Digital Commons Network^™

Does Invasion Science Encompass The Invaded Range? A Comparison Of The Geographies Of Invasion Science Versus Management In The U.S., Lara Munro

Masters Theses

Biases in invasion science lead to a taxonomic focus on plants, particularly a subset of well-studied plants, and a geographic focus on invasions in Europe and North America. Geographic biases could also cause some branches of invasion science to focus on a subset of environmental conditions in the invaded range, potentially leading to an incomplete understanding of the ecology and management of plant invasions. While broader, country-level geographic biases are well known, it is unclear whether these biases extend to a finer scale and thus affect research within the invaded range. This study assessed whether research sites for ten well-studied …

Crustal Evolution Of The New England Appalachians: The Rise And Fall Of A Long-Lived Orogenic Plateau, Ian Hillenbrand

Masters Theses

The rise and demise of mountain belts, caused by growth, modification, or removal of the continental lithosphere are fundamental processes that influence almost all Earth systems. Understanding the nature, timing, and significance of active processes in the creation and evolution of modern mountain belts is challenged by a lack of middle crustal and lower crustal exposures. Analogues can be found in ancient orogens, whose deeply eroded roots offer a window into deeper processes, yet this record is complicated by overprinting events and complex deformational histories. Research presented herein constrains the tectonic history of multistage Appalachian Orogen, type locality of the …

Magnetite Mineralization Of The Hammondville Pluton: Poly-Phase Kiruna Type Iocg Magnetite-Apatite Deposits In The Lyon Mountain Granite, Phillip Geer

Masters Theses

Recent mapping of the Eagle Lake Quadrangle, NY, coupled with whole-rock geochemistry and microscopy has offered insight into the petrogenesis of the magnetite-apatite deposits of the Hammondville mining district in the eastern Adirondack Mountains. This study provides insight into the magmatic history of the ca. 1060-1050 Ma Lyon Mountain Granite (Hammondville Pluton) which is intimately related to, and hosts the deposits in this area. Magnetite seams are commonly surrounded by well layered magnetite gneiss, which typically parallel the seams, although in some outcrops appear to be slightly truncated by them. Mineralization is generally concordant with the weak layering found throughout …

Enforcing Higher Standards For Flood Hazard Mitigation In Vermont, Tamsin Flanders

Masters Theses

The state of Vermont faces increasing risk of costly damage from catastrophic flooding events as climate change increases the frequency of heavy rains and cumulative precipitation. In addition to increasing flood inundation risk, extreme precipitation events are leading to high rates damage from fluvial erosion—erosion caused by the force of floodwater and the materials it carries. As in all U.S. states, flood hazard governance in Vermont is shared by multiple levels of government and involves a complex compliance model that relies on local governments to regulate private property owners to achieve community, state, or federal goals.

To encourage municipalities to …

Agricultural Irrigation Induced Evaporation In A Temperate Study Area: A Stable Isotope Approach, Lincoln Grevengoed

Masters Theses

In regions where groundwater is used for irrigation, significant water losses take place due to evaporation. Previous studies demonstrated the utility of stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in estimating evaporative water loss experienced during return flow back to an aquifer. Unlike arid regions where the other studies took place, this study examined the region around Kalamazoo, Michigan, the United States, which experiences a more temperate climate. Irrigation in the Kalamazoo area primarily uses center-pivot systems supplied by wells, unlike flood irrigation in previous study areas. Water samples were taken periodically from wells close to center-pivot irrigation systems. Water losses due …

Electron Microprobe In Situ Monazite Dating Of The Slide Lake Shear Zone, Jeremy Leierzapf

Masters Theses

The Colorado mineral belt (CMB) shear zone system records Proterozoic deformation episodes documenting the progressive tectonic accretion of Laurentia. Regional fold formation (D₁ & D₂) is coeval with the ca. 1700 – 1600 Ma Yavapai and Mazatzal orogenies, while Mesoproterozoic sub-vertical shear zones (D₃ & D₄) are a response to 1450 – 1300 Ma intracontinental deformation. The Slide Lake shear zone (SLSZ) is a sub-horizontal shear zone located in the Northern Sawatch Range, central Colorado. Aside from its orientation, the SLSZ records similar deformational structures to other shear zones in the CMB, but there …

Carbon Metabolism In Cave Subaerial Biofilms, Victoria E. Frazier

Masters Theses

Subaerial biofilms (SABs) grow at the interface between the atmosphere and rock surfaces in terrestrial and subterranean environments around the world. Multi-colored SABs colonizing relatively dry and nutrient-limited cave surfaces are known to contain microbes putatively involved in chemolithoautotrophic processes using inorganic carbon like carbon dioxide (CO₂) or methane (CH₄). However, the importance of CO₂ and CH₄ to SAB biomass production has not been quantified, the environmental conditions influencing biomass production and diversity have not been thoroughly evaluated, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions have yet to be determined from epigenic cave SABs. …

Late Paleozoic Ophiuroid Biodiversity Based On A Diverse Fauna From The Indian Springs Shale Member Of The Big Clifty Formation, Sulphur, Indiana, Usa, Nicholas Scott Smith

Masters Theses

Ophiuroids (brittle stars and basket stars) are a diverse echinoderm group (i.e. star fish, sea urchins, and sea lilies) found in almost all marine environments and often major components of seafloor communities. Originating in the early to middle Devonian, the group quickly diversified and is today the most species rich echinoderm clade. Unfortunately, our knowledge of their diversity and evolutionary pathways during the Late Paleozoic has been understudied leaving a large gap in our understanding of their true biodiversity. This can be attributed to study methods and a poor understanding of Paleozoic ophiuroid skeletal morphology. Ophiuroid skeletons are composed of …

Experimental Study Of The Alteration Of Basalt On The Surface Of Venus, Hannah Teffeteller

Masters Theses

Venus is the second planet from the sun, distinguished by its thick atmosphere which prevents visible observations of the surface. Our understanding of its surface is therefore dominated by surface interactions with electromagnetic radiation (e.g. radar, visible-to-infrared, and X-ray wavelengths) which have been collected by a series of missions including the Soviet’s Venera missions, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Magellan mission, and the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Venus Express orbiter (Barsukov et al. 1982; Head et al. 1992; Smrekar et al. 2010). The atmosphere of Venus is composed almost entirely (~97%) of CO2 gas with trace amounts of …

Influence Of Living Plant Roots And Mycorrhizal Hyphae On Soil Hydraulic Properties, Katelyn M. Marcacci

Masters Theses

The interrelationships between vegetation, soil, and water are fundamental in evaluating the projected impacts of global climate change. Many predictive models require soil hydraulic parameters as inputs. As most hydraulic parameter datasets are for repacked soil, the influence of vegetation on hydraulic parameters is not thoroughly understood. Living roots and mycorrhizal fungi cause physicochemical alterations in soils. Quantifying how vegetation influences soil hydraulic parameters is necessary to more accurately simulate soil water dynamics in climate models.

Laboratory experiments were conducted to test if the presence of roots and roots inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi have a significant effect on the saturated …

High-Resolution Timeseries Analysis Of Dynamic Geochemistry: A 27-Well Survey Of Contaminated Groundwater Downstream Of The Former S-3 Ponds, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Emma Dixon

Masters Theses

Spatiotemporal variability of geochemistry of contaminated groundwater has large implications on overall water quality and ability to respond to remedial applications. Gaining knowledge of how geochemistry changes over time in an area can help establish response trends to changing external conditions like weather and level of contamination. In this study, a spatiotemporal survey was performed on 27 wells at the Y-12 Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This was completed to measure diurnal fluxes in geochemistry from seasonal changes and extreme weather conditions in three areas of historically different contamination levels from a single point contamination source. Measurements were gathered over …

Plio-Pleistocene Paleoceonography Of The Ross Sea, Antarctica Based On Foraminifera From Iodp Sites U1523, U1522, And U1521, Julia Seidenstein

Masters Theses

The West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is currently thinning and retreating because shifting oceanic currents are transporting warmer waters to the ice margin, which could lead to a collapse of the ice sheet and global sea level rise. International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 374 sailed to the Ross Sea in 2018 to study the history of the WAIS over the last 20 million years. Previous geologic drilling projects into Ross Sea sediments that record the history of the WAIS (DSDP Leg 28, RISP, MSSTS, Cape Roberts Drilling Project, ANDRILL), as well as modeling studies, show considerable variability of ice-sheet …

Processes, Patterns, And Predictions Of Soil Moisture Variation In Upland And Peatland Cranberry Farms In Massachusetts, Rebecca Brennan

Masters Theses

The American Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) represents a vital sector of the economy of southeastern Massachusetts. Due to the hydrogeological and edaphic characteristics of peatlands, variations in soil drainage and soil moisture represent major management challenges for growers in Massachusetts. An emerging trend of upland (mineral soil) cranberry farms planted with new hybrid cultivars has the potential to enhance the profitability and long-term viability of cranberry production in Massachusetts. However, sparse data exist on soil moisture characteristics of peatland and upland cranberry farms. The purpose of this research was to elucidate the differences in soil moisture between upland and …

Seeing Through The Ottawan Overprint, Adirondack Mtns., Ny: Integrating Microstructural Analysis, Geothermobarometry, And In-Situ Monazite Petrochronology, Justin Mistikawy

Masters Theses

Integrating field observation with petrochronology is critical for understanding the tectonometamorphic evolution of the North American Grenville Province. Despite methodological advances in geothermobarometry and geochronology, incorporating these data into larger models of the Adirondack Mountains remains particularly challenging due to the presence of multiple generations of deformation, primarily related to the ca. 1190 – 1140 Ma Shawinigan and ca. 1090 – 1020 Ma Ottawan Orogenies (McLelland et al.,2013). The Rock and Bear Ponds area is a dome of tight-to-isoclinally folded metapelites in structural contact with orthogneiss. Fold generations are orthogonal and partitioned such that the northern area is dominated by …

Threshold Processes And Stream Temperature Distribution In A Small New England Headwater Stream Catchment., Mitchell Isaacson

Masters Theses

Rising air temperature and decreasing stream flow trends are predicted to result in corresponding increases in stream temperatures. As a result, the future of ectothermic stream fishes, which rely on seasonal and spatial distributions of stream temperature for growth and survival, could be in jeopardy. Fortunately, contradicting stream temperature trends in forested headwater catchments suggest that non-climatic variables, such as baseflow indices and catchment geologic structure, may have an important confounding influence on the future of stream temperature. Most significantly, the annual stability of groundwater temperature has long been recognized as an important buffer between air and stream temperature. The …

An Analysis Of Large Displacement Pneumatic Slug Tests For The Characterization Of Aquifer Parameters – Guidelines For An Alternative Field Procedure, Madison E. Wayt

Masters Theses

Variations in hydraulic conductivity (K) between larger scale aquifer tests and smaller scale slug tests, and within individual aquifer tests, have been linked to method bias and aquifer heterogeneity. The impacts of varying slug sizes on K, which represents K dependence on a smaller scale, is not as well understood. To examine the relationship between K and slug size, a series of slug tests with a range of initial displacements were performed in three intermediate to high K, unconfined aquifers encompassing homogeneous, mildly heterogeneous, and moderate to highly heterogeneous conditions. Slug test estimated K values at Asylum Lake are compared …

Field And Numerical Evaluation Of Nitrogen Transport From Septic Systems In Surfical Aquifer Systems To Charlotte Harbor, Florida, Tanten T. Buszka

Masters Theses

Shallow water tables in coastal surficial aquifers limit effective treatment of septic effluent which can result in excess nutrient loading into nearby surface water bodies. Approximately 45,000 septic systems in Charlotte County, Florida transmit effluent into an under studied surficial aquifer and contribute to harmful algal blooms and outbreaks of E. coli. An undeveloped field site was characterized using standard hydrogeologic methods, including a one-year duration natural gradient tracer test, to obtain representative lithology of the sandy surficial aquifer and estimates of groundwater velocity, flow directions, effective porosity and dispersion. These data were used to support the development of a …

Distribution And Variability In Sulfur Isotopes Within Paleoproterozoic Metasedimentary Strata Of The Michigamme Formation, Upper Peninsula, Michigan, Beau J. Haag

Masters Theses

In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the Paleoproterozoic Michigamme Formation is composed of a thick package of metasedimentary rocks derived from foreland basin sediments which were deposited during the 1.8Ga Penokean Orogeny. These rocks contain significant, but variable amounts of texturally distinct sulfide minerals such as pyrrhotite and pyrite. We report a systematic relationship between δ³⁴S values from sulfide mineral occurrences, and their stratigraphic locations regardless of texture and mineral composition. We suggest the sulfide minerals within the Michigamme Formation have inherited δ³⁴S values from early sedimentarydiagenetic sulfides, therefore preserving primary isotopic signatures. The observed stratigraphic …

Mineral Compositions Of Meteorite Samples Alha 77005, Nwa 7397, Nwa 5480, And Ausson: Implications For Geodynamic Processes On Their Parent Bodies And Meteorite Reclassification, Kaylin Agnata Tunnell

Masters Theses

“This study investigates the major, minor, and trace element compositions of minerals from a series of meteorites which represent different stages of planetary evolution including two sample from Mars (ALHA 77005 and NWA 7397), one sample from Vesta (NWA 5480), and one ordinary chondrite (Ausson). The goal of this study is to investigate if petrogenetic tracers commonly employed to understand terrestrial samples can also be applied to extraterrestrial samples. The data presented here show that mineral trace element data allow for novel insight into the magmatic history of meteorite samples. For example, V/Sc and Fe/Mn ratios in olivine provide insight …

Determining Variable Depth To Bedrock Using Ert And Masw: A Geophysical Investigation In St. Louis, Mo, Justin James Clinton

Masters Theses

“The research involves a geophysical study in the Maremec River Valley in St. Louis County, Missouri. The geophysical methods described in this paper can provide a relatively quick, inexpensive, and accurate means in investigating the lithologic characteristics of the subsurface. Method selection is ultimately dependent of the type of investigation and site-specific characteristics. In this investigation, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) data and Mutli-Channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) data were acquired to image the bedrock beneath the Maremec River to an approximate depth of 110 ft or an elevation of 300 ft for a proposed wastewater tunnel. Two overlapping dipole-dipole …

Aquatic Plants And Their Application To Successful Floating Treatment Wetlands, Katherine May Mazanec

Masters Theses

“This research aims to mitigate eutrophication of freshwater habitats affected by urban stormwater runoff. Two highly impacted urban ponds near the Missouri S&T campus in Rolla were the focus of this research on the application of floating treatment wetlands (FTWs). An FTW consists of a man-made floating mat that is planted with emergent or floating macrophytes. The plants grow on the mat and their roots extend into the water column below the mat. Plant tissues, especially roots in direct contact with the water, take up nutrients, act as biofilm growth sites, and may facilitate precipitation of nutrients. With urbanization, ponds …

The Role Of Tectonic Inheritance, Plate-Reorganization, And Magma Flare-Ups In The Evolution Of The Sevier Orogeny, J. Daniel Quick

Masters Theses

"The temporal and spatial distribution of strain associated with the Sevier Orogeny in western North America is significantly different in the southern end of the belt, at the latitude of Las Vegas, than further to the north at the latitude of Salt Lake City. Until this study, reasons for these differences were speculative as a lack of thrust kinematic data in the intervening region hindered along strike correlation across the belt. A crystallization age of 100.18 ± 14 0.04 Ma was determined for zircons extracted from a recently recognized ash fall tuff near the base of the synorogenic Iron Springs …

Strain Partitioning Across The Polochic-Motagua Fault System In Guatemala: Insight From Kinematic Modeling, Qiaoqi Sun

Masters Theses

”The Polochic-Motagua Fault System in Guatemala is the on-land segment of the sinistral transform plate boundary between the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. Three major seismically active strike-slip faults in this fault system pose significant earthquake threats to surrounding populated cities. The assessment of seismic hazard requires a better understanding of the kinematics of the fault system. GPS monitoring indicates that seventy-five percent of the ~20 mm/yr. plate motion is accommodated by the Motagua Fault and less than twenty-five percent is accommodated by the Polochic Fault. However, the Polochic Fault documents a lateral offset of ~132 ± 5 …