Virginia journal of science最新文献

{"title":"Estimated 2020 CO2 Emission Reductions in Virginia’s Transportation Sector from COVID-19","authors":"Eden E Rakes, P. Grothe, J. Hoffman","doi":"10.25778/PPJC-W636","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/PPJC-W636","url":null,"abstract":"The initial lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic presented an unfortunate opportunity to observe how abrupt, large-scale changes in traffic volume can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This study explores how carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from Virginia’s transportation sector may have been affected by the changes in activity stemming from COVID-19 to inform more carbon-neutral policies as the state recovers from the economic downfall. Emission savings were calculated by multiplying the percent change from 2019 to 2020 in traffic volume from the Virginia Department of Transportation with the business-as-usual 2020 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimate of CO 2 emissions for Virginia’s transportation sector. We estimate Virginia’s 2020 COVID-19 transportation CO 2 emissions reduction is around 15.0% (14.2 to 15.7%), with reduced passenger vehicle traffic making up the bulk of the inferred reduction. This study highlights the utility of reimagining our current transportation sector as a way to implement sustainable, state-level carbon reduction policies, such as the Clean Car Standards.","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"10 1","pages":"2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82736281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Habitat Partitioning and Associated Morphological Differences Among Three Species of Catostomidae (Teleostei: Actinopterygii) in the South Fork Roanoke River, Virginia","authors":"Steven L. Powers, Dakota R Spruill","doi":"10.25778/CQ68-VZ76","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/CQ68-VZ76","url":null,"abstract":"The upper Roanoke River has 11 species of Catostomidae including Moxostoma ariommum, Bigeye Jumprock; Moxostoma cervinum, Blacktip Jumprock; and Thoburnia rhothoeca, Torrent Sucker . Resource partitioning appears to be a key component of maintaining diverse fish assemblages with habitat and food partitioning cited as especially important in communities containing members of the same family. The diets of these species have been documented in previous work revealing only modest differences among them. Snorkeling observations and subsequent quantification of microhabitat were conducted to illuminate habitat partitioning among these morphologically and ecologically similar species. Thoburnia rhothoeca inhabited the shallowest, fastest water, over the smallest substrate, and Moxostoma ariommum inhabited the deepest, slowest water, over the largest substrate, with M. cervinum intermediate for all habitat variables. In an effort to correlate morphological adaptations to these different microhabitats, 22 body measurements were included in a Principal Component Analysis revealing a bigger eye for M. ariommum and more fusiform bodies for T. rhothoeca and M. cervinum consistent with findings in other species inhabiting faster waters. Other correlations among morphology and microhabitat were less clear.","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"28 1","pages":"4"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75489955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Survey on Securing Personally Identifiable Information on Smartphones","authors":"Dar’rell Pope, Y. Hu, M. Hoppa","doi":"10.25778/C4F6-BM81","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/C4F6-BM81","url":null,"abstract":"With an ever-increasing footprint, already topping three billion devices, smartphones have become a huge cybersecurity concern. The portability of smartphones makes them convenient for users to access and store personally identifiable information (PII); this also makes them a popular target for hackers. This survey paper shares practical insights derived from analyzing 16 real-life case studies that exemplify: the vulnerabilities that leave smartphones open to cybersecurity attacks; the mechanisms and attack vectors typically used to steal PII from smartphones; the potential impact of PII breaches upon all parties involved; and recommended defenses to help prevent future PII losses. The contribution of this research is recommending proactive measures to dramatically decrease the frequency of PII loss involving smartphones.","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"26 1","pages":"2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86640124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing Microplastic Pollution in Four Mile Run, an Urban Stream in Northern Virginia","authors":"K. Moser, Tessa Naughton-Rockwell, Louisa Wang, Ethan Litmans, A. Manoogian","doi":"10.25778/GHVJ-GB62","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/GHVJ-GB62","url":null,"abstract":"Microplastics are pollutants of concern in waterways and oceans for their persistence and impact on aquatic life and food webs. This study demonstrates a low-cost land-based sampling method to assess the extent of microplastic pollution found in Four Mile Run, an urban stream in Northern Virginia. Microplastic particle counts in environmental and treated wastewater ranged from 0.01-0.24 particles L-1 (mean 0.08 particles L-1) and from 2 to 446 μg L-1 (mean 70 μg L-1), with fibers found to be the most common microplastic category. Treated wastewater effluent was found to be a significant source of microplastic pollution, though microplastics were also found upstream of any influence from wastewater or tide-borne materials. The sampling method proved effective for collecting and analyzing microplastic pollution, though the sample size of 100 L was deemed insufficient for reliable measurement of total mass of microplastics.","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"32 1","pages":"3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87951630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Central Administration of Agouti-Related Peptide Increases Food Intake in Japanese Quail","authors":"Tyler Lindskoog, M. Bohler, E. Gilbert, M. Cline","doi":"10.25778/AXFG-KD65","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/AXFG-KD65","url":null,"abstract":"Agouti-related peptide is a 132-amino acid peptide associated with stimulating food intake in birds and mammals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of AgRP in seven-day old Japanese quail. In Experiment 1, we tested 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 nmol AgRP and found no effect on food or water intake over a threehour period. In Experiment 2, we tested 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 nmol AgRP and found no effect on food or water intake over 24 hours. In Experiment 3, we tested 0.0625 and 0.125 nmol AgRP and found no effect on food intake over a 24-hour duration, but found an increase in water intake 900 minutes following injection. In Experiment 4, we found an increase in food and water intake 900 minutes following injection in quail which received 1.5, but not 3.0, nmol AgRP. In Experiment 5, we found that AgRP had no effect on behaviors other than food intake. These results suggest that AgRP might have a stimulatory effect on food intake in Japanese quail.","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"11 1","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86724102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of Planktothrix (Cyanobacteria) Blooms and Effects on the Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Community in the Non-Tidal Potomac River, USA","authors":"Josh Henesy, J. Wolny, John E. Mullican, DE Rosales, J. Pitula, J. Love","doi":"10.25778/QVA2-B268","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/QVA2-B268","url":null,"abstract":"Using transverse cross-sectional transects, a survey of 31 km of the non-tidal Potomac River was conducted from White’s Ferry, Virginia, to Brunswick, Maryland, USA, between June and September in 2013 through 2015 to assess a recurring benthic cyanobacteria bloom. Abundant benthic cyanobacteria blooms were detected during the 2014 and 2015 sampling seasons and the primary taxon was identified morphologically and molecularly as Planktothrix cf. isothrix . When present, P . cf. isothrix blooms were concentrated from river center to the Maryland shoreline. This pattern was correlated with significantly greater benthic chlorophyll- a and phycocyanin concentrations. In an apparent response to the P. cf. isothrix blooms in the study site, aquatic macroinvertebrate community assemblages were significantly different between areas with extensive benthic cyanobacterial growth compared to areas without cyanobacterial growth. Within the P. cf . isothrix mats, the percentage of pollution sensitive taxa was lower, and the percentage of pollution tolerant taxa was greater. These data suggest that P . cf. isothrix can act as an ecosystem disruptor through direct impacts to the aquatic macroinvertebrate abundance and community structure within this section of the freshwater, non-tidal Potomac River.","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"7 1","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83514740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rates of Relative Sea Level Rise Along the United States East Coast","authors":"Jesse N. Beckman, Joseph E. Garcia","doi":"10.25776/YFJR-AV28","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25776/YFJR-AV28","url":null,"abstract":"Recent studies have indicated that some coastal areas, including the East Coast of the United States, are experiencing higher rates of sea level rise than the global average. Rates of relative sea level rise are affected by changes in ocean dynamics, as well as by surface elevation fluctuations due to local land subsidence or uplift. In this study, we derived long-term trends in annual mean relative sea level using tide gauge data obtained from the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level for stations along the United States East Coast. Stations were grouped by location into the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast regions of the United States East Coast, with the intent of investigating relative sea level rise variability between the three regions. Trends for each region were calculated using stations with a minimum record length of at least 30 years; the longest record began in 1856. Records that were less than 70 percent complete were rejected. For the three-year moving averages, Northeast trends were calculated to be 2.79 mm/yr, Mid-Atlantic trends were calculated to be 4.02 mm/yr, and Southeast trends were calculated to be 2.92 mm/yr. For the five-year moving averages, Northeast trends were calculated to be 2.81 mm/yr, Mid-Atlantic trends were calculated to be 4.04 mm/yr, and Southeast trends were calculated to be 2.91 mm/yr. The Mid-Atlantic region of the United States East Coast was determined to be experiencing significantly higher rates of relative sea level rise than the other regions.","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"15 1","pages":"3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83647955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detecting Change: Observations of Temperature and Precipitation Across Virginia’s Climate Divisions","authors":"J. Hoffman, M. Allen, Christopher F. Labosier","doi":"10.25778/eq3r-pv57","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/eq3r-pv57","url":null,"abstract":"Modern global climate change is primarily attributable to human activities and the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Climate change impacts span a range of sectors, including agriculture, forestry, public health, and water resource management. The Commonwealth of Virginia has already and will continue to deal with many of these impacts, yet lacks concentrated effort to detect, document, and adapt to local climate changes. This study documents observed changes in temperature and precipitation across Virginia’s six climate divisions. Mean seasonal anomalies of minimum temperature, maximum temperature, and precipitation from 1986 to 2016 are examined relative to a long-term 1895-2000 baseline. Additionally, the study assesses and reports fullrecord (1895-2016) trends for each climate division. Results demonstrate warming across all climate divisions in Virginia, particularly during the winter season (December, January, and February). Precipitation changes vary across the Commonwealth and seasons. Drying conditions, particularly in the Eastern and Western Piedmont, are noteworthy during the summer, while wetter conditions prevail in the spring and autumn. Former Governor Kaine’s 2008 Climate Action Plan and subsequent 2016 update by Governor McAuliffe’s administration called for a Virginia climate information clearinghouse where the public and decision-makers could efficiently access valuable weather and climate information. This paper represents a first step in this yet unrealized plan. INTRODUCTION Observed warming of the climate system since the mid-20th century is indisputable and has been shown to be driven dominantly by human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases from the combustion of fossil fuels (IPCC, 2014; USGCRP, 2018). Numerous observable impacts relevant to human experience are already underway, including those related to public health (Watts et al., 2018), reductions Virginia Journal of Science Volume 70, Issue 1 & 2 Spring & Summer 2019 doi: 10.25778/eq3r-pv57 Note: This manuscript has been accepted for publication, and is online ahead of print. It will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Virginia Journal of Science, Vol. 70, No. 1, 2019 https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/vjs/vol70/iss1 2 in crop yields (Zhao et al., 2017), diminished benefits to humans from natural ecosystems (Nelson et al., 2013), sea level rise (Boon et al., 2018), global changes in plant and animal phenology (Buitenwerf et al., 2015), and increased risk of heat waves (Mora et al., 2017). Many of these impacts are generally expected to worsen and/or intensify into the future under emissions scenarios with large anthropogenic inputs of heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide and methane (USGCRP, 2018). Much of the climate change and resilience conversation in Virginia, however, has generally relied on data such as central estimates of end-of-century (~2100) conditio","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"2 1","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84611046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stream Assessment on the Impact of Agricultural Activity in the Dry River, VA","authors":"H. Anderson, N. Bickford","doi":"10.25778/XY9N-PF91","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/XY9N-PF91","url":null,"abstract":"Stream bioassessments using macroinvertebrate population dynamics is a technique that determines water quality in natural aquatic environments based on the taxa found at the site. The aim of this study is to determine if agricultural activity in Rockingham County, VA has an impact on water quality in Dry River. Stream quality was evaluated by sampling and identifying macroinvertebrate taxa at various sites above and below disturbances. Each macroinvertebrate was ranked from 1-10 based on pollution tolerance or intolerance using the Biological Monitoring Working Party Index. The results in this study indicate that agricultural activity does impact the water quality in Dry River in Virginia. Keyword: macroinvertebrates, agriculture, pollution, Dry River, stream quality INTRODUCTION The Dry River begins in the George Washington National Forest and flows through the Shenandoah Valley in Southwest Virginia. It is home of many aquatic and terrestrial organisms including fish and bird species that use the Dry River habitat. Dry River provides a great trout fishery in Virginia and holds rainbow, brown, and brook trout (Authors personal observations). The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries stock various locations throughout Dry River (VDGIF stocking website) to facilitate this recreational fishery. Migrating birds also use Dry River Valley. Therefore, Dry River becomes a recreational opportunity that adds ecotourism opportunities that create revenue for the small towns and cities that run its length. Rockingham County, which Dry River flows through, is the leading poultry-producing county in Virginia (Bosch and Napit 1992). Along with poultry production in Virginia, Rockingham County is the leading producer of corn silage, dairy cattle, hay, alfalfa, and ranks the highest in farm income (Pease and Kenyon, 1992). The high percentage of land use in agriculture that surrounds the Dry River could affect water quality and environmental integrity. Virginia Journal of Science Volume 70, Issue 3 Fall 2019 doi: 10.25778/xy9n-pf91 Note: This manuscript has been accepted for publication and is online ahead of print. It will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Virginia Journal of Science, Vol. 70, No. 3, 2019 https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/vjs/vol70/iss3 Stream Assessment in the Dry River, VA 2 In the last 40 years, antipollution laws have reduced discharge of point source pollution of toxic substances into freshwater (Howarth et al., 2000). However, less effort has been made to restrict non-point source pollution of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) that enter freshwater from agricultural and urban runoff (Howarth et al., 2000). Agriculture can affect aquatic ecosystems through the run-off of fertilizers, manure, and pesticide applications (Pease and Kenyon, 1992). Livestock can overgraze riparian areas, creating a loss of stability to streambanks, which causes soil erosion, and ov","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"55 1","pages":"2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78818389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pollinator Visitation Frequency Associated with Native and Non-native Plants in a Mid-Atlantic Piedmont (USA) Urban Garden","authors":"N. Ruppel, S. M. Riley, Ellis D. Mumford, Barbara L. Swedo","doi":"10.25778/tbgs-f474","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/tbgs-f474","url":null,"abstract":"The recent focus on the importance of native plants and their pollinators has highlighted the critical role of local species in their natural environment. As urban encroachment, climate change, and invasive species continues to threaten native habitats, it is increasingly important to promote the use of local green spaces as refugia for native plants and their pollinators. The aim of this project, therefore, was to identify and assess the visitation frequency of insect pollinators associated with an urban setting within the Piedmont region of Virginia, and compare their association with native versus closely-related but non-native summerflowering plants. Several modes of insect examination were used to assess these metrics in the Brian Wesley Moores Native Plant Garden on the campus of Randolph-Macon College. We observed an overall preference for the native species on a total of four native:non-native pair comparisons, including a higher number of total insect visitors and a more diverse assortment of pollinator types. Our data supports the notion that native plant species should be prioritized in urban green spaces, as it provides the appropriate flora to support ecosystem balance in a setting threatened by human activities.","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"221 1","pages":"5"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77527779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}