Human Impact On The Platte River

Growing up in a small fishing town afforded me the opportunity to see water in a far different perspective than most. Our waterways acted as food source and livelihood while providing a venue for recreation and aesthetic enjoyment. Because of this, a deep respect for water and environment gripped me at an early age. My fascination with water continued to flourish as I grew and watched my hometown battle both natural and man-made disasters. I actively participated in coastal recovery efforts after many hurricanes and even the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Truly sobering moments come when one is standing center-stage of a disaster realizing how something as seemingly endless as water becomes so quickly scarce. These firsthand experiences piqued my initial interest in water resources and conservation sparking many questions about spatio-temporal patterns in the realm of ecosystem services. These personal factors were a major influence on my decision to apply for enrollment in the Earth Sciences Department at the

The Everglades in South Florida, home of 36 such endangered species such as the American Crocodile and the Florida Panther, slowly continues to diminish. According to the website of the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA), the Everglades played “a crucial role in the lives of Florida’s human residents” (“Everglades”). Since the 1980s, the government established efforts to protect wildlife and vegetation. Organization groups continue planning on restoring the most well-known wetland on Florida soil. In other words, the development of urban communities and agriculture causes a mass increase in pollution and flood watches. The ongoing conservation of the Everglades preserves limited water quality, protect wildlife, and prevent urban development.

These great sceneries have the power to inspire a great many of people to conserve and protect the natural environment that Florida has to offer. These trees and waterways have a great potential, in that they have the ability to inspire the next generation of scientists and policy writers, simply because they enjoyed walking through the park during their childhoods. This is extremely important, as ecology directly involves how people interact with their environment based off of the knowledge and respect they have for it.

In our Change Project, we collected a sufficient amount of data and learned information on a endangered species, the Ridgway’s Rail. This environmental issue is not very well-known, which explains the lack of help and volunteering. In this service project, our Change group went to Don Edward and help improved the habit of Ridgway’s Rail. Throughout this project, we tried to spread awareness about endangered species and find ways we can enhance their surroundings. My Change group used this opportunity to not only help prevent the extinction of Ridgway’s Rails, but also to help other species that are living in the same habitat. In order to help the Rails, we tried to figure out the reason behind the destruction of the marsh. Through an experienced volunteer, June Smith, we learned that invasive plants are the culprit of the extinction of the Ridgway’s Rails.

I boarded the Amtrak the early morning of November 5th, 2016 from Davis, California to the Peytonia Slough Ecological Reserve (Peytonia Reserve) in Suisun, California. The trip to this brackish and saltwater reserve was to help me analyze the relationship between humans and wildlife in urban settings. Urban environments depend on the rehabilitation and protection of small natural areas like the Peytonia Reserve. At the Peytonia Reserve, both humans and native/non-native species live in cohabitation, which paints an accurate representation of reconciliation ecology. Humans use these natural areas, the Peytonia Reserve in this case, for recreational activities like hunting and fishing. This, in turn, benefits the wildlife that lives in the area because hunters and fishers want the environment to be well maintained in order to support their activities. I came up with the conclusion that even though humans have more to benefit from wildlife, wildlife also depends on humans to help protect and conserve their habitats.

All of the 3,350 miles of riverine habitat within the pallid sturgeon's range have been affected by man. Approximately 28% has been impounded, which has created unsuitable lake-like habitat; 51% has been channelized into deep, uniform channels; the remaining 21% is downstream of dams which have altered the river's hydrograph, temperature and turbidity. Commercial fishing and environmental contaminants may have also played a role in the pallid sturgeon's decline. The resultant changes to the Missouri River in the upper Great Plains from channelization prevent upstream migration. The reduced water flow rates and sediment loads have brought an end to the seasonal flooding of the flood plains in the region.

Ongoing attention to the Colorado River emphasizes its crucial role as the “lifeblood” that sustains millions of Americans across dozens of cities and countless farms in the American West. For the seven states that comprise the Colorado River Basin—Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming—the Colorado River has stimulated growth and opportunity for generations. Today it is as important as ever for leaders, residents and visitors to this beautiful and dynamic region of the country.

Invasive species are plants or animals that spread to a non-native ecosystem and cause harm to that area. Common characteristics of invasive species include their ability to permit a variety of conditions, produce lots of seeds or eggs, separate easily, has long growing period or quick reproduction time, and their new environment has comparable conditions to the original habitat. Invasive species most often have negative impacts when they are transported to another environment. A recent study done by the Center for Aquatic Conservation describes the effect some invasive species have. In various states of the U.S, it has been found that invasive species are costing more than “$200 million a year in losses to commercial

On April 6th 2013, our Biology II lab evaluated the health of two freshwater streams in the Denver area. Both creeks flow to the South Platte River but are situated in different environments (urban and suburban) which cause variance in biotic and abiotic indicators of stream health. The presence or absence of bioindicators is dependent on the water chemistry. Through the study of stream health, we can gain insight on the stress that humans cause to freshwater habitats. I think that Bear Creek is healthier than Cherry Creek because it is in a less urban environment and is less affected by human influences. If the

As a competitive rower, I have witnessed problems arising in our river. The overgrowth of duckweeds and the rising silt create a significant disadvantage for boats in the river’s western lanes. This is distressing both as a rower and as a Philadelphian because of our city’s reputation as an international crew center. I began to think about the science behind the problem. I am currently exploring the river’s biology, examining its currents, and testing its water quality. Through this comprehensive assessment of the river’s ecology, I hope to discover ways to address the issues, then begin cultivating community involvement and galvanizing our City’s leaders. Penn’s Bioremediation course presents the perfect opportunity for me to launch the next step and start pursuing one of my interests: environmental law. I intend to discover ways to restore the river and ensure fairer competition on the water. This undertaking will serve the entire rowing community, benefit all who enjoy the river’s beauty, and protect wildlife that call the river home. Additionally, I have delved into the mechanics of rowing. The research led me to develop an independent study course entitled “The Physics of Rowing” (outline

The Colorado River is one of the U.S physical features, and it has the most interesting facts that may change overtime, such as where it begins, how many states and people does the water reach, and the difficulty of others from it’s drought.

We live in an age where most environments on earth have been impacted by anthropogenic activities. Chapin III et al (2001) contend that, “humans have been a natural component of most ecosystems for thousands of years” (p. 14). Humans interact with the environment in many ways: landscape modification, agricultural activities, urbanization, urban sprawl, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, stormwater runoff, and so forth; these anthropogenic activities can have detrimental environmental results. Satellite imagery, aerial photographs, and digital data can be used to analyze how anthropogenic activities impact environments spatially and temporally. This study will investigate how land cover has changed in the D’Olive Creek Watershed, located in Baldwin County, Alabama via the use of geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing methods and technology. For the purpose of this study, “land cover” refers to how much of a region is covered by specified land and water types (e.g. forests, wetlands, impervious surfaces, and so forth).

These effects were seen when predation on the elk reduced the stress experienced by willow populations in riparian ecosystems. This reduction in stress allowed the willow populations to experience a slight increase in height and range (Wolf et al., 2007). This initial recovery in willow population allowed the beaver population to recover as well by providing food and materials for dam construction. The presence of dams in streams subsequently allowed for an increase in both water table height and deposition of sediment (Johnston et al., 2011). These two primary factors, coupled with other factors including the decrease in elk herbivory, allowed for an even greater increase in willow height and range. As beavers and willow populations benefited and grew because of each other’s growth, riparian ecosystems in Yellowstone experienced disturbance and hydrologic regimes similar to those found before the extirpation of the grey wolf (Bilyeu et al., 2008). When these riparian ecosystems attained such conditions, they inhabited a new state in which the biotic and abiotic interactions within Yellowstone National Park were once again in equilibrium (Wolf et al.,

Influence on ecosystems range from human causes like the bulldozing of a forest to natural causes like a fire or a flood.  In recent times, the introduction and spread of invasive species has transformed native communities rapidly and, in some cases, created irreversible damages.  In the Earth’s history, changes have often occurred in the ecosystems.  For example, glaciers and the retreat of glaciers cause wide-spread changes.  However, although change is a constant in ecosystems, animals and habitats often cannot adapt to the rapid alterations of non-natural stresses.  Harm to the environment from the introduction of invasive species occurs through changes in the habitat and declines in the native species.  Invasive species

The four major ways human are affecting other species are by soil pollution, water pollution, air pollution, and global warming and ozone layer depletion. Sadly to say that humans are the most polluting species. Humans have been around for a very long time and lived for much of it without causing much irreparable harm to the environment. But over exploitation and pollution have started affecting the environment negatively over the last few centuries. Also humans are affecting other species through the loss or degradation of habitat, introduction of nonnative species, over exploitation, and effects of pollution. These are the most serious threats that are identifying that put species at risk of