Wildlife has been critically affected by human-induced change and in some areas, species extinction may be as high as 35%. Despite the overwhelming evidence of species extinction, habitat loss, and global climate change, current public support for conservation programs is low. One potential way to promote pro-conservation behavior is through transformative experiences as outlined in Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory (TLT). TLT works to explain the process through which people create new worldviews that can influence both attitudes and behaviors. This mixed methods dissertation seeks to understand transformative experiences and their short-term consequences in the context of wildlife viewing opportunities. Three studies were conducted to: 1) explore the key components of wildlife experiences that prompt transformation; 2) compare transformative experiences and visitor outcomes across captive and natural wildlife viewing opportunities; and 3) understand the short-term impacts of a natural gorilla-based wildlife viewing opportunity. The first study used semi-structured photo elicitation interviews. These interviews uncovered three major themes that provide evidence of critical components for fostering transformation during wildlife encounters. These themes were used to create two novel scales assessing transformative wildlife experiences. The second study used onsite visitor surveys to compare TLT and visitor outcomes at the North Carolina Zoo and at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Conservation Gallery in Rwanda. Structural equation modeling showed that onsite transformation occurred at both sites and directly influenced conservation caring, which mediated the relationship between onsite transformation and species- and biodiversity-oriented behavioral intentions. The final study included a follow-up questionnaire for visitors from the gorilla trekking experience 4-months after their trek. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed three distinct levels of short-term response to the trek. Qualitative results from the follow-up questionnaire were also considered in the context of the three groups. Overall, this dissertation adds to the growing body of literature examining the transformative nature of wildlife experiences and contributes two novel scales that can be used in future studies. In addition, it adds to the limited onsite research examining terrestrial, African wildlife experiences. The theoretical and managerial implications for the findings from all three studies are discussed at length.

The heterogeneous nature of urban systems is a documented phenomenon that can potentially cause widespread changes in soil characteristics across urban habitat type. These differences in soil characteristics may be linked to hot spots within the city of greenhouse gas (N2O, CO2, CH4) emissions, which have the potential to affect global climate. The purpose of this study was to take an in depth look at how soil characteristics (i.e. soil moisture, organic matter, and inorganic nitrogen) vary across the urban Phoenix landscape and how these differing landscape characteristics can potentially create hot spots of greenhouse gas emissions. We measured greenhouse gas emissions and soil characteristics from ten different landscape types during the summer and fall of 2013 and included a wetting experiment to simulate flooding events in the desert. Using statistical analyses we found that all soil characteristics varied significantly based on both season and land-use type. In addition, land-use types could be clustered into recognizable groups based on their soil characteristics, with the presence of irrigation being a strong deciding factor in how the groups were arranged. However, N2O emissions did not vary significantly based on season, land-use type, or the presence of a wetting experiment. Patterns reinforce the heterogeneous nature of the Phoenix urban area and suggest that N2O emissions may not relate to soil characteristics and habitat designations (i.e. human land use) in the way that we originally predicted.