Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Determining The Factors That Control Respiration And Carbon Use Efficiency In Crop Plants, Jonathan M. Frantz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the literature on plant respiration, there are two viewpoints concerning the source of respiratory control: supply (photosynthate availability) or demand (temperature dependent) limitations. While different studies indicate the primary dependency for respiration is either the supply or demand side, the two paradigms cannot both be true. The relative importance of each paradigm may depend on a number of factors including period of time during which respiration is measured, phase of plant development, environmental conditions, and species.

Studies were performed using continuous CO₂ gas-exchange instrumentation to monitor short- and long-term changes in whole canopies of lettuce, tomato, soybean, and …

Pastoralism Under Pressure: Tracking System Change In Southern Ethiopia, D. Layne Coppock, Solomon Desta

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

While economic development has proven elusive in African pastoral systems, change is pervasive. The Kajiado Maasai, for example, have endured declines in terms of per capita livestock holdings and other aspects of human welfare over the past 50 years. Activity diversification has occurred in Maasailand as the population copes with pressure from human population growth. We surveyed up to 317 Borana households during the late 1990s to see if similar patterns occurred in southern Ethiopia. Once viewed as an example of sustainable pastoralism, the Borana system now confronts numerous challenges. Decline in per capita cattle holdings has spurred household-level diversification …

For Pastoralists The Risk May Be In The Drinking Water: The Case Of Kargi, N. Kenya, D. Layne Coppock, William A. Shivoga

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Inadequate quantity of water is a common problem for pastoral people in East Africa. For the Rendille community of Kargi in northern Kenya, however, water quality has also been identified as a critical issue. Residents report that water-borne diseases commonly affect human health in dry seasons, and livestock may die soon after drinking water from some of the older, deep wells. We collected water samples from four key wells and one earthen dam to analyze physiochemical and bacteriological quality. Preliminary results indicated that the centrally located, oldest wells tested far below technical quality guidelines in several respects. Especially notable were …

Field Testing Of Abrasion Resistant Carbides, Kevin C. Orme

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Chromium, tungsten, titanium, and vanadium carbides were investigated to determine relative cost of operation for each in an agricultural environment. For use on a ripper plow, these carbides were field tested in two different soil types; one soil having a matrix of gravel and cobblestones, and the other consisting of hard dirt and large underground rocks. Each alloy was applied to a high carbon plow point using an arc welding process. Along with the welded points, cast chromium carbide was tested. The results are given in price per acre and not solely longevity of the point. It was concluded that …