward County, Florida, is a relatively well studied formation, with poorly studied fossil content. No published systematic record of Pleistocene fossils in the Miami Limestone is available. Besides the basic knowledge of taxonomy and biodiversity of the mollusks, comparison with extant assemblages can yield important information about the biodiversity changes in southern Florida during the past ~130,000 years. Preliminary surveys of several localities, both previously described and new, within the Dade County yielded a record of diverse mollusks from over 28 families, 34 genera and 40 species. The preliminary findings of molluscan fossils have led to a new, unstudied and unpublished fossil locality with the second discovery of a possible Strombus costatus in the Miami Limestone. Miami Limestone fossils are being compared to recent South Florida mollusks indicating patterns of local diversification and extinction related to the minor changes in sea level and disappearance of certain habitats such as the rocky shore substrates that Cittarium pica once thrived on.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3342045
Subject Headings: Mollusks, Fossil, Limestone, Geology, Stratigraphic
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Morphology of Astarte borealis (Mollusca: bivalvia) of Camden bay, northern Alaska.
Creator: Chrpa, Michelle E., Oleinik, Anton E., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The genus Astarte is known for variable shell morphology and polymorphism within living and fossil species. Astarte borealis, the most common living species, is recognizable and common among mid-to-high latitude North Pacific, Arctic Ocean and North Atlantic waters, and has been divided into many subspecies and varieties based on overall shell shape. A collection of recent A. borealis specimens from Camden Bay, northern Alaska (641 specimens) with outline intact were used for analyses....
Show moreThe genus Astarte is known for variable shell morphology and polymorphism within living and fossil species. Astarte borealis, the most common living species, is recognizable and common among mid-to-high latitude North Pacific, Arctic Ocean and North Atlantic waters, and has been divided into many subspecies and varieties based on overall shell shape. A collection of recent A. borealis specimens from Camden Bay, northern Alaska (641 specimens) with outline intact were used for analyses. Bivariate analysis of height vs. length and morphometric analysis of shell outline determined variants within a population of A. borealis, and then compared to Pliocene A. borealis and Oligocene A. martini. The computer program SHAPE uses elliptic Fourier coefficients of shell outline to evaluate and visualize shape variations. The multivariate outline analysis indicates that A. borealis intraspecies variation is based upon a common shape that grades into other shapes, rather than grade between two or more end-forms.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0004010
Subject Headings: Bivalves -- Alaska -- Camden Bay -- Geographical distribution, Mollusks, Fossil -- Alaska -- Camden Bay -- Morphology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Population distribution of Liguus fasciatus solidus in Long Pine Key of Everglades National Park.
Creator: Fadely, Jason R., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The study examined the past and present spatial distribution of the Florida tree snail, L. fasciatus solidus, in the Long Pine Key area of the Everglades National Park. Remote sensing and mobile GIS were used to create a GIS database of the field research results. Collection and survey-based data were used to create a current spatial distribution map of L. fasciatus solidus throughout the Long Pine Key area. The data collected during the 2006 survey were compared to a 1931 survey of the same...
Show moreThe study examined the past and present spatial distribution of the Florida tree snail, L. fasciatus solidus, in the Long Pine Key area of the Everglades National Park. Remote sensing and mobile GIS were used to create a GIS database of the field research results. Collection and survey-based data were used to create a current spatial distribution map of L. fasciatus solidus throughout the Long Pine Key area. The data collected during the 2006 survey were compared to a 1931 survey of the same study area conducted by Dr. William Clench of the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) of Harvard University. The data was used to determine the success of L. fasciatus solidus from 1931 to 2006, to evaluate a correlation between hammock size and the number of color forms, and to detect migration patterns of L. fasciatus solidus within the Long Pine Key area of Everglades National Park. Based on the average success rate for the seven color forms and the hammocks, the L. fasciatus solidus population in the Long Pine Key area exemplifies one of a stable community. Each color form used for the analysis had a success rate between 67% and 100%. These percentages can only be the worst case scenario based on the fact that many Liguus were not observed, and any others that would have been observed, would only increase the success rate.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/187209
Subject Headings: Mollusks, Habitat, Animal ecology, Ecosystem management
Format: Document (PDF)

Remote sensing (4)	+ -
Sustainable development (4)	+ -
Geographic information systems (3)	+ -
Cities and towns (2)	+ -
City planning (2)	+ -

Community development, Urban (2)	+ -
Continental shelf (2)	+ -
Coral reef ecology (2)	+ -
Ecosystem management (2)	+ -
Environmental aspects (2)	+ -
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Regional planning (2)	+ -
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Urbanization (2)	+ -
Animal ecology (1)	+ -
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Aquifiers (1)	+ -
Backyard gardens (1)	+ -
Bivalves -- Alaska -- Camden Bay -- Geographical distribution (1)	+ -
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Pleistocene (1)	+ -

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