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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
The Influence Of Landforms And Sampling Approaches On Riparian Buffer Area And Complexity, Houjun Ding
The Influence Of Landforms And Sampling Approaches On Riparian Buffer Area And Complexity, Houjun Ding
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
A riparian area is a zone of interaction between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Delineating accurate riparian management zones (RMZs), often utilized in Best Management Practices (BMPs) for wetlands and stream protection, is important. The Riparian Buffer Delineation Model (RBDM) has been used extensively for accurate RMZs delineation. Utilizing the validated RBDM generates additional questions about riparian area form and function, which will ideally lead to an improved understanding of the ecological process within these zones. This study aims to determine how geomorphic landforms and their associated landscape characteristics influence riparian areas in terms of shape and complexity, whether sampling methods …
Characterization Of Ecological Water Stress In The U.S. Great Lakes Region Using A Geospatial Modeling Approach, Sara Alian
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Anthropocentric water resources management affects aquatic habitats by changing streamflow regime. Understanding the impacts of water withdrawal from different sources and consumption by various economic sectors at different spatial and temporal scales is key to characterizing ecologically harmful streamflow disturbances. To this end, we developed a generic, integrative framework to characterize catchment scale water stress at annual and monthly time scales. The framework accounts for spatially cumulative consumptive and non-consumptive use impacts and associated changes in flow due to depletion and return flow along the stream network. Application of the framework to the U.S. Great Lakes Region indicates that a …
Beyond Roots Alone: Novel Methodologies For Analyzing Complex Soil And Minirhizotron Imagery Using Image Processing And Gis Tools, Justina A. Silva
Beyond Roots Alone: Novel Methodologies For Analyzing Complex Soil And Minirhizotron Imagery Using Image Processing And Gis Tools, Justina A. Silva
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open
Quantifying belowground dynamics is critical to our understanding of plant and ecosystem function and belowground carbon cycling, yet currently available tools for complex belowground image analyses are insufficient. We introduce novel techniques combining digital image processing tools and geographic information systems (GIS) analysis to permit semi-automated analysis of complex root and soil dynamics. We illustrate methodologies with imagery from microcosms, minirhizotrons, and a rhizotron, in upland and peatland soils. We provide guidelines for correct image capture, a method that automatically stitches together numerous minirhizotron images into one seamless image, and image analysis using image segmentation and classification in SPRING or …