Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
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Item Effect of hydrology on habitat area in an inland wetland upstream discharge vs extent of greeness in the okavango delta, botswana(Montana State University, 2020) Lenehan, Timothy DW; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Paul HookThe annual flood cycle in Botswana's Okavango Delta is a critical factor in the biodiversity and extensive populations of charismatic wildlife, which sustain a thriving tourism industry. Floodwater originates as precipitation hundreds of kilometers away and is subject to natural losses and human diversion in Angola and Namibia before reaching the Delta. However, increasing populations and corresponding agriculture and industry in these countries has put increased pressure on the Delta's limited water resources, necessitating a clear understanding of how streamflow influences ecosystem processes and services. Therefore, I conducted a multi-year analysis of streamflow data from gauges near the upstream entrance and downstream exit of the Delta combined with a remote sensing analysis of four subareas within the Delta to evaluate the relationship between stream flow, and visually evaluated extent of vegetation and normalized vegetation density index (NDVI). NDVI is a common quantitative measure for green vegetation coverage within a landscape which can also be used as an indicator for extent of habitat available to wildlife. NDVI was higher in years with high flows into and out of the delta than in years with low flows. NDVI is more strongly correlated to stream flow out of the Delta than to streamflow into the Delta, suggesting that water available for flooding is a key driver of green vegetative cover and therefore habitat availability for wildlife. My subjective evaluation of imagery found more consistent differences in vegetation extent between high, medium, and low flow years, suggesting that other approaches to quantitative image analysis might show stronger relationships between hydrology and habitat than NDVI.Item Microcomputer competencies for agribusiness in Billings, Montana, business area(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1985) Schaff, Gary Lawrence; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. Van ShelhamerItem Chapter 12 - Family Farmer Bankruptcy Act of 1986(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 1988) Watts, Tim Jason; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: M. Steve Stauber.In October of 1986 a new chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Act was enacted. Chapter 12 bankruptcy, referred to as the Family Farmer Bankruptcy Act, was enacted to alleviate some of the financial problems faced by agricultural producers. This study provides background information about bankruptcy, the history of bankruptcy, and of farmer bankruptcy, including the history of Chapter 12. After specifying the major legal constraints and requirements for a Chapter 12 bankruptcy plan, it was illustrated that Chapter 12 does not mitigate the major financial problems which occurred in Montana and associated regional agriculture. Specific instances wherein a Chapter 12 bankruptcy plan might be feasible were covered.