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Pages
- Title
- 2012-2013 Program Review Geosciences.
- Creator
- Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Florida Atlantic University Departmental Dashboard Indicators. Department program reviews for Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University.
- Date Issued
- 2012-2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00007689
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- 2010-2011 Program Review Geosciences.
- Creator
- Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Florida Atlantic University Departmental Dashboard Indicators. Department program reviews for Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University.
- Date Issued
- 2010-2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00007682
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- 2013-2014 Program Review Geosciences.
- Creator
- Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Florida Atlantic University Departmental Dashboard Indicators. Department program reviews for Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University.
- Date Issued
- 2013-2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00007696
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- 2014-2015 Program Review Geosciences.
- Creator
- Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Florida Atlantic University Departmental Dashboard Indicators. Department program reviews for Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University.
- Date Issued
- 2014-2015
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00007703
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- 2009-2010 Program Review Geosciences.
- Creator
- Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Florida Atlantic University Departmental Dashboard Indicators. Department program reviews for Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University.
- Date Issued
- 2009-2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00007675
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- 2016-2017 Program Review Geosciences.
- Creator
- Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Florida Atlantic University Departmental Dashboard Indicators. Department program reviews for Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University.
- Date Issued
- 2016-2017
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00007717
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- 2015-2016 Program Review Geosciences.
- Creator
- Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Florida Atlantic University Departmental Dashboard Indicators. Department program reviews for Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University.
- Date Issued
- 2015-2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00007710
- 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
- 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
- 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
- CONTROLS ON ARSENIC CONCENTRATIONS IN GROUNDWATER AT A FORMER GOLF COURSE IN BOCA RATON, FLORIDA.
- Creator
- Watson, D.S. Monty, Root, Tara L., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Arsenic is a known carcinogen, but is persistent in the environment, remaining a popular pesticide. It represents a particular hazard to humans when it stays resident in shallow soils and groundwater. This study of contaminant hydrogeology examined conditions at a former golf course in Florida with known arsenic contamination, and included a detailed examination of existing assessment data for the study area, an experimental pumping test with groundwater sampling, examination of sediment...
Show moreArsenic is a known carcinogen, but is persistent in the environment, remaining a popular pesticide. It represents a particular hazard to humans when it stays resident in shallow soils and groundwater. This study of contaminant hydrogeology examined conditions at a former golf course in Florida with known arsenic contamination, and included a detailed examination of existing assessment data for the study area, an experimental pumping test with groundwater sampling, examination of sediment cores, and a preliminary geophysical investigation. The primary purpose was to determine what the existing controls are on As mobility. The primary findings were that redox conditions did have an effect on As concentrations. Groundwater in the study area is generally reducing, but during the pumping test was generally oxidizing. No potential As sources were definitively identified, and the most likely source remains anthropogenic, but interactive conditions with Fe, Mn, NO3-N, and S remain nebulous.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013574
- Subject Headings
- Hydrogeology--Florida, Boca Raton (Fla), Groundwater--Arsenic content, Arsenic--Analysis
- 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
- 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
- Deep-Water Biogenic Sediment off the Coast of Florida.
- Creator
- Zuccarelli, Claudio L., Oleinik, Anton E., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Biogenic “oozes” are pelagic sediments that are composed of > 30% carbonate microfossils and are estimated to cover about 50% of the ocean floor, which accounts for about 67% of calcium carbonate in oceanic surface sediments worldwide. These deposits exhibit diverse assemblages of planktonic microfossils and contribute significantly to the overall sediment supply and function of Florida’s deep-water regions. However, the composition and distribution of biogenic sediment deposits along these...
Show moreBiogenic “oozes” are pelagic sediments that are composed of > 30% carbonate microfossils and are estimated to cover about 50% of the ocean floor, which accounts for about 67% of calcium carbonate in oceanic surface sediments worldwide. These deposits exhibit diverse assemblages of planktonic microfossils and contribute significantly to the overall sediment supply and function of Florida’s deep-water regions. However, the composition and distribution of biogenic sediment deposits along these regions remains poorly documented. Seafloor surface sediments have been collected in situ via Johnson- Sea-Link I submersible along four of Florida’s deep-water regions during a joint research cruise between Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) and Florida Atlantic University (FAU). Sedimentological analyses of the taxonomy, species diversity, and sedimentation dynamics reveal a complex interconnected development system of Florida’s deep-water habitats. Results disclose characteristic microfossil assemblages of planktonic foraminiferal ooze off the South West Florida Shelf, a foraminiferal-pteropod ooze through the Straits of Florida, and pteropod ooze deposits off Florida’s east coast. The distribution of the biogenic ooze deposits is attributed to factors such as oceanographic surface production, surface and bottom currents, off-bank transport, and deep-water sediment drifts. The application of micropaleontology, sedimentology, and oceanography facilitate in characterizing the sediment supply to Florida’s deep-water regions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004857
- Subject Headings
- Marine sediments., Sediment transport., Deep-sea ecology., Ecosystem management., Micropaleontology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Establishing Spatiotemporal Linkages Between Hydrological and Soil Physical Characteristics and Vegetation on an Ecological Preserve: Boca Raton, FL.
- Creator
- Leung, Tania, Root, Tara L., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
In recent decades, ecohydrology has received renewed attention because of the impacts of groundwater withdrawal on ecosystems. Growing population and urban expansion in Palm Beach County, FL. place pressure to eradicate natural areas, such as Florida scrub habitats, and increase groundwater withdrawal. This study presents preliminary results of soil and hydrological characterization of an ecological preserve surrounded by changing land use. Soil moisture and water levels were monitored to...
Show moreIn recent decades, ecohydrology has received renewed attention because of the impacts of groundwater withdrawal on ecosystems. Growing population and urban expansion in Palm Beach County, FL. place pressure to eradicate natural areas, such as Florida scrub habitats, and increase groundwater withdrawal. This study presents preliminary results of soil and hydrological characterization of an ecological preserve surrounded by changing land use. Soil moisture and water levels were monitored to assess the effects of precipitation as influenced by plants and soil analysis determined the suitability of current soil conditions for hosting native vegetation habitats. Hydrologic and soil conditions on the preserve fall within values expected for native Florida scrub habitats. Hydrologic response to precipitation varied due to factors including antecedent conditions and vegetation types. These results provide a better understanding of the interactions between soil proper ties, hydrologic cycle, and plants, and assist with establishing a baseline to monitor changes over time.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004516
- Subject Headings
- Ecosystem management, Environmental geography -- Florida -- Boca Raton, Hydrodynamics, Wetland conservation -- Florida -- Boca Raton
- 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.
Show less - 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
- EVALUATION OF LOCAL OFFSHORE SEDIMENTS FOR COASTAL RESTORATION PROJECTS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL, USA.
- Creator
- Palaparthi, Jyothirmayi, Briggs, Tiffany Roberts, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Open-coast beach-dune environments are vulnerable to erosion, such as from storms or interruption of littoral drift. Although protected from event-driven wave energy, backbarrier shorelines are also susceptible to erosion, due to tidal currents and boat wakes. A common response to mitigate erosion is to place sediment and restore the environment. For placement on beaches, a significant effort has been made to identify offshore resources available; however, offshore resources have seldom been...
Show moreOpen-coast beach-dune environments are vulnerable to erosion, such as from storms or interruption of littoral drift. Although protected from event-driven wave energy, backbarrier shorelines are also susceptible to erosion, due to tidal currents and boat wakes. A common response to mitigate erosion is to place sediment and restore the environment. For placement on beaches, a significant effort has been made to identify offshore resources available; however, offshore resources have seldom been considered for dune or backbarrier shoreline restoration. This study evaluates the geotechnical sediment properties of offshore sediments in proven borrow areas for beach nourishment and reclassifies them for placement in dunes and along the backbarrier in Palm Beach County, Florida. Two different methods calculate volume of offshore resources available for dune or backbarrier projects, including numerical calculations and interpolation of volume through SURFER. Because existing proven borrow areas are delineated for beach nourishment, less volume of sediment available in these areas for other coastal environments. The results of this study suggest that identifying offshore sediment sources for lower-energy environments would not adversely impact sediment needed for beach nourishment. As coastal environments are increasingly threatened by climate change and sea level rise, sediment resources become scarcer, the need to efficiently and effectively use sediments will be of utmost importance for scientists, engineers, and managers in their efforts to protect coastal habitat and communities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013337
- Subject Headings
- Sedimentation and deposition, Coastal erosion, Palm Beach County (Fla ), Sediments (Geology)--Analysis, Dunes, Coastal restoration
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Examining the Relationships Between Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Drinking Water Quality: Identifying Inequities in Palm Beach County, Florida.
- Creator
- Weisner, Meagan L., Root, Tara L., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Water treatment facilities across the United States are known for providing high-quality drinking water to their residents. However, differences in treatment methods, aging infrastructure, and outdated household plumbing may affect the quality of drinking water by the time it reaches the consumer’s tap. Palm Beach County, Florida, is an area with large socioeconomic contrasts where some families live in dilapidated structures and others reside in luxurious, gated communities. This research...
Show moreWater treatment facilities across the United States are known for providing high-quality drinking water to their residents. However, differences in treatment methods, aging infrastructure, and outdated household plumbing may affect the quality of drinking water by the time it reaches the consumer’s tap. Palm Beach County, Florida, is an area with large socioeconomic contrasts where some families live in dilapidated structures and others reside in luxurious, gated communities. This research highlights the variation of household water quality by determining metal concentrations in tap water samples in communities of different socioeconomic status. In addition, interviews were conducted with personnel from five different Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) in the study area to understand the relationship between customers and their water utility. Results indicate that effective communication strategies are needed to boost public trust and fill critical information gaps about the water treatment process. Ninety-six tap water samples were collected from households throughout eastern Palm Beach County and analyzed for different metals using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry. Surveys were also administered at the same households where tap water samples were collected. Residents were asked about their perceptions of tap water and social and economic questions regarding their household characteristics. A Socioeconomic Status (SES) index was created using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to understand how perceptions of tap water quality and concentrations of metals in household tap water vary based on SES. Results provide evidence that those living in the lowest-ranking SES neighborhoods are the least satisfied with their tap water quality and consume less tap water than those living in higher SES neighborhoods. Water quality results highlighted large variations in concentrations of aluminum (Al) and thus, analyses focused specifically on how Al concentrations varied according to SES. Results from Ordinary Least Squares regression show that as socioeconomic status decreases, the concentration of Al in tap water increases. Six samples exceed the State of Florida’s Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) for Al, and five of those samples were found in the lowest-ranking SES neighborhoods (SES 1 and 2). The results of this research provide evidence that inequities in household water quality exist across eastern Palm Beach County, Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013278
- Subject Headings
- Drinking water--Quality--Florida, Palm Beach County (Fla.), Socioeconomic status, Inequality
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Data Fusion of LiDAR and Aerial Imagery to Map the Campus of Florida Atlantic University.
- Creator
- Gamboa, Nicole, Zhang, Caiyun, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
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Reliable geographic intelligence is essential for urban areas; land-cover classification creates the data for urban spatial decision making. This research tested a methodology to create a land-cover map for the main campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. The accuracy of nine separate land-cover classification results were tested; the one with the highest accuracy was chosen for the final map. Object-based image segmentation was applied to fused and LiDAR point cloud ...
Show moreReliable geographic intelligence is essential for urban areas; land-cover classification creates the data for urban spatial decision making. This research tested a methodology to create a land-cover map for the main campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. The accuracy of nine separate land-cover classification results were tested; the one with the highest accuracy was chosen for the final map. Object-based image segmentation was applied to fused and LiDAR point cloud (elevation and intensity) data and aerial imagery. These were classified by Random Forest, k-Nearest Neighbor and Support Vector Machines classifiers. Shadow features were reclassified hierarchically in order to create a complete map. The Random Forest classifier used with the fused data set gave the highest overall accuracy at 82.3%, and a Kappa value at 0.77. When combined with the results from the shadow reclassification, the overall accuracy increased to 86.3% and the Kappa value improved to 0.82.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004595, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004595
- Subject Headings
- Spatial analysis (Statistics), Geographic information systems., Cartography--Remote sensing., Thematic maps., Geospatial data--Mathematical models., Criminal justice, Administration of., African Americans, Violence against.
- Format
- Document (PDF)