Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Porosity And Permeability Extremes In An Eogenetic Carbonate Platform: Mechanisms For Formation And Implications For Fluid Flow, Charles I. Breithaupt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Carbonate rocks contain about a third of the worlds drinking water and host 60-70% of proven hydrocarbon reserves. Effective development and management of these resources relies heavily on geologic concepts used to predict the distribution, and magnitude of porosity and permeability in the aquifer or reservoir. Most geologic concepts used for flow prediction have been developed in telegenic limestones, where fracture networks, bedding plains, and conduits hosted in effectively impermeable bedrock control the movement of fluids, and evolution of porosity. However, a growing body of work has recognized fluid flow within eogenetic limestones is fundamentally different, and that new concepts …

Using Tidal Analysis To Examine Lake-Aquifer Connectivity On A Modern Carbonate Platform, Ronald A. Knoll

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lake-aquifer connectivity on carbonate platforms is governed by basin morphology which is influenced by diagenetic and depositional processes. Both these processes cause aquifer permeability to vary significantly with scale of measurement (i.e., pore-scale, well-scale, and regional-scale). Because coastal aquifers are well-known to have tidally controlled water level fluctuations, inland lakes may be used to expand the areal measurement of permeability and establish a link between well-scale and regional scale connectivity in the aquifer. To evaluate the impact of lake basin morphology on aquifer connectivity, water level fluctuations were collected at high temporal resolution in the ocean and twenty-four surface water …

Spatiotemporal Changes Of Microbial Community Assemblages And Functions In The Subsurface, Madison C. Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The subsurface hosts diverse microbial community assemblages and functions. These communities play an important role in biogeochemical cycling and groundwater purification. Many physicochemical factors affect microbial communities and can cause short-term or long-term perturbations. Subsurface microbes are susceptible to anthropogenic changes in the environment, which can be caused by nutrient inputs or municipal groundwater extraction. Despite the importance of the subsurface microbiome, these microbial communities are poorly characterized. This dissertation describes the characterization of spatiotemporal drivers of subsurface microbial communities through a variety of techniques that include eDNA analyses, bioinformatics, hydrochemical analyses, stable isotope geochemistry, and multivariate statistics. Three coastal …

3d Cave And Ice Block Morphology From Integrated Geophysical Methods: A Case Study At Scărişoara Ice Cave, Romania, Jackson Durain Hubbard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Scărişoara Ice Cave has been a catalyst of scientific intrigue and effort for over 150 years. These efforts have revealed and described countless natural phenomena – and in the process have made it one of the most studied caves in the world.

Of especial interest is the massive ice block located within its Great Hall and scientific reservations. The ice block, which is the oldest and largest known to exist in a cave, has been the focus of multiple surveying and mapping efforts, typically ones utilizing traditional equipment. In this study, the goals were to reconstruct the ice block/cave floor …

A Composite Spatial Model Incorporating Groundwater Vulnerability And Environmental Disturbance To Guide Land Management, Johanna L. Kovarik

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research has long recognized and studied the dynamics of groundwater processes. More recently, groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs) are being recognized for their diversity and vulnerability to anthropogenic impact. Groundwater in karst landscapes presents a distinctive situation where flow through the subsurface often moves rapidly on the scale of days and weeks as opposed to years or millennia in other systems. This distinctive situation of karst systems and their vulnerability to human impacts necessitate an integrated and multifaceted approach for the management of these important resources. However, development of such an approach is complicated by the difficulty of obtaining detailed data …