Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Exploring Background Noise With A Large-N Infrasound Array: Waterfalls, Thunderstorms, And Earthquakes, L. T. Scamfer, J. F. Anderson

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Ambient infrasound noise contains an abundance of information that is typically overlooked due to limitations of typical infrasound arrays. To evaluate the ability of large-N infrasound arrays to identify weak signals hidden in background noise, we examine data from a 22-element array in central Idaho, USA, spanning 58 days using a standard beamforming method. Our results include nearly continuous detections of diverse weak signals from infrasonic radiators, sometimes at surprising distances. We observe infrasound from both local (8 km) and distant (195 km) waterfalls. Thunderstorms and earthquakes are also notable sources, with distant thunderstorm infrasound observed from ∼800 to 900 …

The Magmatic Origin Of The Columbia River Gorge, Usa, Nathaniel Klema, Leif Karlstrom, Charles Cannon, Chengxin Jiang, Jim O'Connor, Ray E. Wells, Brandon Schmandt

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Along subduction zones, high-relief topography is associated with sustained volcanism parallel to the plate margin. However, the relationship between magmatism and mountain building in arcs is poorly understood. Here, we study patterns of surface deformation and correlated fluvial knickpoints in the Columbia River Gorge to link long-term magmatism to the uplift and ensuing topographic development of the Cascade Range. An upwarped paleochannel exposed in the walls of the Gorge constrains unsteady deep magma flux, the ratio of intrusive to extrusive magmatic contributions to topography, and the impact of magmatism on Columbia River incision since 3.5 million years ago. Geophysical data …

Studying The Impact Of The Geospace Environment On Solar Lithosphere Coupling And Earthquake Activity, Dimitar Ouzounov, Galina Khachikyan

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In solar–terrestrial physics, there is an open question: does a geomagnetic storm affect earthquakes? We expand research in this direction, analyzing the seismic situation after geomagnetic storms (GMs) accompanied by the precipitation of relativistic electrons from the outer radiation belt to form an additional radiation belt (RB) around lower geomagnetic lines. We consider four widely discussed cases in the literature for long-lived (weeks, months) RBs due to GMs and revealed that the 1/GMs 24 March 1991 with a new RB at L~2.6 was followed by an M7.0 earthquake in Alaska, 30 May 1991, near footprint L = 2.69; the 2/GMs …

The Development And Evolution Of The Soil Health Nutrient Tool (Aka Haney Test) After Ten Years Of Implementation In A Commercial Agricultural Laboratory, Lance Michael Gunderson

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The growing focus on soil health and regenerative agriculture has brought about the need for new integrated approaches for the analysis of soil. Prior, commercial agricultural laboratories relied on methods to measure chemical properties of the soil, such as pH and nutrients. The Soil Health Nutrient Tool (aka. Haney Test) developed by Dr. Rick Haney (USDA-ARS Blackland Research and Extension Station, Temple, TX) integrates chemical and biological properties to provide a more holistic understanding of soil fertility management. Following adoption by commercial laboratories in 2013, criticisms regarding variability in measurements and lack of calibration were apparent. In this research, we …

Activity Patterns Of The Endangered Amargosa Vole (Microtus Californicus Scripensis), Austin N. Roy, Anna D. Rivera Roy, Deana L. Clifford, Janet E. Foley

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Examining the activity patterns of wildlife is an important aspect of understanding the ecology of a species and may be especially important for species of conservation concern. We used remotely triggered cameras to describe the daily and seasonal activity patterns and examine ecological factors that influence the activity of the Amargosa Vole (Microtus californicus scirpensis), a California endemic listed federally and by the state as Endangered, and is a marsh habitatspecialist in the Mojave Desert. We found that vole activity was greatest during crepuscular periods, followed by nocturnal and diurnal periods. We saw strong seasonal effects, with the highest activity …

Wonderstone And Its Connection To Liesegang, Microbes, And Beyond, Haden S. Mandery

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In the western and southwestern United States, the term wonderstone is used to describe volcanic, volcaniclastic, and sedimentary rocks with variegated banding produced by iron oxide mineralization or staining. This iron oxide mineralization is typically described as Liesegang banding. In this paper I will (1) test if the banding in wonderstone follows the spacing and width laws characteristic of Liesegang, (2) identify the source of iron that ultimately precipitated in the bands, and (3) examine the role that microbes played in the formation of the mineralization in these rocks. I conclude that the iron oxide mineralization is not Liesegang banding. …

Population Demography Of A Glacial-Relict Stream Fish Mediated Via Anthropogenic Alteration, Joseph M. Spooner

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Northern Pearl Dace Margariscus nachtriebi are a small-bodied glacial-relict fish species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) found throughout Canada and the northern United Sates. Their distribution within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion is isolated from the northern core distribution of the species following the last glaciation period approximately 18,000 years ago. Headwater streams within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion are predominately groundwater fed and provide the cool water temperatures needed to support Northern Pearl Dace and other glacial-relict SGCN. Headwater streams within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion have been geomorphically altered through anthropogenic processes such as channelization whereby habitat homogenization has occurred. Evidence …

Habitat Heterogeneity In Nebraska Streams And Distribution Prediction For Tier-1 Cyprinids Using Multi-Scale Modeling Of Fluvial And Landscape Features, Connor P. Hart

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Multiscale environmental processes determine in-stream habitat conditions which drive species distributions. Habitat constitutes the physical template upon which ecological processes occur and species conduct life stage activities. Habitat heterogeneity promotes biodiversity of aquatic systems. Stream classification informs freshwater conservation by providing a useful framework to account for habitat heterogeneity, often based on landscape regions of similar environmental processes. A greater understanding of landscape-based classification frameworks as means to classify stream systems may improve understanding of drivers of biodiversity. Using Nebraska as a case study, on a statewide scale, objectives were 1) to characterize habitat availability for several at-risk fish species, …

Ecological Impacts Of Restoring Fire-Grazing Interaction In Sandhills Prairie Through Patch-Burn Grazing, Nolan P. Sipe

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A Collaborative Adaptive Management (CAM) Project was started at the University of Nebraska in 2020 to address some of the key uncertainties related to the management of grasslands in the Nebraska Sandhills through stakeholder driven experiments and the adaptive management cycle. Patch-burn grazing was selected by CAM as a management tool to generate heterogeneity across the landscape and promote biodiversity while balancing economic and ecological trade-offs. The patch-burn grazing system was implemented with controlled burns in May of 2022 and March of 2023. Other parties in CAM will be examining the impact that patch-burn grazing has on forage and livestock …

The Broadwater Formation (Pliocene) Of Nebraska And Southeastern Wyoming, Robert F. Diffendal Jr., James B. Swinehart

Robert F. Diffendal, Jr., Publications

The Broadwater Formation, initially defined in 1945, is a Pliocene-aged coarse-grained alluvial deposit in Nebraska and southeastern Wyoming. It is characterized by a complex stratigraphic history and debated geologic interpretations. The formation is a rich resource of groundwater for the citizens of Nebraska and the Central Great Plains. We aim to synthesize and redefine the Broadwater Formation, shedding light on its distribution, geological characteristics, and paleoenvironmental significance. While historical hypotheses on Broadwater Formation paleovalley trajectories suggested northwest-southeast trending valleys, later investigations proposed wind-driven erosional patterns to explain the unique topographic features observed. The Broadwater is divided into an unnamed Upper …

Northern Neck Regional Shallow Draft Channel Dredging Plan: Feasibility Phase, Donna A. Milligan, Cameron W. Green, C. Scott Hardaway Jr., Christine A. Wilcox, Claire M. Rae, Scott Lerberg, Alex Demeo, George Brooks, Mark Mansfield

Reports

The Initial Phase of the project (Phase 1), used remote sensing and other data collection to develop a method for determining which waterbodies on the Northern Neck of Virginia need dredging. The analysis included most of the waterbodies in the counties of Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland. From this analysis, 19 waterbodies emerged as potentially needing dredged based on physical parameters and residential and economic usage (Milligan et al., 2023).

In this Feasibility Phase (Phase 2), more detailed site data were collected to provide data to the localities for consideration. These tasks were included in the analysis:

1. Historic shore …

Northern Neck Regional Shallow Draft Channel Dredging Plan: Initial Phase, Donna A. Milligan, Grace M. Massey, C. Scott Hardaway Jr., Christine A. Wilcox, Cameron W. Green, Mark Mansfield

Reports

The purpose of this project is to develop a regional dredging program for the localities of the Northern Neck. This report encompasses Phase 1 of the project, which included creating a database of waterbodies in Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland Counties and the Town of Colonial Beach along the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers and Chesapeake Bay. Generally, these waterbodies can be categorized into three basic types of shallow draft channels: federally-authorized to include aids to navigation (ATONS), non-federal with ATONS, and non-federal without ATONs. Along the Northern Neck, presently identified, are 13 federal channels, 37 non-federal channels in creeks with …

Kinematic Vorticity And Porphyroclast Rotation In Mylonites Of The Norumbega Fault System: Implications For Paleoviscometry, Hendrik Lenferink

Honors College

Crystallographic and shape preferred orientation (SPO) fabrics that develop in mylonitic shear zones can preserve the mean kinematic vorticity number (Wm) of bulk flow. Microstructural methods exploiting dynamically recrystallized quartz and porphyroclast SPO fabrics typically yield conflicting values of Wm. The Sandhill Corner Mylonite Zone of the Norumbega Fault System, Maine, USA, serves as a case study for investigating this discrepancy; Wm estimates range from 0.90 to 1.00 employing the former method (Method 1) and from 0.3 to 0.6 employing the latter method (Method 2). Using a numerical model, I show how a low-viscosity layer (LVL) surrounding clasts affects their …

Effects Of Elevated Temperature On 8-Ohdg Expression In The American Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica): Induction Of Oxidative Stress Biomarkers, Cellular Apoptosis, Dna Damage And Γh2ax Signaling Pathways, Md Faizur Rahman, Mohammad Maruf Billah, Richard J. Kline, Md Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Global temperature is increasing due to anthropogenic activities and the effects of elevated temperature on DNA lesions are not well documented in marine organisms. The American oyster (Crassostrea virginica, an edible and commercially important marine mollusk) is an ideal shellfish species to study oxidative DNA lesions during heat stress. In this study, we examined the effects of elevated temperatures (24, 28, and 32 °C for one-week exposure) on heat shock protein-70 (HSP70, a biomarker of heat stress), 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG, a biomarker of pro-mutagenic DNA lesion), double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), γ-histone family member X (γH2AX, a molecular biomarker of DNA damage), …

A Multidisciplinary Approach To Resolving The End-Guadalupian Extinction, Christopher R. Fielding, Scott E. Bryan, James L. Crowley, Tracy D. Frank, Michael T. Hren, Chris Mays, Stephen Mcloughlin, Jun Shen, Peter J. Wagner, Arne Winguth, Cornelia Winguth

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The transition from the middle to late Permian (Guadalupian–Lopingian) is claimed to record one or more extinction events that rival the ‘Big Five’ in terms of depletion of biological diversity and reorganization of ecosystem structure. Yet many questions remain as to whether the events recorded in separate regions were synchronous, causally related, or were of a magnitude rivaling other major crises in Earth's history. In this paper, we survey some major unresolved issues related to the Guadalupian–Lopingian transition and offer a multidisciplinary approach to advance understanding of this under-appreciated biotic crisis by utilizing records in Southern Hemisphere high-palaeolatitude settings. We …

How Low Can You Go?: Widespread Challenges In Measuring Low Stream Discharge And A Path Forward, Erin C. Seybold, Anna Bergstrom, C. Nathan Jones, Amy J. Burgin, Sam Zipper, Sarah E. Godsey, Walter K. Dodds, Margaret A. Zimmer, Margaret Shanafield, Thibault Datry, Raphael D. Mazor, Mathis L. Messager, Julian D. Olden, Adam Ward, Songyan Yu, Kendra E. Kaiser, Arial Shogren, Richard H. Walker

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Low flows pose unique challenges for accurately quantifying streamflow. Current field methods are not optimized to measure these conditions, which in turn, limits research and management. In this essay, we argue that the lack of methods for measuring low streamflow is a fundamental challenge that must be addressed to ensure sustainable water management now and into the future, particularly as climate change shifts more streams to increasingly frequent low flows. We demonstrate the pervasive challenge of measuring low flows, present a decision support tool (DST) for navigating best practices in measuring low flows, and highlight important method developmental needs.

Geophysics-Informed Hydrologic Modeling Of A Mountain Headwater Catchment For Studying Hydrological Partitioning In The Critical Zone, Hang Chen, Qifei Niu, Aida Mendieta, John Bradford, James Mcnamara

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hydrologic modeling has been a useful approach for analyzing water partitioning in catchment systems. It will play an essential role in studying the responses of watersheds under projected climate changes. Numerous studies have shown it is critical to include subsurface heterogeneity in the hydrologic modeling to correctly simulate various water fluxes and processes in the hydrologic system. In this study, we test the idea of incorporating geophysics-obtained subsurface critical zone (CZ) structures in the hydrologic modeling of a mountainous headwater catchment. The CZ structure is extracted from a three-dimensional seismic velocity model developed from a series of two-dimensional velocity sections …

Landscape/Atmosphere Interactions And Carbon-Dioxide Dynamics In The Great Onyx Groundwater Basin, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, Meghan Raines

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An increase in atmospheric CO2 since the Industrial Revolution has altered rates of global climate change and has motivated a need to better quantify the flux of carbon between Earth’s reservoirs. Attempts to quantify the exchange of atmospheric carbon between sources and sinks have led to an increasing interest in the terrestrial landscape, including the continental carbon sink associated with carbonate-mineral dissolution. This research sought to better inform an understanding of karst landscapes and their relationship with global climate change through carbon cycling. The study utilized high-resolution data collection of pH, temperature, and specific conductance of waters in the Cascade …

Globally-Distributed Microbial Eukaryotes Exhibit Endemism At Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents, Sarah K. Hu, Amy R. Smith, Rika E. Anderson, Sean P. Sylva, Michael Setzer, Maria Steadmon, Kiana L. Frank, Eric W. Chan, Darlene S. S. Lim, John A. Breier

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Single-celled microbial eukaryotes inhabit deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments and play critical ecological roles in the vent-associated microbial food web. 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing of diffuse venting fluids from four geographically- and geochemically-distinct hydrothermal vent fields was applied to investigate community diversity patterns among protistan assemblages. The four vent fields include Axial Seamount at the Juan de Fuca Ridge, Sea Cliff and Apollo at the Gorda Ridge, all in the NE Pacific Ocean, and Piccard and Von Damm at the Mid-Cayman Rise in the Caribbean Sea. We describe species diversity patterns with respect to hydrothermal vent field and sample type, identify …

Subduction Initiation Recorded In The Dadeville Complex Of Alabama And Georgia, Southeastern United States, Naomi A. Becker, Freya R. George, George L. Guice, James L. Crowley, Wendy R. Nelson, Joseph F. Browning-Hanson, Supratik Roy, Daniel R. Viete

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Dadeville Complex of Alabama and Georgia (southeastern United States) represents the largest suite of exposed mafic-ultramafic rocks in the southern Appalachians. Due to poor preservation, chemical alteration, and tectonic reworking, a specific tectonic origin for the Dadeville Complex has been difficult to deduce. We obtained new whole-rock and mineral geochemistry coupled with zircon U-Pb geochronology to investigate the magmatic and metamorphic processes recorded by the Dadeville Complex, as well as the timing of these processes. Our data reveal an up-stratigraphic evolution in the geochemistry of the volcanic rocks, from forearc basalts to boninites. Our new U-Pb zircon crystallization data—obtained …

The Surface Atmosphere Integrated Field Laboratory (Sail) Campaign, D. R. Feldman, A. C. Aiken, W. R. Boos, R. W. H. Carroll, V. Chandrasekar, S. Collis, J. M. Creamean, G. De Boer, J. Deems, P. J. Demott, J. Fan, A. N. Flores, D. Gochis, M. Grover, T. C. J. Hill, A. Hodshire, E. Hulm, C. C. Hume, R. Jackson, F. Junyent, A. Kennedy, M. Kumjian, E. J. T. Levin, J. D. Lundquist, J. O'Brien, M. S. Raleigh, J. Reithel, A. Rhoades, K. Rittger, W. Rudisill, Z. Sherman, E. Siirila-Woodburn, S. M. Skiles, J. N. Smith, R. C. Sullivan, A. Theisen, M. Tuftedal, A. C. Varble, A. Wiedlea, S. Wielandt, K. Williams, Z. Xu

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The science of mountainous hydrology spans the atmosphere through the bedrock and inherently crosses physical and disciplinary boundaries: land–atmosphere interactions in complex terrain enhance clouds and precipitation, while watersheds retain and release water over a large range of spatial and temporal scales. Limited observations in complex terrain challenge efforts to improve predictive models of the hydrology in the face of rapid changes. The Upper Colorado River exemplifies these challenges, especially with ongoing mismatches between precipitation, snowpack, and discharge. Consequently, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility has deployed an observatory to the East River Watershed …

Province-Wide Tapping Of A Shallow, Variably Depleted, And Metasomatized Mantle To Generate Earliest Flood Basalt Magmas Of The Columbia River Basalt, Northwestern Usa, Martin J. Streck, Luke James Fredenberg, Lena M. Fox, Emily B. Cahoon, Mary J. Mass

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) of the Pacific Northwest of the United States is the world’s youngest and smallest large igneous province. Its earliest formations are the Imnaha, Steens, and now the Picture Gorge Basalt (PGB), and they were sourced from three different dike swarms exposed from SE Washington to Nevada to northcentral Oregon. PGB is often viewed to be distinct from the other formations, as its magmas are sourced from a shallow, relatively depleted, and later subduction-induced metasomatized mantle, along with its young stratigraphic position. It has long been known that the lowermost American Bar flows (AB1&2) …

Beyond The Tide: A Comprehensive Guide To Sea-Level-Rise Inundation Mapping Using Foss4g, Levente Juhasz, Jinwen Xu, Randall W. Parkinson

GIS Center

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Different Pre-Growth Temperatures On The Survival Kinetics Of Salmonella Enterica And Listeria Monocytogenes In Fresh-Cut Salad During Refrigerated Storage, Avninder Kaur, Veerachandra K. Yemmireddy

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The effect of the pre-growth temperature of bacterial cultures on their subsequent survival kinetics in fresh-cut produce during refrigerated storage was investigated in this study. Three-strain cocktails of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica, cultured at different growth temperatures (4, 21, and 37 °C) were inoculated on fresh-cut mixed salad and on individual produce in the mixed salad. The inoculated samples were stored at 4 °C and 80 ± 2% relative humidity (RH) for up to 72 h and the growth, survival, or death kinetics were determined at regular intervals. The results indicate that depending upon the type of pathogen …

Understanding Marsh Elevation And Accretion Processes And Vulnerability To Rising Sea Levels Across Climatic And Geomorphic Gradients In California, Usa, Karen M. Thorne, Mckenna L. Bristow, Lyndsay L. Rankin, Katya E. Kovalenko, Justine A. Neville, Chase M. Freeman, Glenn R. Guntenspergen

State & Federal Reports and Publications

Tidal marshes build elevations by below- and aboveground organic and mineral soil processes. Marsh elevation and accre- tion data can be used to determine if marshes are keeping pace with sea-level rise. Using a network of 54 deep rod surface elevation tables with paired feldspar marker horizon plots, we tracked elevation and accretion trends across 16 marshes in California, USA. All sites had overall positive gains across years that included severe drought conditions and extreme rain events. Marsh elevation relative to tidal datum (z*) was the key predictor for elevation and accretion rates, with higher change rates at lower z* …

The Seasonal Origins And Ages Of Water Provisioning Streams And Trees In A Tropical Montane Cloud Forest, Emily Burt, Gregory R. Goldsmith, Roxanne M. Cruz-De Hoyos, Adan Julian Ccahuana Quispe, A. Joshua West

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Determining the sources of water provisioning streams, soils, and vegetation can provide important insights into the water that sustains critical ecosystem functions now and how those functions may be expected to respond given projected changes in the global hydrologic cycle. We developed multi-year time series of water isotope ratios (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) based on twice-monthly collections of precipitation, lysimeter, and tree branch xylem waters from a seasonally dry tropical montane cloud forest in the southeastern Andes mountains of Peru. We then used this information to determine indices of the seasonal origins, the young water fractions …

Evaluating 3 Decades Of Precipitation In The Upper Colorado River Basin From A High-Resolution Regional Climate Model, William Rudisill, Alejandro Flores, Rosemary Carroll

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Convection-permitting regional climate models (RCMs) have recently become tractable for applications at multi-decadal timescales. These types of models have tremendous utility for water resource studies, but better characterization of precipitation biases is needed, particularly for water-resource-critical mountain regions, where precipitation is highly variable in space, observations are sparse, and the societal water need is great. This study examines 34 years (1987–2020) of RCM precipitation from the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF; v3.8.1), using the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFS; CFSv2) initial and lateral boundary conditions and a 1 km × 1 km innermost grid spacing. The RCM is centered …

Inhibition Of Chromium(Iii) Oxidation Through Manganese(Iv) Oxide Passivation And Iron(Ii) Abiotic Reduction, Miranda L. Aiken, Macon J. Abernathy, Michael V. Schaefer, Ilkeun Lee, Samantha C. Ying

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Manganese (Mn) oxides are strong oxidants that are ubiquitous in soils and can oxidize redox-active metals, including chromium (Cr). In soil environments, trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) is a benign, immobile micronutrient, whereas the hexavalent Cr(VI) form is present as a highly mobile, toxic chromate oxyanion. Although many studies have characterized the capacity of Mn(III/IV) oxides to oxidize Cr(III) to toxic Cr(VI), the oxidative capacity of Mn oxides in the presence of potentially passivating soil constituents, specifically reduced soluble iron (Fe(II)aq), remains unresolved. We hypothesized that chemical processes at redox interfaces, such as diffusion-limited environments within soil aggregates, can lead to decreased …

Volcanic Diffuse Volatile Emissions Tracked By Plant Responses Detectable From Space, Robert R. Bogue, Peter M. J. Douglas, Joshua B. Fisher, John Stix

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Volcanic volatile emissions provide information about volcanic unrest but are difficult to detect with satellites. Volcanic degassing affects plants by elevating local CO2 and H2O concentrations, which may increase photosynthesis. Satellites can detect plant health, or a reaction to photosynthesis, through a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). This can act as a potential proxy for detecting changes in volcanic volatile emissions from space. We tested this method by analyzing 185 Landsat 5 and 8 images of the Tern Lake thermal area (TLTA) in northeast Yellowstone caldera from 1984 to 2022. We compared the NDVI values of the thermal area with …

Connecting The Nebraska Water Quality Index To The Aquatic Microbial Community Of The North Platte River Basin, Nebraska, Paula R. Guastello

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Nebraska Water Quality Index, under development by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, summarizes in a single value eight environmental parameters that have been monitored in Nebraska for nearly 20 years. Water quality parameters including those used in the Nebraska Water Quality Index have been shown in previous studies to impact bacterial growth. As such, this index has the potential to correlate with the freshwater microbial community. Here, I relate the Nebraska Water Quality Index to microbial community composition and structure using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence data collected from the North Platte River Basin, Nebraska. This index …