Firefly Digital Photography
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Local Environment Attachment and the Possibility of Using Citizen Science Approaches to Measure Firefly Populations in Time and Place DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Yang Xing Graduate Program in Environmental Science The Ohio State University 2012 Dissertation Committee: Professor Richard Moore, Advisor Professor Jeremy Bruskotter Professor Joe Kovach Copyright by Yang Xing 2011 Abstract While the number of conservation projects has increased domestically and worldwide, many environment education programs have failed to fulfill their goals of encouraging the citizens to actively adopt pro-environment behaviors. To investigate the potential correlation between people’s environment attachment and people’s tendency to perform pro-environment behaviors, a survey was conducted in the rural part of Wayne County, OH in 2009. The result of the survey research shows a significant correlation between people’s attachment to the natural environment and their tendency to participate in certain kinds of pro-environment behaviors. Such finding supplements the previous research on the relationship between place attachment and pro-environment behaviors. The survey results from my 2009 survey show that these local citizens tend to associate fireflies with good environment quality. A literature review yielded little evidence to support or reject such hypothesis. One major reason for the lack of research on the relationship between fireflies and the natural environment was because of the lack of suitable technology to monitor firefly activities in the field. I developed a new timed sequential digital photographic method to monitor firefly flashing activities in their natural habitats. Such method has potential for engaging citizens into environment education programs. I used this method to collect data on the West Badger Farm near ii Wooster, OH in 2009. The results showed that this method could capture the flashing activities of different firefly species and was sensitive to the changes of the flashing activities. The two species of fireflies I studied showed similar responses to climatic factors, but different responses to landscape types and farming practices. The data also suggested that these two firefly species were active at the same time during the night, contrary to previous studies that classified them into different active groups (“early- active” vs. “late-active”). iii Dedication This document is dedicated to the fireflies and the hope that they can be used as an indicator to improve environmental quality iv Acknowledgments Most of my appreciation goes to my advisor, Richard Moore. I could not make it to this point without his thorough support through all these years I have been in the Environmental Science Graduate Program. Maurea Al-khouri, the program administrative secretary, was helpful in arranging dates and rooms and keeping me up to date on deadlines. I thank my other dissertation committee members, Jeremy Bruskotter, and Joe Kovach. They helped me to form my dissertation’s topic and to conduct the research. Dr. Kovach’s help in being my advisor temporarily when my previous advisor retired was invaluable during the transition when my previous advisor retired. The committee, including the Graduate School representative Dr. Tim Rhodus, all gave invaluable advice on improving the structure and organization of chapters. Dr. Mary Beth Averill, my writing coach, helped me learn improved writing techniques and take the committee’s recommendations and transform my first dissertation draft into its present form. I thank Lois Grant (HCRD-OARDC) for helping me get all the information on supplies procurement for the research at OARDC and letting me use her office. I thank Deana Hudgins (HCRD-OARDC) for sharing with me the GIS data of the North Fork v Subwatershed area. I thank Dave McCartney (HCRD-OARDC) for helping me with the necessary equipment. I appreciate the help given to me by Deb Stinner and Bob Napier (Organic Food and Farming Education and Research Program-OARDC) on the West Badger Farm research and Matthew Mariola (OARDC) who taught me how to apply for the IRB approval. The Tokyo Genji Botaru Firefly Research Institute (東京ゲンジボタル研究所) shared their suggestions on how to take photographs of fireflies in the field. The following people assisted me in data collection at various stages of this study: Richard Moore (OSU-OARDC), Xiaoping Wei (ESGP-OARDC), OARDC Summer Intern Program students (alphabetically by surname: Brandon Beachy, Sydni Franks, Mandee Glsago, Chloe Schrock, Meggan Spencer, and Raina Workman). Many people have provided me with their experiences and knowledge on fireflies. Among others I thank James Lloyd (University of Florida), Lynn Faust (Great Smoky National Park), Creighton Freeman (Museum of biodiversity-OSU), and Andrew Moiseff (University of Connecticut), My sincere appreciation goes to my parents: Baochang Xing and Lanying Yang for the unconditional support they provided me all these years. I am also grateful to all my friends, for their personal assistance and support. vi Vita May 27, 1981……………………..Born-Beijing, China 2003………………………………B.S. Life Science, Peking University 2003 to 2005……………………...Graduate Research Associate Ohio State Biochemistry Program The Ohio State University 2005………………………………M.S. Biochemistry, The Ohio State University 2005 to 2007……………………...Graduate Teaching Associate Biology Program The Ohio State University 2007 to present……………………Graduate Research Associate Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center The Ohio State University Fields of Study Major Field: Environmental Science vii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... v Vita .................................................................................................................................... vii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. viii List of Tables ................................................................................................................... xiii List of Figures ................................................................................................................... xv CHAPTER 1 ...................................................................................................................... 1 FIREFLIES AND CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECTS, .................................................. 1 LINKING PEOPLE TO NATURE ................................................................................. 1 1.1. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 1.2. Logic behind the Structure of the Dissertation......................................................... 3 1.3. The Common Theme of Promoting Citizen-based Conservation Programs Using Fireflies as the Thread ..................................................................................................... 6 viii 1.3.1. Citizen science as means to promote conservation ......................................... 10 1.3.2. Research on fireflies as an ideal target for citizen science .............................. 22 CHAPTER 2 .................................................................................................................... 38 THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ATTACHMENT ON PEOPLE’S WILLINGNESS TO PERFORM PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR: ........... 38 A CASE STUDY IN THE RURAL COMMUNITY OF NORTH FORK SUBWATERSHED, WAYNE COUNTY, OH ............................................................. 38 2.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 38 2.1.1. The Challenge Faced by Conservation Programs ............................................ 39 2.1.2. Place Attachment ............................................................................................. 42 2.1.3. Community Attachment .................................................................................. 43 2.1.4. Attachment to the Environment ....................................................................... 45 2.1.5. Pro-environmental Behavior............................................................................ 48 2.1.6. Proposed Research ........................................................................................... 51 2.2. Method ................................................................................................................... 54 2.2.1. Description of Study Area ............................................................................... 55 2.2.2. Prior Similar Research Done in the Study Area .............................................. 56 2.2.3. Survey Instrument for This Study ................................................................... 59 ix 2.2.4. Data Collection ................................................................................................ 63 2.2.5. Data Analysis ..................................................................................................