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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Slotted Drainage Pipe For Sub-Irrigation, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2015

Slotted Drainage Pipe For Sub-Irrigation, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Subirrigation with drainage pipe was effective for planting a windbreak in the Mojave Desert. The pipe was refilled periodically with a water truck. Survival was very good.


Mitigation Site Soil Characteristics And The Effects Of Inoculation, Nursery Fertilizer Practices And Irrigation On Survival And Growth Of Mesquite (Prosopis Glandulosa) In The Coachella Valley, California, David A. Bainbridge, Marcelle M. Darby Jul 2014

Mitigation Site Soil Characteristics And The Effects Of Inoculation, Nursery Fertilizer Practices And Irrigation On Survival And Growth Of Mesquite (Prosopis Glandulosa) In The Coachella Valley, California, David A. Bainbridge, Marcelle M. Darby

David A Bainbridge

Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana (mesquite, honey mesquite) is a small to medium sized leguminous tree that was once common in the low desert of California. Widespread destruction of mesquite woodlands in the Coachella Valley of southern California for fuel wood, agricultural and urban development, and urbanization has reduced once vast stands to isolated remnants. The rerouting and widening of Highway 86 in the Coachella Valley was a typical example of ongoing mesquite woodland removal. Despite the recognized need for mitigation, relatively little information on mesquite establishment in California is available. This research explored mesquite establishment by replanting on an abandoned …


Recreating Mesquite Mounds (Nebkas) In The Colorado Desert, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2014

Recreating Mesquite Mounds (Nebkas) In The Colorado Desert, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Accretion dunes or mounds (also known as nebkas or nebkhas) are formed when plants capture and then are partially buried in wind-blown sand. In the San Felipe drainage in the western Colorado Desert, mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa Torrey var. torreyana (L. D. Benson) M. C. Johnston)) forms dunes up to 5 m high. These are ecologically important for both ecosystem structure (primarily habitat) and function (soil accumulation, moisture retention and nutrient cycling). The widening of California state highway 86 damaged and removed several mesquite mounds and the California Department of Transportation asked us to explore techniques for recreating them to reduce …


Infiltrometers For Restoration Site Evaluation, David A. Bainbridge Dec 2013

Infiltrometers For Restoration Site Evaluation, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Infiltration is a key factor in site disturbance and recovery as it determines soil moisture into the soil. Field evaluation can be done with an infiltrometer or sprinkling infiltrometer. Low cost field tested methods include: double ring, single ring and microsprinkler infiltrometers.


Site Assessment For Environmental Restoration, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2013

Site Assessment For Environmental Restoration, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Restoring degraded desert ecosystems is challenging but it can be done. The first key step is understanding the site history and understanding the disturbance and current site conditions. With this information the appropriate steps can be taken to improve the site ecosystem function and structure.


The Hudson’S Bay Company Brigades Of 1832-33 And The Malaria Epidemic In California, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2013

The Hudson’S Bay Company Brigades Of 1832-33 And The Malaria Epidemic In California, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

The ecological and cultural impacts of the Hudson’s Bay Company fur brigades to California were long term and important, but the expedition of 1832-33 caused a catastrophe by introducing the intermittent fever. The “intermittent fever” led to mortality rates from 50-90 percent or more, and it is likely more than 30,000 people died from the fever in the affected areas of California.


Buried Clay Pipe Irrigation, David A. Bainbridge Dec 2012

Buried Clay Pipe Irrigation, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

The buried clay pipe method of irrigation is one of the most efficient systems known and is ideal for gardeners and small farmers. Buried clay pipe irrigation uses a buried, unglazed clay pipe filled with water to provide controlled irrigation to plants as the water seeps out through the clay wall at a rate that is influenced by the plant's water use. It has been used for more than one hundred years.This auto-regulation leads to very high efficiency--considerably better than drip irrigation and many times better than conventional surface irrigation. This also reduces weeds, increases yields, and can speed maturity …


Wick Irrigation, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2012

Wick Irrigation, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Wick irrigation offers the potential for very low cost, robust microirrigation in difficult environments. Wick irrigation was first used in India in combination with buried clay pot irrigation. It has proven itself in the most severe desert conditions.


Straw Bale Building, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2012

Straw Bale Building, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Straw bale building offers many advantages, high insulation value, thermal mass of interior plaster, resistance to fire, and low embodied resource cost. Super-insulation becomes possible at affordable prices with straw bales. Used with great success for both residential and commercial building projects.


True Cost Accounting For A Post-Autistic Economy, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2012

True Cost Accounting For A Post-Autistic Economy, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

True cost accounting attempts to include the full cost of products and services in economic consideration. This brings what are often categorized as "external costs" into pricing. The failure to include these social and environmental costs has led to many of our worst crises -- from global climate change to ill health and resource depletion.


Porous Capsule Irrigation, David A. Bainbridge Dec 2011

Porous Capsule Irrigation, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Porous capsule irrigation is a modern adaptation of buried clay pot irrigation. Research in Brazil and Mexico has demonstrated its value in improving water use efficiency. Porous capsules are more easily integrated in an irrigation network than buried clay pots.


Buried Clay Pot Irrigation, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2011

Buried Clay Pot Irrigation, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Buried clay pot irrigation was first described in Chinese texts from more than 2000 years ago. It uses a porous clay pot to provide demand responsive irrigation. Efficiency is often 3-10 times conventional surface irrigation.


Passive Solar Design, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2011

Passive Solar Design, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Passive solar architecture can provide heating, cooling, ventilation and daylighting by using the sun and microclimate resources. Building energy consumption can be cut 80-90% at no increase in building cost by using integrated design principles.


Alternative "More Efficient" Irrigation Systems, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2010

Alternative "More Efficient" Irrigation Systems, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Many traditional irrigation systems work well for ecological restoration projects. These demand responsive systems are very water efficient and robust and have proved themselves in the most extreme desert conditions.


A Sustainable Future, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2009

A Sustainable Future, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

A key step toward a more sustainable future is beginning the discussion of what this would entail. What are the defining characteristics of sustainability? How could we get there? What benefits and costs might this involve?


Sustainable Management, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2008

Sustainable Management, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Management for the future must include a broader and more complex view of the world. Sustainable management of business can be profitable and provide benefits for workers, shareholders as well as communities, nations and the planet.


Water Walls: An Effective Option For High Performance Buildings, David A. Bainbridge Jul 2007

Water Walls: An Effective Option For High Performance Buildings, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Water wall thermal mass has been proven over the last 40 years on a wide range of residential and commercial projects in temperate and cold climates. It provides better thermal comfort and more efficient energy transfer at reasonable cost.


True Cost Accounting For A Post-Autistic Economy, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2007

True Cost Accounting For A Post-Autistic Economy, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

True cost accounting includes all environmental and social costs. If these are neglected the market fails. The critical link between ecosystem and humanity and the price of goods has been ignored at our peril.


Adding Ecological Considerations To Environmental Accounting, David A. Bainbridge Oct 2006

Adding Ecological Considerations To Environmental Accounting, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Environmental accounting has often neglected ecological costs. These are essential to complete a true cost accounting. Ecological costs are often very large and long term and if they are ignored the costs/benefits of projects are incorrectly calculated.


Acorn Use As Food, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2006

Acorn Use As Food, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

The acorns from oaks (Quercus) and tan oaks (Lithocarpus) have been used as food for many thousands of years. They occur in the archaeological record of the early town sites in the Zagros Mountains, at Catal Hüyük (6000 BC), and oak trees were carefully inventoried by the Assyrians during the reign of Sargon II. In Europe, Asia, North Africa, the Mid-East, and North America, acorns were once a staple food. They are still a commercial food crop in several countries. Acorns are still harvested and used in several areas of the United States, most notably Southern Arizona and California. There …


Houses Of Straw, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2005

Houses Of Straw, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Straw bale building offers high performance at a low cost. Bale building, developed on the grasslands of Nebraska at turn of the last century, has been rediscovered. High insulation values and high interior thermal mass make straw bales a good choice for passive solar design.


Low Cost Seismic Test Platform, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2004

Low Cost Seismic Test Platform, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

The challenge of seismic safety is better testing of building systems rather than just components. This mobile test platform may offer an inexpensive method of testing building performance.


Ethics In A Time Of Crises, David A. Bainbridge Dec 2003

Ethics In A Time Of Crises, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Global crises reveal the weakness of our current ethical construct. A more inclusive ethical framework is needed to encourage and support sustainable development and management of resources and restoration of damaged ecosystems.


Anatomy, Physiology And Psychology Of Desert Destruction, David A. Bainbridge Dec 2003

Anatomy, Physiology And Psychology Of Desert Destruction, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Off road vehicle damage continues to expand in the California deserts. This 2004 presentation explores the causes and possible methods for reducing destruction. Protecting and restoring the desert is not a technical problem but an economic/accounting problem.


Self Reliant Agriculture For Arid Lands, David A. Bainbridge Jan 2002

Self Reliant Agriculture For Arid Lands, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

More than a billion people face the challenge of supporting themselves in the world's arid lands. Much can be improved by refining and adopting the best traditional practices and crops from around the world. The lessons learned can also help develop new and improved agronomic practices and crops.


Revegetating Desert Plant Communities, David A. Bainbridge Jan 1999

Revegetating Desert Plant Communities, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Desert revegetation is possible but not easy. Careful attention to plant production (root:shoot), site prep, planting, irrigation and aftercare can lead to good survival even under extreme desert conditions. Cost per survivor is a critical consideration.


Soil Pitting For Revegetation, David A. Bainbridge Jan 1999

Soil Pitting For Revegetation, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Soil pitting provides many benefits in ecological restoration of degraded lands. The pits capture rainwater, trap seeds and soil symbionts and protect seedlings from windblast.


Soil Treatment For Restoration Projects, David A. Bainbridge Jan 1999

Soil Treatment For Restoration Projects, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Soil treatment is a critical step in restoration projects. When soil problems are ignored restoration projects fail. Erosion, compaction, limited infiltration and other problems can make a site very different from its historic function and structure. Treatment can be done with equipment or by hand and will greatly improve chances for success.


Breadbox Water Heater Designs, David A. Bainbridge Jan 1978

Breadbox Water Heater Designs, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Integral solar water heaters (batch, breadbox, ICS) provide the most economical and reliable means of heating water. Simple designs can perform well and provide service for decades. Basic design principles include box insulation, orientation and control of heat loss.


Planning For Energy Conservation, David A. Bainbridge Jan 1976

Planning For Energy Conservation, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

City planning can provide multiple benefits by considering energy conservation, solar orientation and local resource harvesting. Narrower streets reduce construction costs, reduce urban heat island impacts and are safer. Above ground drainage reduces costs and returns rainwater to groundwater.