Environmental Science

The use of machine learning (ML) algorithms to test effectiveness and expand applications in environmental engineering has become increasingly successful. ML algorithms have the advantage of being able to address nonlinear data successfully. Furthermore, environmental engineering has become increasingly data intensive, a challenge that has been met by rapid progress in the development of computational techniques for handling large data ... Read More

The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) have experienced extensive population decline across their range in the western United States and Canada due to habitat degradation and loss largely associated with land use change, including the development of clean-energy projects. Modeling the life history and habitat suitability of the species is a key tool in understanding how landscape changes could affect sage-grouse ... Read More

Environmental justice advocates for the fair distribution of environmental benefits and harms among communities. To determine whether environmental justice is being upheld in a specific geographic region, it is necessary to identify any disparities in the spatial distribution of environmental degradation. In this study we implement a web-based visualization method to evaluate the spatial distribution of environmental burden and vulnerability ... Read More

The Shinnery Oak (Quercus havardii) is an endangered short clonal deciduous shrub native to the Great Plains of North America. The species play a keystone role in its community, yet over one million acres of the Shinnery Oak have been eradicated. The species’ restoration is vital to biodiversity, the well-being of endangered species in the community, erosion control, and livestock ... Read More