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Pages
- Title
- Alternative uses for urban landfill sites as illustrated by the city of Lake Worth, Florida.
- Creator
- Breese, Edgar Floyd., Florida Atlantic University, Schultz, Ronald R., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Today, many municipalities are confronted with a situation whereby their landfills are facing mandatory closure. The topic of post-closure uses for these sites is addressed in this paper through a review of other closed sites and an indepth analysis of the two study sites in Lake Worth, Florida. The review of converted sites indicates a strong preference of municipalities to transform these trash sites into recreational facilities. The indepth analysis of the two study sites involved an...
Show moreToday, many municipalities are confronted with a situation whereby their landfills are facing mandatory closure. The topic of post-closure uses for these sites is addressed in this paper through a review of other closed sites and an indepth analysis of the two study sites in Lake Worth, Florida. The review of converted sites indicates a strong preference of municipalities to transform these trash sites into recreational facilities. The indepth analysis of the two study sites involved an examination of the closure restrictions, inherent characteristics of landfills including the creation of methane gas, possible groundwater contamination and settlement of the waste, and inventory of surrounding land uses including history and current site conditions. This analysis concluded that a recreational conversion at both sites was not only feasible but the best use for the two sites resulting in the development of two conceptual plans for each location.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1988
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14430
- Subject Headings
- Land use, Urban--Florida--Lake Worth, Sanitary landfills--Florida--Lake Worth
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Alternatives for Third World small farm development.
- Creator
- Johnson, Victoria., Florida Atlantic University, Lee, David R., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Conventional agricultural development models have sought to improve Third World agricultural productivity by replacing traditional subsistence systems with sophisticated high-external-input farming methods. This approach has not solved the food problem of Third World nations because small farmers have been unable to participate in the modernization process and because modern methods are not environmentally sustainable. Alternative low-external-input agriculture provides greater opportunities...
Show moreConventional agricultural development models have sought to improve Third World agricultural productivity by replacing traditional subsistence systems with sophisticated high-external-input farming methods. This approach has not solved the food problem of Third World nations because small farmers have been unable to participate in the modernization process and because modern methods are not environmentally sustainable. Alternative low-external-input agriculture provides greater opportunities for small farmer participation, offers more benefits to small farmers, and is environmentally sustainable over a longer period of time than conventional agriculture. Comparative analysis of conventional and alternative projects indicates that the alternative model is more successful in effecting agricultural development and is more likely to improve Third World food security.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1988
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14479
- Subject Headings
- Farms, Small--Developing countries
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- AN EXPLORATION OF THE SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIOECONOMIC DICHOTOMY OF SHRINKING CITIES AND FORMERLY SHRINKING CITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BACK-TO-THE-CITY MOVEMENT.
- Creator
- Kittredge, Danielle J., Xie, Zhixiao, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Within the U.S. in recent decades a renewed interest in downtown and city living has become known as the “back-to-the-city movement” and contributed to the stabilization and regrowth of cities that were previously losing population. This trend, however, is not occurring equally and many cities within the U.S. that have been losing population for decades are still continuing to lose population (“shrinking city”). This study seeks to understand what sociodemographic and socioeconomic...
Show moreWithin the U.S. in recent decades a renewed interest in downtown and city living has become known as the “back-to-the-city movement” and contributed to the stabilization and regrowth of cities that were previously losing population. This trend, however, is not occurring equally and many cities within the U.S. that have been losing population for decades are still continuing to lose population (“shrinking city”). This study seeks to understand what sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics are contributing the greatest to the back-to-the-city movement and develop a composite index that can be used to identify if similar trends are beginning to emerge in shrinking cities. Variables identified through various literature for their association with back-to-the-city movement were analyzed through a proportion composition analysis comparing changes in growing versus non-growing census tracts at the city-wide and downtown level of 86 cities within this study. The analysis was conducted for the time periods of 1970 to 2017 and 1990 to 2017. The results justified variables for inclusion in back-to-the-city movement composite index, however, the analysis found some trends differed at the city-wide versus downtown geographic levels resulting in three potential index combinations. The three indices were calculated on census tracts for the 86 cities within this study and the results were decomposed to assess performance of individual variables. The results conclude that areas within some shrinking cities are exhibiting back-to-the-city movement trends, however, additional recommendations are provided for refining the index and methodology.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013618
- Subject Headings
- Urban planning, Cities, Downtowns
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE NURSERY EFFECT OF SELECT REEF FISHES ALONG THE SOUTHERN FLORIDA COAST.
- Creator
- Pressly, Andrew, Hindle, Tobin, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The nursery effect is a process where juvenile fish utilize coastal habitats to help them survive before moving to their adult habitat. This process establishes an important link between marine ecosystems. This study examines the nursery effect and nursery habitat utilization in the Indian River Lagoon and Florida Bay systems, and the coral reefs adjacent to them. Quantitative and spatial techniques were utilized to identify patterns of presence and abundance and the size structure of select...
Show moreThe nursery effect is a process where juvenile fish utilize coastal habitats to help them survive before moving to their adult habitat. This process establishes an important link between marine ecosystems. This study examines the nursery effect and nursery habitat utilization in the Indian River Lagoon and Florida Bay systems, and the coral reefs adjacent to them. Quantitative and spatial techniques were utilized to identify patterns of presence and abundance and the size structure of select fish species. Spatial analyses were also used to investigate distribution patterns. Findings from this study suggest that several species utilize to a high degree the Indian River Lagoon and Florida Bay as nurseries. Furthermore, the abundance of adults on coral reefs is strongly connected to the presence of nurseries. This study has implications in fisheries management such as locating where juveniles of species develop. With such knowledge, better management plans could be implemented to ensure healthy fish stocks.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013490
- Subject Headings
- Reef fishes, Florida Bay (Fla ), Indian River (Fla : Lagoon), Fisheries management, Marine nurseries
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- AN ANALYSIS OF THE GEOGRAPHY OF SEX RATIO IN THE UNITED STATES.
- Creator
- GELLIS, ANDREW NOAH., Florida Atlantic University, Lee, David R., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Frontier areas and rural areas historically have been predominantly male (high sex ratio); urban areas were predominantly female (low sex ratio). In 1970 the Middle West scored average on the sex ratio scale for all age cohorts; the West was high, the South low. Highest sex ratio was in port and military locales; lowest was in urban areas of the Northeast and South. Two regression models reveal that percentage urban, net migration, and percentage Black were most important explanators of sex...
Show moreFrontier areas and rural areas historically have been predominantly male (high sex ratio); urban areas were predominantly female (low sex ratio). In 1970 the Middle West scored average on the sex ratio scale for all age cohorts; the West was high, the South low. Highest sex ratio was in port and military locales; lowest was in urban areas of the Northeast and South. Two regression models reveal that percentage urban, net migration, and percentage Black were most important explanators of sex ratio. The greater life expectancy of females and their tendency to concentrate in the cities, the larger net migration rate of males, and the lower sex ratio of Blacks, were causal. Analysis by age cohort revealed regional differences exist only after age 34. After adjusting for the above independent variables, the West still scored highest and the South lowest.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1981
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14061
- Subject Headings
- Sex ratio, United States--Population
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- ANALYSIS OF TROPHIC STRUCTURE FOLLOWING ESTUARINE HABITAT RESTORATION WITHIN LAKE WORTH LAGOON, FLORIDA.
- Creator
- Kobylski, Adam, Markwith, Scott, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
We collected, with FWC, taxa inventory and numerical abundance data at three sites, a restoration concurrent with sampling, an older completed restoration, and an unimproved reference site, from 2014 to 2018 in the Central Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida. We examined effects in response to estuary habitat restoration and water quality on nekton food web structure among sites over time. A binary matrix of plausible interactions among trophic species, classified by size, was used to produce 51...
Show moreWe collected, with FWC, taxa inventory and numerical abundance data at three sites, a restoration concurrent with sampling, an older completed restoration, and an unimproved reference site, from 2014 to 2018 in the Central Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida. We examined effects in response to estuary habitat restoration and water quality on nekton food web structure among sites over time. A binary matrix of plausible interactions among trophic species, classified by size, was used to produce 51 individual food webs and nine trophic structure metrices within the R: Package Cheddar. Interactions of site and restoration, i.e., pre- vs. post-restoration samples, were found to be not significant in repeated-measures ANOVAs for each food web metric. Random forest analysis only identified Secchi depth as an important predictor of food web generality. Our findings suggest that generality and Secchi depth are inversely correlated and relatively stable within the Central Lake Worth Lagoon sites.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013921
- Subject Headings
- Estuarine restoration, Food chains (Ecology)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- ANASTASIA ISLAND, FLORIDA: A CASE STUDY IN HISTORICAL PERCEPTION OF RESOURCES AND RESISTANCES.
- Creator
- KIXMILLER, PATRICIA ELAINE., Florida Atlantic University, Lee, David R., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
This study was undertaken to determine the effects historical perception of resources and resistances (hazards) have on the development of a site. Perception was determined from the reactions each group of settlers had to this environment. It was determined that perception played a major role in the development of the particular site under consideration in this study. Anastasia Island, Florida (the study area) is located across the Intracoastal Waterway from St. Augustine, Florida. A complete...
Show moreThis study was undertaken to determine the effects historical perception of resources and resistances (hazards) have on the development of a site. Perception was determined from the reactions each group of settlers had to this environment. It was determined that perception played a major role in the development of the particular site under consideration in this study. Anastasia Island, Florida (the study area) is located across the Intracoastal Waterway from St. Augustine, Florida. A complete history of Anastasia Island is included in the study from pre-Spanish times to the present. Several maps are also included which trace the development of Anastasia Island over the past 400 years.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1973
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13573
- Subject Headings
- Anastasia Island (Fla)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- ASPECTS OF CYPRESS DOMES IN SOUTHEASTERN FLORIDA: A STUDY IN MICRO-PHYTOGEOGRAPHY.
- Creator
- MCJUNKIN, DAVID M., Florida Atlantic University, Schultz, Ronald R., Austin, Daniel F., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
The object of this study was to investigate various physical and botanical parameters of doming in stands of cypress trees (Taxodium distichum (L.) L. C. Richard) in southeastern Florida and to develop basic data about these small swamps. Analysis of doming was made in relation to topography, substrate, microclimate, soil moisture, soil acidity, soil nutrients, vegetation, size and distribution of cypress, and cypress ages, growth rates, and fire traumas. Study results were compared with...
Show moreThe object of this study was to investigate various physical and botanical parameters of doming in stands of cypress trees (Taxodium distichum (L.) L. C. Richard) in southeastern Florida and to develop basic data about these small swamps. Analysis of doming was made in relation to topography, substrate, microclimate, soil moisture, soil acidity, soil nutrients, vegetation, size and distribution of cypress, and cypress ages, growth rates, and fire traumas. Study results were compared with competing theories of doming and it was concluded that the theory of differential marginal fire promulgated by Kurz and Wagner best fits the data set.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1977
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13895
- Subject Headings
- Cypress, Taxodium distichum, Taxodiaceae, Botany--Florida, Cypress--Florida, Baldcypress
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- 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.
Show less - 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
- Benthic Foraminiferal Assemblages from Pulau Karangmadjat, Mentawai Islands, Indonesia.
- Creator
- Garcia, Christine N., Oleinik, Anton E., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Globally, coral reefs are in severe decline (Jackson et al., 2001) and face potential extinction of 1/3 of reef species by 2050 (Veron, 2011). This decline is the result of the inability of coral communities to recover after disturbance events, often resulting in a shift from coral- to macro-algal dominated regimes. Reef resources managers are in need of tools to assess the condition of these ecosystems prior to, during, and post disturbance, especially in regions of the world where coral...
Show moreGlobally, coral reefs are in severe decline (Jackson et al., 2001) and face potential extinction of 1/3 of reef species by 2050 (Veron, 2011). This decline is the result of the inability of coral communities to recover after disturbance events, often resulting in a shift from coral- to macro-algal dominated regimes. Reef resources managers are in need of tools to assess the condition of these ecosystems prior to, during, and post disturbance, especially in regions of the world where coral cover and diversity are high, yet management resources are scarce. Foraminifera have been widely utilized as bioindicators in both modern and paleoenvironments for more than a century due to their abundance, diverse functional morphology, rapid generation time, global distribution, and rich geologic record (Sen Gupta, 1999; Hallock et al., 2003). The FoRAM Index (FI) was developed as a single metric indicator to assess whether water quality supports coral recruitment and reproduction in Caribbean and Western Atlantic coral reefs (Hallock et al., 2003), yet the FI has not been widely applied to Indo-Pacific coral reefs. This study reports benthic foraminiferal assemblages from Pulau Karangmadjat, Mentawai Islands, Indonesia, and is the first to provide in situ foraminiferal assemblages for the Mentawai region. Results revealed overall low Shannon’s H’ and Fisher’s alpha, and low Buzas and Gibson’s evenness values across 13 sample sites selected from a variety of reef habitat zones. Values for the FI were also calculated and were extremely high across all sites due to the dominance of symbiont-bearing calcarinid taxa, suggesting favorable water quality conditions. Q-mode hierarchical cluster analysis revealed 4 clusters, only one of which corresponded in its entirety to a well defined benthic habitat zone. Overall, a high degree of similarity between foraminiferal assemblages was present for most sites sampled due to the dominance of calcarinids, suggesting prevalence of a macro-algal substrate, and potentially a shift from a coral- to macro-algal dominated regime for this study area. Utilization of indices like the FI, when used in conjunction with non-FI analysis of foraminiferal assemblages, may aid managers in deducing drivers of regime shifts on Indonesian coral reefs, which may ultimately facilitate solutions for reef conservation and recovery following natural and anthropogenic disturbance. Further testing of the applicability of the FI on Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific reefs is needed to in order to test this hypothesis.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004790
- Subject Headings
- Foraminifera--Ecology--Indonesia--Mentawai Islands., Coral reef ecology--Indonesia--Mentawai Islands., Coastal zone management--Indonesia--Mentawai Islands.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Beyond Water Restrictions: Informing Effective Lawn Watering Behavior.
- Creator
- Survis, Felicia D., Root, Tara L., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Evaluating trends of historical rainfall on a weekly and seasonal basis is needed for optimizing the design and implementation of lawn water conservation strategies like outdoor water restrictions. While “day of the week” water restrictions are a typical strategy to limit the frequency and duration of urban lawn water use, they may not necessarily result in more conservative behaviors from end-users. Because weekly rainfall and local climate variables are seldom taken into account in water...
Show moreEvaluating trends of historical rainfall on a weekly and seasonal basis is needed for optimizing the design and implementation of lawn water conservation strategies like outdoor water restrictions. While “day of the week” water restrictions are a typical strategy to limit the frequency and duration of urban lawn water use, they may not necessarily result in more conservative behaviors from end-users. Because weekly rainfall and local climate variables are seldom taken into account in water restriction strategies, they are not connected to actual lawn water demand. However, since lawn water demand is directly related to weekly rainfall totals, not to a particular number of watering days per week, water restriction schedules have the potential to unintentionally promote overwatering. This study investigated the weekly patterns of average seasonal rainfall and evapotranspiration in South Florida to determine the typical variability of weekly net irrigation needs and found that typical wet season weekly rainfall often provides a significant amount of water to meet the demand of residential lawns and landscapes. This finding underscores opportunity to reduce supplemental overwatering in residential landscapes if watering guidelines were modified to recognize seasonal average weekly rainfall in this region This study also tested a rainfall-based water conservation strategy to determine if providing residents with information about how local rainfall could promote more effective lawn watering behavior than just water restrictions alone. Experimental households reduced lawn water use by up to 61% compared to the control group by the end of the study. These results demonstrate that the neighborhood “rain-watered lawn” signs helped experimental study group households become more aware of rainfall as the primary input of water to their lawns. This study also investigated the role that lawn irrigation from self-supplied sources plays in the urban lawn water demand and investigates how the lawn water use and lawn watering behaviors of households that source from self-supply differ from those who source from the public supply.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004710
- Subject Headings
- Landscape irrigation, Municipal water supply, South Florida Water Management District, Water conservation, Water consumption, Water resources development
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Burial Marks and Growth Records of a Massive Coral Pseudodiploria Strigosa as a Proxy for Severe Weather Events in Late Holocene.
- Creator
- Olson, Mark, Oleinik, Anton, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Severe weather events that accompany climatic changes have been the main focus of many studies that want to highlight the large processes that surround us every day. These studies are based on years of data collection and other studies to help aid their pursuits. An area of major focus is identifying proxies and supplementary materials that help refine climate records of the geologic past. This study aims to identify reliable proxies for obtaining a record of severe weather events. The...
Show moreSevere weather events that accompany climatic changes have been the main focus of many studies that want to highlight the large processes that surround us every day. These studies are based on years of data collection and other studies to help aid their pursuits. An area of major focus is identifying proxies and supplementary materials that help refine climate records of the geologic past. This study aims to identify reliable proxies for obtaining a record of severe weather events. The research consists of studying a coral species Pseudodiploria strigosa colonies with the goal to document, interpret, and describe the burial and re-exposure of massive coral colonies by severe storm or hurricane events, as recorded in coral growth patterns through density patterns and the analysis of CT-scanned coral specimens.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013249
- Subject Headings
- Coral colonies, Paleoclimatology--Holocene, Climatic changes, Severe storms
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- CHANGES IN PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE PEAT SOIL MATRIX ACROSS A SALINITY GRADIENT IN THE EVERGLADES: IMPLICATIONS FOR ACCELERATING PEAT COLLAPSE DURING SEA LEVEL RISE.
- Creator
- Florey, Maxwell, Comas, Xavier, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Peatlands are areas with an accumulated layer of peat soil that are considered global stores of carbon, acting as a net sink of carbon dioxide and a net source of methane. Recent studies in coastal peatlands have shown how that a rise in sea level may contribute to the degradation of peat soils due to the inland progression of the saltwater interface, which may result in physical changes within the peat matrix that may eventually result in peat collapse. For example, earlier studies in boreal...
Show morePeatlands are areas with an accumulated layer of peat soil that are considered global stores of carbon, acting as a net sink of carbon dioxide and a net source of methane. Recent studies in coastal peatlands have shown how that a rise in sea level may contribute to the degradation of peat soils due to the inland progression of the saltwater interface, which may result in physical changes within the peat matrix that may eventually result in peat collapse. For example, earlier studies in boreal peat soils described the effect of pore dilation as a result of increased salinity in peat soils, while recent studies in Everglades peat soils showed specific salinity thresholds that may represent a permanent loss of the structural integrity of the peat matrix that may represent early stages of peat collapse. While most of these previous efforts have focused on drivers, recent work has also explored conceptual models to better understand the mechanisms inducing peat collapse. However, few datasets exists that consistently compare differences in physical properties under different in‐situ salinity conditions. In this study differences in the physical properties of peat soils across a salinity gradient along the western edge of Big Cypress National Preserve are investigated to test how differences in salinity may induce physical changes in the soil matrix. The physical properties targeted for this study include porosity, hydraulic conductivity, and carbon content. Measurements are conducted at the laboratory scale using peat cores and monoliths collected at selected locations to investigate: 1) how overall soil physical properties change spatially over a salinity gradient at the km scale moving from permanently saline to freshwater conditions; and 2) how physical properties change spatially at specific sites as dependant on vegetation boundaries and proximity to collapsed soils. This study has implications for better understanding the potential relation between physical changes of the soil matrix and the phenomena of peat collapse in the Everglades as saltwater intrusion progresses inward and alters freshwater ecosystems. Furthermore, a better mechanistic understanding of the peat collapse phenomenon can potentially help mitigate its occurrence.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013809
- Subject Headings
- Peat soils, Salinity, Sea level, Big Cypress National Preserve (Fla.), Everglades (Fla.)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- COASTAL SYSTEM VARIABILITY OF THE BEACH-NEARSHORE ENVIRONMENT FROM NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCES.
- Creator
- Brown, Nicholas, Briggs, Tiffany Roberts, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The coastal system provides habitat, storm protection, and economic value. In particular, Florida’s beaches are subject to chronic coastal erosion resulting from natural and anthropogenic influences. The most common mitigation response is the nature-based solution of beach nourishment. While this method is widely considered effective, quantifying changes from the dredge and placement on the physical environment is critical to ensure best management practices. The first step in addressing the...
Show moreThe coastal system provides habitat, storm protection, and economic value. In particular, Florida’s beaches are subject to chronic coastal erosion resulting from natural and anthropogenic influences. The most common mitigation response is the nature-based solution of beach nourishment. While this method is widely considered effective, quantifying changes from the dredge and placement on the physical environment is critical to ensure best management practices. The first step in addressing the need to identify gaps in knowledge relating to natural and human-induced changes to the continental shelf, a comprehensive literature review of the US East and Gulf coast continental shelves was conducted identifying needs for more expansive sand searches, a greater understanding of storm impacts on shelf morphodynamics, planning for long-term use of offshore sediment sources, and the impact of dredging on habitats. This study then evaluated the northern Palm Beach County beaches adjacent to the Jupiter Inlet over multiple years to understand the effects of natural and human influence on the morphology and sedimentology of the beach-nearshore environment. Beach sediment was coarser near the Inlet and finer downdrift (south). Seasonal changes in the nearshore from storms decreased the grain size and eroded beaches, whereas nourishment increased grain size and expanded beach width. Influences of physical characteristics of the beach-nearshore environment on the ecosystem were examined based on two important marine species: loggerhead sea turtles and blacktip sharks. No adverse impacts from restoration activities were found on loggerhead reproductive success. However, the active 2020 hurricane season resulted in lower reproductive success metrics. The blacktip shark migration coincides with the typical nourishment construction window. High turbidity in the nearshore was documented in association with multiple nourishment events during the two-year study. The blacktip sharks were quantified in the nearshore south of the nourishment; however, whether the turbidity was influencing the shark aggregates or habitat preference remains unknown. These results support numerous benefits of beach nourishment but suggest further research is needed to evaluate how project construction may impact nearshore fauna. The findings of this study are important for coastal managers who may consider reviewing best management practices of the beach-nearshore system.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013982
- Subject Headings
- Coastal zone management, Beach nourishment, Coastal zone management--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- COMBINING TRADITIONAL AND IMAGE ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES FOR UNCONSOLIDATED EXPOSED TERRIGENOUS BEACH SAND CHARACTERIZATION.
- Creator
- Smith, Molly Elizabeth, Zhang, Caiyun, Oleinik, Anton, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Traditional sand analysis is labor and cost-intensive, entailing specialized equipment and operators trained in geological analysis. Even a small step to automate part of the traditional geological methods could substantially improve the speed of such research while removing chances of human error. Digital image analysis techniques and computer vision have been well developed and applied in various fields but rarely explored for sand analysis. This research explores capabilities of remote...
Show moreTraditional sand analysis is labor and cost-intensive, entailing specialized equipment and operators trained in geological analysis. Even a small step to automate part of the traditional geological methods could substantially improve the speed of such research while removing chances of human error. Digital image analysis techniques and computer vision have been well developed and applied in various fields but rarely explored for sand analysis. This research explores capabilities of remote sensing digital image analysis techniques, such as object-based image analysis (OBIA), machine learning, digital image analysis, and photogrammetry to automate or semi-automate the traditional sand analysis procedure. Here presented is a framework combining OBIA and machine learning classification of microscope imagery for use with unconsolidated terrigenous beach sand samples. Five machine learning classifiers (RF, DT, SVM, k-NN, and ANN) are used to model mineral composition from images of ten terrigenous beach sand samples. Digital image analysis and photogrammetric techniques are applied and evaluated for use to characterize sand grain size and grain circularity (given as a digital proxy for traditional grain sphericity). A new segmentation process is also introduced, where pixel-level SLICO superpixel segmentation is followed by spectral difference segmentation and further levels of superpixel segmentation at the object-level. Previous methods of multi-resolution and superpixel segmentation at the object level do not provide the level of detail necessary to yield optimal sand grain-sized segments. In this proposed framework, the DT and RF classifiers provide the best estimations of mineral content of all classifiers tested compared to traditional compositional analysis. Average grain size approximated from photogrammetric procedures is comparable to traditional sieving methods, having an RMSE below 0.05%. The framework proposed here reduces the number of trained personnel needed to perform sand-related research. It requires minimal sand sample preparation and minimizes user-error that is typically introduced during traditional sand analysis.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013517
- Subject Headings
- Sand, Image analysis, Remote sensing, Photogrammetry--Digital techniques, Machine learning
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Commercialization of high-resolution earth observation satellite remote sensing.
- Creator
- Jarica, Cornelia Christa, Florida Atlantic University, Tata, Robert J., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
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The imminent availability of high resolution satellite imagery is causing a paradigm shift in remote sensing. Detente brought about new policy directives in the U.S. and abroad, which opened up for civilian use former Earth observation spy technology down to one meter resolution, previously considered classified and strictly used by the intelligence communities for national security. This study describes a number of new ventures in the private sector which have been formed to launch...
Show moreThe imminent availability of high resolution satellite imagery is causing a paradigm shift in remote sensing. Detente brought about new policy directives in the U.S. and abroad, which opened up for civilian use former Earth observation spy technology down to one meter resolution, previously considered classified and strictly used by the intelligence communities for national security. This study describes a number of new ventures in the private sector which have been formed to launch commercial high resolution systems. The satellites' technical capabilities are analyzed, and application development options for the new imagery are discussed in detail. This new remote sensing data source is also seen within the framework of the larger GeoTechnology Industry to which it belongs, and the author proposes appropriate business strategies for successful commercialization.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1996
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15321
- Subject Headings
- Earth resources technology satellites, Remote sensing, Remote-sensing images, Geographic information systems
- 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
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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.
Show less - 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
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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.
Show less - 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
- A comparison of pixel based and object based vegetation community classification in the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
- Creator
- Barone, Dorianne M., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
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Pixel based and object based vegetation community classification methods were performed using 30 meter spatial resolution Landsat satellite imagery of the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge), a remnant of the northern Everglades. Supervised classification procedures using maximum likelihood and parallelepiped algorithms were used to produce thematic maps with the following vegetation communities : wet prairie, sawgrass, cattail, tree island, brush, aquatic/open...
Show morePixel based and object based vegetation community classification methods were performed using 30 meter spatial resolution Landsat satellite imagery of the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge), a remnant of the northern Everglades. Supervised classification procedures using maximum likelihood and parallelepiped algorithms were used to produce thematic maps with the following vegetation communities : wet prairie, sawgrass, cattail, tree island, brush, aquatic/open water. Spectral data, as well as NDVI, texture and principal component data were used to produce vegetation community classification maps. The accuracy levels of the thematic maps produced were calculated and compared to one another. The pixel based approach using the parallelepiped classification algorithm on the spectral and NDVI dataset had the highest accuracy level. A generalized form of this classification using only three vegetation communities (all wet prairie, tree island/brush and aquatic/open water) was compared to a previously published classification which used 1987 SPOT imagery in order to extract information on possible vegetation community transitions that are occurring within the Refuge. Results of the study indicate that 30 meter spatial resolution may be useful for understanding broad vegetation community trends but not species level trends. Pixel based procedures provide a more accurate classification than object based procedures for this landscape when using 30 meter imagery. Lastly, since 1987 there may be a trend of tree island/brush communities replacing wet prairie communities in the northern part of the Refuge and a transition to wet prairie communities in place of tree island/brush communities in the southern portion of the Refuge.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/58002
- Subject Headings
- Ecosystem management, Vegetation dynamics, Vegetation classification, Spatial ecology, Mathematical models
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Comparison of the spatiotemporal variability of dredge material at two inletadjacent beaches.
- Creator
- Scheinkman, Austin, Briggs, Tiffany Roberts, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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This study analyzed two different inlet management strategies being utilized in Palm Beach County and compared how the downdrift beaches were affected by those strategies throughout the year. Cross-sectional beach profiles, Digital Elevation Model comparisons, and subaerial volumetric change were analyzed for patterns in postplacement beach morphology. Trends in cross- and alongshore grainsize were also analyzed. In Boca Raton the inlet was dredged multiple times a month depending on the...
Show moreThis study analyzed two different inlet management strategies being utilized in Palm Beach County and compared how the downdrift beaches were affected by those strategies throughout the year. Cross-sectional beach profiles, Digital Elevation Model comparisons, and subaerial volumetric change were analyzed for patterns in postplacement beach morphology. Trends in cross- and alongshore grainsize were also analyzed. In Boca Raton the inlet was dredged multiple times a month depending on the level of infilling and the material was placed on the beach immediately downdrift of the inlet. The downdrift beach of the Boca Raton inlet underwent a cycle of shoreline advance in the summer and shoreline retreat in the winter. It was dominated by seasonal processes and its morphologic change was the direct result of shifts in the wind and waves without having a beach more than 60 to 80 meters over the course of the study. In Jupiter, the inlet was dredged on a near annual basis and the material was placed 600m south of the inlet. The size and scope of the larger one-time annual nourishment project resulted in beach widths upwards of 120 meters. The equilibration process that followed in both the cross- and alongshore are what dominated the morphological trends experienced at the site. The results of this study should help coastal managers without current inlet management strategies, compare and overview two different successful inlet management options. For future studies, researchers should extend the monitoring period and extend profiles to the depth of closure to capture. Sediment is a valuable resource, and it’s important for best management practices to maximize benefits and protect downdrift beaches for long-term resiliency of coastal communities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014010
- Subject Headings
- Inlets, Coastal zone management, Sediment, Beaches--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)