Matching Items (256)
Description
It is well known that deficiencies in key chemical elements (such as phosphorus, P) can reduce animal growth; however, recent empirical data have shown that high levels of dietary nutrients can also reduce animal growth. In ecological stoichiometry, this phenomenon is known as the "stoichiometric knife edge," but its underlying mechanisms are not well-known. Previous work has suggested that the crustacean zooplankter Daphnia reduces its feeding rates on phosphorus-rich food, causing low growth due to insufficient C (energy) intake. To test for this mechanism, feeding rates of Daphnia magna on algae (Scenedesmus acutus) differing in C:P ratio (P content) were determined. Overall, there was a significant difference among all treatments for feeding rate (p < 0.05) with generally higher feeding rates on P-rich algae. These data indicate that both high and low food C:P ratio do affect Daphnia feeding rate but are in contradiction with previous work that showed that P-rich food led to strong reductions in feeding rate. Additional experiments are needed to gain further insights.
ContributorsSchimpp, Sarah Ann (Author) / Elser, James (Thesis director) / Neuer, Susanne (Committee member) / Peace, Angela (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
This thesis addresses the conception and eventual execution of Walt Disney's model of the city of the future, one in which individuals would work, live and play. EPCOT, representing an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, was envisioned as a utopian and idealized society in a bubble. Aimed at eliminating the ills that plagued American society of the 1960s by returning individuals to community roots, complete with emerging technologies and innovations to improve lifestyles, EPCOT would take inspiration from unique urban planners and innovators. But EPCOT failed to materialize in its original form once Disney passed away on December 15, 1966. The massive city planning venture eventually evolved into a World's Fair-like theme park called Epcot Center, where the correlations between culture and technology would become blurred in this entertainment venue. The park's success stems from its ability to carry components of its community vision, but to appeal to visitors' interests in experiencing application of new technologies through exposure of other cultures and ideas. Technology and culture, while often interrelated, but sometimes at odds with one another, substantially account for Epcot's development over the past 50 years. This thesis not only reflects on Walt Disney's EPCOT the community, but also details how the Walt Disney World theme park has contended with addressing the dualistic relationship between technology and culture.
ContributorsNachman, Brett Ranon (Author) / Stewart, Pamela (Thesis director) / Dombrowski, Rosemarie (Committee member) / Kurtti, Jeff (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
Large quantities of sodic and alkaline bauxite residue are produced globally as a by-product from alumina refineries. Ecological stoichiometry of key elements [nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)] plays a critical role in establishing vegetation cover in bauxite residue sand (BRS). Here we examined how changes in soil chemical properties over time in rehabilitated sodic and alkaline BRS affected leaf N to P stoichiometry of native species used for rehabilitation. Both Ca and soil pH influenced the shifts in leaf N:P ratios of the study species as supported by consistently significant positive relationships (P < 0.001) between these soil indices and leaf N:P ratios. Shifts from N to P limitation were evident for N-fixing species, while N limitation was consistently experienced by non-N-fixing plant species. In older rehabilitated BRS embankments, soil and plant indices (Ca, Na, pH, EC, ESP and leaf N:P ratios) tended to align with those of the natural ecosystem, suggesting improved rehabilitation performance. These findings highlight that leaf N:P stoichiometry can effectively provide a meaningful assessment on understanding nutrient limitation and productivity of native species used for vegetating highly sodic and alkaline BRS, and is a crucial indicator for assessing ecological rehabilitation performance.
ContributorsGoloran, Johnvie B. (Author) / Chen, Chengrong (Author) / Phillips, Ian R. (Author) / Elser, James (Author) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2015-10-07
Description
Peoria, a city of about 171,000 residents in the northwest Valley, is recognized as one of Arizona's fastest growing cities. Peoria does not have a news source that engages millennials, despite the fact that adults ages 18 to 34 make up about 20% of Peoria's population. Thus, I created a digital news outlet with a complementary social media presence to target a millennial audience. Peoria Next covers news about Peoria that is either not currently covered by other news outlets or is covered in a different way. The goal of the website is to inform millennials of news and events in Peoria with a focus on topics millennials are interested in. The website receives 40 to 50 unique visitors and around 90 views every month, and Facebook insights show that 32% of the people reached by Peoria Next are in the target age range of 18 to 34. This paper discusses the process involved in creating a news outlet for millennials in Peoria with social media platforms as the main avenue for audience development. The first section discusses the role of local news in a community, using social media to engage the audience and how millennials receive and engage with news. The second section discusses how I developed the website and the overall results.
ContributorsRogers, Anya Bryn (Author) / Leonard, Christina (Thesis director) / Pucci, Jessica (Committee member) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
Examining whether or not a bias exists on individual shows on CNN, FOX News, and MSNBC by using content analysis. Each individual show following the third presidential debate was coded using content analysis, then that information was used to determine whether a bias existed on any of the shows and then whether or not a bias existed across the network as a whole.
ContributorsNelson, Roy Emil (Author) / Kenney, Patrick (Thesis director) / Woodall, Gina (Committee member) / Wells, David (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
This project aims to aggregate recent information on broadcast journalism curriculum and propose a website design to help educate broadcast students about the most-needed web skills in newsrooms. Television reporters must go beyond re-hashing their broadcast package and script on the station's website, and this includes knowledge of the best site design practices to house more in-depth content. The Grady Undergraduate Survey, as well as the opinions and experience of professionals today, show that web design and web writing skills are two of the most important skills a broadcast student can possess as they prepare to graduate and seek jobs.
ContributorsPorter, Caroline (Author) / Lodato, Mark (Thesis director) / Carpenter, Serena (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2012-12
ContributorsHeath, Chelsey (Author) / Goodman, Rebekka (Thesis director) / Gillmor, Dan (Committee member) / McGuire, Tim (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
Empathy is a characteristic fully developed and manifested in one creature: the human being. In February 2011, we saw the supercomputer, Watson, challenge highly intelligent human beings on Jeopardy. The human beings put up a brutal battle of wits but ultimately, the computer was declared victor. Scientists have made remarkable leaps when it comes to creating artificial intelligence. We have "smart" phones that sit in the palm of our hand and can do far more than what we expected of bulky desktops in the 90s.
ContributorsFidura, E. L. Monica (Author) / Knopf, Richard (Thesis director) / Sylvester, Edward (Committee member) / Rodriguez, Ariel (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
Organizations use news releases to promote coverage of its operations and enhance the image and issues pertinent to the organization. In most cases, the primary focus of press releases and news media coverage differs. This thesis analyzes the resonance between coverage by news organizations and the materials released by the organization. Analysis of coverage by the news media and the NBA illustrates the resonance and connections in coverage by all three organizations. It also shows how information regarding the NBA lockout released by the NBA and news outlets can be differentiated into unique issue arenas. These issue arenas can have influence on each other, while also allowing organizations to provide their own unique perspectives.
ContributorsEckert, Marshall (Author) / Gilpin, Dawn (Thesis director) / Matera, Fran (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
College-aged women are getting surgical and non-invasive cosmetic alterations at rates higher than ever before. Noticeably, many of these women are in sororities. No prior research has identified a definitive relationship between sorority women and cosmetic enhancements. The purpose of this research was to investigate why sorority women are increasingly getting cosmetic work done, particularly examining the influences behind those procedures. Research questions include: Is there a physical standard of beauty in sororities? If so, does this physical standard of beauty influence sorority women’s decisions to undergo cosmetic procedures? Possible benefits of this study include helping to educate people about how Greek life might play a role in influencing beauty standards among college-aged women, as well as providing insights to clinics about their marketing to college-aged women. An anonymous digital survey evaluating cosmetic procedures and physical standards of beauty was sent to every sorority at Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University to share with its members. In total, 15 chapters chose to participate, resulting in multiple-choice and text responses from 74 sorority women. Additionally, several interviews with sorority women and a local psychologist took place. The results revealed a clear demand and interest for cosmetic alterations, with almost half of respondents having already undergone at least one cosmetic procedure, yet it’s not so clear whether or not Greek life is really to blame for sorority women increasingly going under the knife. The study’s results were compiled into a report and a long-form, narrative reporting journalism article.
ContributorsRobinette, Ashlyn (Author) / Otjen, Kelly Vaughn (Thesis director) / Gatewood, Kira (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2023-05