UNC-Chapel Hill Climate Change Resources // Carolina Digital Repository

Works (784)

581. Novel Colorimetric Technique for the Detection of Pathogenic Vibrio vulnificus

Title Tesim:: Novel Colorimetric Technique for the Detection of Pathogenic Vibrio vulnificus
Creator:: Lorentz, Alexandra
Date Created:: April 24, 2015
Date of publication:: spring 2015
Abstract Tesim:: Vibrio vulnificus infections are expected to continue to increase with climate change yet current detection methods are either too expensive for wide spread use or unable to distinguish between strains likely to cause disease and those that will not. This study investigates the use of serum and mannitol to develop a culture-based detection method for pathogenic strains. Two genes correlated with virulence were used as indicators of pathogenicity, vcg and pilF. The medium developed contains 30% serum and 70% mannitol broth, and has accuracies in detecting pathogenic strains of V. vulnificus as high as 74% when pilF is used as the indicator of pathogenicity.
Resource type:: Honors Thesis
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering
Award:: Highest Honors
Degree:: Bachelor of Science
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: 48185a64-1c9b-410e-9b08-abcf8ea5782c
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/wwcr-gh76
Extent:: 13
Keyword:: Vibrio vulnificus
Note:: Funding: None
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Noble, Rachel T. and Lorentz, Alexandra
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

582. Evaluating North American Mountain Snowpack Extent in Regional Climate Models Using MODIS Satellite Imagery

Title Tesim:: Evaluating North American Mountain Snowpack Extent in Regional Climate Models Using MODIS Satellite Imagery
Creator:: Lezine, Ekaterina
Date Created:: April 26, 2019
Date of publication:: April 2019
Abstract Tesim:: Mountain snowpack is a vital source of water for ecosystems, has a significant influence on the occurrence of wildfires, and provides water resources for billions of people globally. Despite the implications of climate change on mountain snowpack, we have few reliable ways of estimating global snowpack extent. In response to the lack of accurate methods of estimating mountain snowpack, Wrzesien et al. (2018) presented an estimate of snowpack extent for eleven North American mountain ranges using regional climate model (RCM) simulations. This research evaluates these model estimates using remote sensing imagery from the NASA Terra MODIS satellite instrument, providing further analysis of the usefulness of RCMs in estimating mountain snowpack. In comparison to MODIS, the RCM simulations generally perform well for most of the year for most ranges, though there is a trend towards spring overestimation of snow cover extent. Spatially, there is no clear trend in the performance of the RCM simulations. Further analysis using other remote sensing datasets could provide more insight into the ability of RCMs to accurately simulate mountain snowpack extent.
Resource type:: Honors Thesis
Academic Concentration:: Environmental Science
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Environmental Science
Award:: Honors
Degree:: Bachelor of Science
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: 2a2253c2-b158-4c09-8aeb-18f5e0ad0f4b
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/gasm-vm31
Graduation Year:: 2019
Keyword:: snow hydrology, remote sensing, mountain snowpack, snow modeling, snow, and North America
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Pavelsky, Tamlin and Lezine, Ekaterina

583. Taxes and Toxicity: Exploring the Feasibility and Political Landscape Surrounding a State-Level Carbon Initiative in North Carolina

Title Tesim:: Taxes and Toxicity: Exploring the Feasibility and Political Landscape Surrounding a State-Level Carbon Initiative in North Carolina
Creator:: Hennen, Emily
Date Created:: April 26, 2019
Date of publication:: April 2019
Abstract Tesim:: This paper specifically explores carbon tax at the state-level as a method to reduce carbon emissions, discussing its feasibility and political landscape within North Carolina. This is done through nine interviews with state politicians, environmental nonprofits, and experts in environmental policy. Each was asked their personal opinions on a state-level carbon tax, their thoughts on its feasibility, what tax revenue uses would be optimal, and who they felt would be key players in making such an initiative successful. “Toxic” is used by interview subjects in this paper not only to describe coal ash and greenhouse gas emissions, but also the political and economic structures directed at regulating these emissions. Interview results have shown that a conservative and revenue-neutral proposal is most likely to succeed in the state’s republican-majority General Assembly, but even that is highly unlikely, and activists are concerned with the disproportionate impact of such a tax on low-income families. Results found that key individuals would support a carbon tax, but agree such policy is unlikely to be successful in North Carolina in the near future and significant Republican support would be necessary in making one possible. It was found that while most Democratic legislators and environmental experts would prefer a carbon pricing system that addresses issues of environmental injustice, that is least likely to succeed. Instead, targeting renewable energy expansion and economic growth would be most approved by Republican lawmakers. Additionally, these Republican lawmakers would likely need to be the ones to present the initiative in order for ultimate success, which remains unlikely and would not address concerns of environmental injustice and energy inequality. This research can be utilized to provide insight for future efforts in pursuing state-level carbon pricing initiatives in North Carolina.
Resource type:: Honors Thesis
Academic Concentration:: Environmental Studies
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Environmental Studies
Award:: Honors
Degree:: Bachelor of Arts
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: a98046d6-c87e-4ce8-9040-0894e73cd8cb
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/jbxh-d870
Graduation Year:: 2019
Keyword:: NC policy, Environmental Policy, General Assembly, and Carbon Tax
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Hennen, Emily

584. The Mathematics of Sinking Through Sharply Stratified Liquids

Title Tesim:: The Mathematics of Sinking Through Sharply Stratified Liquids
Creator:: Bruney, Jacob Dylan
Date Created:: April 28, 2016
Date of publication:: spring 2016
Abstract Tesim:: Scientists have observed sharp stratification as a key process in the ocean's natural cycles, and more extensively, the Earth's. Sharp stratification is a known phenomenon in liquid dynamics that is still not well understood. This paper focuses on filling that void by observing the experimental behavior of particles that sink through multiple layers and mathematically analyzing it. Specifically, this paper will be utilizing a two-spheres, two-layer regime. Of crucial importance to this paper is the newly discovered phenomenon (by UNC graduates) of flow stagnant points induced by the stratification. This thesis is heavily built upon experiments, and is motivated by the uniting of this data to the mathematics that govern it. Ultimately, this thesis should act as a stepping stone for future work.
Resource type:: Honors Thesis
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Mathematics
Award:: Honors
Degree:: Bachelor of Science
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: 20d1383d-7eb4-4a90-a500-39473e883c5c
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/1qpa-zq93
Extent:: 124
Keyword:: Math, Global Warming, Spheres, Fluid, Model, Stratification, Mathematics, Aggregates, Reynolds, Terminal Velocity, and Fluids
Note:: Funding: None
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Camassa, Roberto and Bruney, Jacob Dylan
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

585. Effect of climate change on spring appearance dates in North Carolina butterflies

Title Tesim:: Effect of climate change on spring appearance dates in North Carolina butterflies
Creator:: Hamon, Laura
Date Created:: April 22, 2016
Date of publication:: spring 2016
Abstract Tesim:: Recent trends show that species are undergoing a widespread shift in the timing of life history events in accordance with global climate change. Butterflies typify this effect because they are ectothermic, and therefore sensitive to changes in temperature. Multiple studies indicate that spring appearance dates in butterflies have been occurring earlier with rising temperatures. However, these trends have not been extensively studied for the southeastern United States, a geographically diverse region that has experienced a less dramatic change in temperatures compared to that seen on a global scale. In this study, we examined changes in the date of first spring appearance between 1990 and 2014 for 65 butterfly species using a database of butterfly observations made in North Carolina. We also examined changes in the date of first appearance at the regional level by comparing the mountains, the Piedmont and the coastal regions for relative differences. Finally, we explored whether certain species-specific traits play a role in the relative changes of first flight date. Model averaging indicated that there was a trend of earlier first appearance dates over time, with an average advance of 0.6 days for each year and 3.8 days for each 1°C rise in mean temperature. There was no significant difference in the advancement of first flight date between North Carolina’s three main geographical regions. Overwintering stage and voltinism appear to be important factors for determining how North Carolina butterfly species shift their first flight dates in response to year and temperature. These results point to potential further significant shifts in butterfly arrival date as temperatures are projected to rise in the southeastern US, with possible repercussions for some butterfly species and their biological communities.
Resource type:: Honors Thesis
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Biology
Award:: Highest Honors
Degree:: Bachelor of Science
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: 97c47bb6-d776-479a-91c3-f93d99db7153
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/qre5-8x59
Extent:: 31
Keyword:: Lepidoptera, phenology, butterflies, and ecology
Note:: Funding: SURF, William W. and Ida W. Taylor Honors Mentored Research Fellowship
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Hurlbert, Allen and Hamon, Laura
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

586. Combined Spatial Analysis of Climate Change and Ethnic Conflict in Africa

Title Tesim:: Combined Spatial Analysis of Climate Change and Ethnic Conflict in Africa
Creator:: Irby, Paul
Date Created:: April 27, 2017
Date of publication:: spring 2017
Abstract Tesim:: Climate change is anticipated by many to impact nearly every aspect of society in some way in the coming century. A potential to jeopardize security, especially in underdeveloped countries, is a claim commonly accepted by intelligence and security organizations but hotly debated in a growing body of scholarly literature. This study builds upon spatial methodology used in previous studies, and attempts to bridge outcomes to environmental and social context in a sample of 10 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. The relationship between temperature change, precipitation variation from normal, ethnopolitical marginalization, and the existence of conflict was analyzed using disaggregated spatial and statistical methods, under the hypothesis that climate variation will correlate positively with conflict especially when it occurs in areas with marginalized people. The study finds some support for this hypothesis, indicating positive relationships with varying predictive strength among temperature and marginalization, but statistically insignificant results for precipitation. Logistic regression gave coefficients of 0.11 for temperature change (°C), and 0.31 for marginalization when conducted on the entire sample. The study finds that the impact of all independent variables varies dramatically based on geography, and more useful results are returned by dividing the area into geographically and climatically similar groupings. These results moderately support claims that climate change will increase conflicts due to temperature but not for precipitation, but stress the importance of localized analysis and the peril of oversimplification.
Resource type:: Honors Thesis
Academic Concentration:: Political Science
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Political Science
Award:: Honors
Degree:: Bachelor of Arts
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: 64d90944-0750-4641-b68a-4a576a4a37a7
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/j2c8-dm57
Graduation Year:: 2017
Keyword:: conflict, marginalization, Sub-Saharan Africa, spatial analysis, and climate change
Language Label:: English
Note:: Funding: None
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Crescenzi, Mark J. C. and Irby, Paul
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

587. Impact of Climate Anomalies on Food Security in Uganda

Title Tesim:: Impact of Climate Anomalies on Food Security in Uganda
Creator:: Munshi, Erika
Date Created:: April 28, 2018
Date of publication:: April 2018
Abstract Tesim:: There is widespread interest in the impact of climate variability on agriculture productivity, specifically in developing nations where crop revenue serves as the base of the local economy. Increased climate variability may have particularly negative consequences on the productivity of smallholder farms in East Africa where agriculture is primarily rain-fed. In this paper we analyze the impact of climate change on Ugandan households by linking CRU gridded climate data to self-reported food insecurity from the LSMS- ISA longitudinal household survey collected in Uganda. We also explore the relationship between climate variability and welfare, agriculture, and child health in order to provide context for the impact of climate variability on food insecurity.
Resource type:: Honors Thesis
Academic Concentration:: Environmental Studies
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Curriculum in Environment and Ecology
Award:: Honors
Degree:: Bachelor of Arts
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: 01cfcb3b-0068-4830-93a3-8ec0fbfe59bb
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/cj1t-n656
Graduation Year:: 2018
Keyword:: Uganda, climate change, agriculture, and food security
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Gray, Clark and Munshi, Erika
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

588. Climate Induced Migration Policies in Atoll Island States

Title Tesim:: Climate Induced Migration Policies in Atoll Island States
Creator:: Soare, Kiralina
Date Created:: April 25, 2019
Date of publication:: April 2019
Abstract Tesim:: The effects of climate change are expected to be some of the biggest drivers of migration in the 21st century. However, the international system has yet to create a systemic response plan. Instead, they have suggested that nations handle climate-induced migration through national and bilateral policies. It would be expected that the nations most vulnerable to climate change, due to either geography or a lack of resources, would be the first to create a nationwide response. By examining four atoll island states (Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Maldives, and the Marshall Islands), I hope to better understand whether national policies are an appropriate solution to climate-induced migration.
Resource type:: Honors Thesis
Academic Concentration:: Political Science
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Political Science
Award:: Honors
Degree:: Bachelor of Arts
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: d0b33d5c-65f3-4d6b-ae3d-c83138b433f0
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/1rdq-9a22
Graduation Year:: 2019
Keyword:: Atoll Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, The Marshall Islands, Environmental Migration, Climate-induced migration, Environmental Refugee, and Maldives
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Steiner, Niklaus and Soare, Kiralina

589. Novel Small Modular Reactors and Their Application Feasibility in Alaskan Cities

Title Tesim:: Novel Small Modular Reactors and Their Application Feasibility in Alaskan Cities
Creator:: Fan, Chengliang
Date Created:: April 28, 2017
Date of publication:: spring 2017
Abstract Tesim:: Nuclear power, using the energy from nuclear reactions to generate heat and electricity, first made its appearance in the 1940’s, and has been emerging as a major player in the world’s energy market since then. Currently, there are over 440 commercial nuclear power reactors operable in 31 countries and providing over 11% of the world’s electricity (1). Nuclear energy has its popularity, as it has been thought as a continuous and reliable baseload power with no carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions, in another word, a “clean energy.” It is also the most controversial energy source, with many arguments and concerns about its safety and social impacts. Current major nuclear power generating nations in the world include the United States, France, Russia, China and South Korea. Even though nuclear energy has been widely deployed, the forwardness of technology never ceased; innovative nuclear technologies are under development in many countries, some in cooperation with other nations. One of the newer technologies is in the development of small modular reactors (SMRs). Small Modular Reactors defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as reactors with a power rating lower than 300 MWe factory-built elements or modules designed for serial construction (2). It is a term that has not been brought up for a long time, though it is becoming a spotlight in the field of nuclear energy with soaring public attention in recent decades. SMR, for the most part, is an unmatured technology, other than on naval ships (2), that is still under development. This thesis will assess their projected efficacy in the 2030 timeframe (technical, environmental, social and economic). Further, their conceptual siting and use in two Alaskan cities, Fairbanks and Juneau, will be evaluated. These evaluations will be based on the anticipated best available (or soon to be available) fast SMR technology in 2030.
Resource type:: Honors Thesis
Academic Concentration:: Environmental Science
Affiliation Label Tesim:: College of Arts and Sciences and UNC Institute for the Environment
Award:: Honors
Degree:: Bachelor of Science
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: d4680b8b-f22f-48cf-8228-33d685ed8a46
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/k8ng-mv04
Graduation Year:: 2017
Keyword:: Small Modular Reactor, nuclear energy, feasibility, fast reactors, and Alaska
Language Label:: English
Note:: Funding: None
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: McNelis, David N. and Fan, Chengliang
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

590. Salinity Tolerance in Cyanobacteria and its Implications for Expansion into Estuaries

Title Tesim:: Salinity Tolerance in Cyanobacteria and its Implications for Expansion into Estuaries
Creator:: Tolar, Stephanie Marie
Date Created:: December 4, 2013
Date of publication:: spring 2014
Abstract Tesim:: Salinity tolerance in freshwater cyanobacteria is a pertinent issue for estuaries in an age of changing climate and increasing anthropogenic influence. As global temperatures rise, rainfall patterns shift, and ecosystem nutrient dynamics change, cyanobacteria are expanding their ranges and gaining dominance in phytoplankton communities in aquatic systems worldwide. Estuaries are important aquatic resources that have the potential to be greatly affected by climate change. Since estuaries are the interface of salt and fresh water, they have the ability to host freshwater and marine species at the extent of their ranges. This study examined the salt tolerance of two freshwater species of cyanobacteria to determine their potential for expansion in estuaries. The species studied were an Anabaena oscillarioides isolate and a Microcystis aeruginosa isolate. A. oscillarioides had a subsistence threshold of 10 g/L NaCl concentration, above which die-off occurred for both pulse (salt-shock) and gradual salt additions. M. aeruginosa exhibited a more nuanced response to salinity. With pulse salt additions, M. aeruginosa was unable to maintain positive growth rates above 2 g/L. With gradual salt additions, M. aeruginosa was able to maintain positive growth at 5 g/L, though showed a threshold at 10 g/L with a slight negative growth rate overall. These results demonstrate that Microcystis aeruginosa has the potential to adapt to higher salinities provided that exposure is gradual. With an even more gradual exposure to salt, M. aeruginosa could have the capacity to adapt to higher salinities. The results from these experiments show that freshwater cyanobacteria have the potential to proliferate at moderate salt concentrations found in estuaries, and that cyanobacterial communities have a high adaptive potential to deal with salt stress.
Resource type:: Honors Thesis
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Curriculum in Environment and Ecology
Award:: Highest Honors
Degree:: Bachelor of Science
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: b928204e-3980-40e0-a739-5a27adb4d5d1
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/55eg-8053
Extent:: 15
Keyword:: salt tolerance, Anabaena oscillarioides, Cyanobacteria, Microcystis aeruginosa, estuaries, and salinity
Note:: Funding: None
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Paerl, Hans W. and Tolar, Stephanie Marie
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

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