Life Sciences Commons^™

Phenotypic Evaluation Of Energycane (Saccharum Spp.) Genotypes In Northcentral Mississippi, Wyatt Armistead Eason

Theses and Dissertations

As fossil fuel supplies decrease and concerns of climate change increase, the search for alternative sources of fuel has pushed biomass crops to the forefront of discussion. Saccharum spontaneum readily hybridizes with commercial sugarcane and lends cold tolerance and greater yields to the hybrid progeny, called energycane. Twenty genotypes were tested against an energycane variety (Ho 02-113) as a control. Two locations were tested: the HH Leveck Animal Research Center (planted in 2019), and the Bearden Dairy Research Center (planted in 2020). The Bearden Dairy Research Center yielded significantly higher than the HH Leveck Animal Research Center regarding dry matter …

Quantifying Aboveground Biomass In A Tropical Forest Using A Lidar Waveform Weighted Allometric Model, Alejandro Rojas

Theses and Dissertations

Our knowledge of the distribution and amount of terrestrial above ground biomass (AGB) has increased using lidar technology. Recent advancements in satellite lidar has enabled global mapping of forest biomass and structure. However, there are large biases in satellite lidar estimates which impacts our understanding of carbon dynamics, particularly in tropical forests.

Ni-Meister et al. (2022) developed a lidar full waveform weighted height-based allometric model which produced very good results in temperate deciduous/conifer forest in the continental US. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this biomass model in an African tropical forest using the Land Vegetation and Ice …

Using Thermal Units To Predict Biomass Accumulation And Total Nitrogen Uptake For Cover Crops In Arkansas, Mila Victório Pessotto

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Including cover crops in agricultural production systems is an important management practice. Cover cropping can improve soil health, increase plant-available nitrogen (N), provide surface residue to prevent erosional soil loss, increase water infiltration, and increase weed suppression. Cover crops growth can be predicted using thermal days or growing degree days [GDD] similar to commodity crops such as corn (Zea mays L.) or rice (Oryza sativa). Growing degree day calculations are a well-known tool to predict crop growth stage or development stage and can be adapted for use in any plant species, including cover crops. Identifying and developing the relationship between …

Pasture Biomass Estimation Using Crop Surface Modeling And Vegetation Indices, Brendan Macinnis

All Theses

Biomass estimations are a critical function of any grazing or haylage system. Determination of ideal harvesting or grazing times help optimize the quality and quantity of above-ground biomass (AGB). The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for Alfalfa and Tall Fescue biomass estimations. Using a DJI Mavic Pro, RGB and NDVI images were taken and used to create orthomosaic images. Structure-from-motion (SfM) techniques were used to developed digital elevation models to evaluate the change in canopy height (∆H) between pre- and post-harvests. Change in canopy height (∆H) was shown to provide the …

The Deep-Pelagic Sergestid Shrimp Assemblage In The Gulf Of Mexico In The Vicinity Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Erik W. Hine

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the geographical (near-slope vs. offshore) and temporal analyses (2011 – 2018) of the Sergestidae assemblage, the crustacean family with the fourth highest total biomass, in the Gulf of Mexico near the location of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The abundance and biomass of the assemblage were analyzed to determine if statistical differences were present between the near-slope and offshore environments. In addition, this study analyzed the vertical distributions of sergestid species in the epipelagic, mesopelagic, and bathypelagic zones to determine the extent of the migratory behavior of these species. Lastly, the abundance and biomass in the …