Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Effect Of Tannin In Animal Diet On Nitrification Rate Of Pasture Soil Under Dung Patches, J R. Crush

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The rate of formation of nitrate and ammonium in the soil under dung patches was compared for dung from animals fed either ryegrass (Lolium perenne)/white clover (Trifolium repens) or ryegrass/Lotus pedunculatus forage. Tannin derived from the Lotus did not inhibit ammonification in the soil under dung but nitrate formation was strongly inhibited. The results support the theory that polyphenolics may bind to nitrite in acid soils and cause immobilisation of mineral nitrogen. Apart from their effect of reducing the proportion of dietary nitrogen excreted in urine, tannins in animal diets may make a further contribution to …

A Comparison Of Production And Soils In Modified Mixed Prairie Community, S W. Porter, W D. Willms, J F. Dormaar, B H. Ellert, H H. Janzen

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

This study examined the effects of reseeding a Stipa-Agropyron- Bouteloua community to monocultures of crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.) Geartn.), Russian wild rye grass (Elymus junceus Fisch.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on above and below ground biomass and indicators of soil quality. Summer fallowed wheat produced 10817 kg ha-1 and 4090 kg ha-1 of above ground below ground biomass respectively whereas the native community produced 3191 kg ha-1 above ground and 13013 kg ha-1 of below ground biomass. However wheat, crested wheatgrass and Russian wildrye grass generally showed a lower biological index, phosphatase and dehydrogenase activity.

Can You Have Your Cake And Eat It Too? Impact Of Grazing Cover Crops On Soil Properties, M. E. Drewnoski

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Does grazing of cover crops negate the soil health benefits of cover crops (CC)? A review of the literature was conducted to understand the soil impacts of grazing CC compared to a non-grazed CC control. Grazing CC did increase soil compaction in 50% of cases, but this increase was below the threshold that would be expected to impact root growth in most cases. It does appear that grazing under wet soils or high stocking rates can compact soil. Grazing did not affect wet aggregate stability in 83% of the studies. Soil carbon concentration was unaffected in 70% of the studies …

The Influence Of High Density Grazing And Conventional, Rotational Grazing On Soil And Vegetation Parameters In The Semi-Arid And Mesic Grasslands Of South Africa, Jamie Paulse, C. Visser, P. J. Malan, G. N. Smit, F. H. De Witt

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In South Africa, multi-camp rotational grazing using ‘conservative stocking rates’ have been the conventional approach to livestock grazing management systems. However, as of late, the high-desnity approach (used interchangeably – depending on the situation – with regenerative grazing, mob grazing, short duration, high pressure grazing, rapid rotation, time controlled, ultra-high density, holistic grazing and holistic resource management) has been adopted by numerous farmers. This approach is considered to be an adaptable one, incorporating the ‘herd effect’ concept, whereby large numbers of animals occupy an area for short periods of time, and allowed an extended rest period. It claims to improve …

Effect Of Litter Addition On Amino Acid Content And Composition In Alpine Meadow Soil, Yanli L. Feng, X. Y. Li, W. Z. Zong, J. Wang

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Litter plays an important role in plant-soil nutrient cycling. However, the response of soil amino acid pools to litter input is unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the effects of litter addition on the content and composition of soil amino acids in an alpine meadow soil. Soil was amended with litter of its dominant species, Kobresia graminifolia, and incubated for four weeks. Our results show that litter addition significantly increased the exchangeable amino acid content and protease activity in the soil. These results are crucial for understanding the amino acid cycling in soil.

Fire Effects On Soil Organic Matter In The Creek Fire, Gracie E. Doolin

Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Management Projects

Wildfires have increased in frequency and severity over the past few decades due to the increased concertation of CO2 emissions from anthropogenic influence. Soil carbon (C) sequestration has been identified as a climate change mitigation strategy; however, the influx of large-scale wildfires has accelerated landscape processes such as erosion, reducing soil aggradation, and soil C and nitrogen (N) protection. This trend is highlighted by the Creek Fire that occurred in September 2020 and burned 379,895 acres in the Sierra National Forest. This research is designed to close the knowledge gap regarding the impact of burn severity on soil organic matter …

Spatial Distribution Of Soil Macroinvertebrates In A Dry Steppe (South-Eastern Siberia, Russia), K. B. Gongalsky

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Soil macroinvertebrates are important components of ecosystems. They play a key role in decomposition processes and turnover of the most of elements. Adequate estimation of abundance and biomass of these animals is fundamental for understanding their input in steppe ecosystems. Asian steppes of Russia are poorly studied. Therefore, baseline soil invertebrate composition, abundance and rules of distribution were estimated.

Grazing Effects On Spatial Microdistribution Of Soil Macroinvertebrates In A Steppe Of European Russia, F. A. Savin, K. B. Gongalsky, A. D. Pokarzhevskii

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Measures of ecosystems and their populations include biomass, production and trophic composition and animal spatial distribution. Grazing of grasslands influences spatial distribution of vegetation seriously. The same effects on soil macroinvertebrates are less well studied. Spatial distribution is usually studied at a coenosis level, and not at a studied point level, although the scale of sampling has a giant importance in estimation of organism's distribution. The aim of our study was to estimate grazing impact on large soil invertebrates in steppe ecosystems in Chernozem Nature Reserve in Russia.

Soil Enzyme Activities As Bio Indicators Of Soil Ph And Fertility In Temperate Grassland, Iker Mijangos, A. Ibarra, Isabel Albizu, Sorkunde Mendarte, Carlos Garbisu

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In recent years, biological indicators are being used to estimate the continued capacity of a given soil to function (i.e., soil health). After all, biological processes are intimately linked with the maintenance of soil structure and fertility, being more sensitive to changes in the soil than conventional physicochemical parameters. Soil enzymes, as mediators and catalysts of vital soil functions, offer great potential as integrative indicators of soil health (Dick et al., 1996). The main aim of the current work was to study the potential of soil enzyme activities as biological (more precisely, biochemical) indicators of soil physicochemical …

Cattle Overwintering Areas In Middle-European Conditions - Important “Point” Sources Of Nitrous Oxide Emissions, M. Šimek, J. Hynšt, P. Brůček, J. Čuhel, D. Elhottová, H. Šantrůčková, V. Kamír

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions in grazed grasslands are strongly influenced by animal excreta (Fowler et al., 1997). In addition, soil compaction caused by animal traffic significantly influences soil physical conditions and thus directly or indirectly impacts on the microbial processes producing N₂O. In the Czech Republic pastures are mostly located in hilly and mountain areas. During the growing season, cattle are typically grazing, while during the winter the animals are concentrated near the animal house on a relatively small plot called an "overwintering area". The objective of this study was to estimate the fluxes of …

Impacts Of Preferential Flow On Tc-99and Np-237 Vadose Transport In Soils At The Savannah River Site, Josh Parris

All Theses

Since the 1950s, the United States has produced approximately 90,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) (Office of Nuclear Energy, 2022); however, no long-term storage solutions are available. Technecium-99 and neptunium-237, two fission products found in SNF, readily form highly mobile species in oxidizing conditions (Hu, 2008; Bondietti, 1979) and have respective half-lives of 2.13 x 10⁵ and 2.14 x10⁶ years (Hu, 2010). Considering these characteristics, ⁹⁹Tc and ²³⁷Np are two risk-driving isotopes found in SNF storage. The process of macropore-facilitated preferential flow, transport through cracks within a soil matrix, has been recognized to increase …

Impact Of Cover Crop Species Diversity On Soil Nutrient Availability And Crop Productivity, Amanda Kramer

Masters Theses

Cover crops provide multiple environmental benefits that improve both soil and water quality; however, farmers only utilize them on approximately 5% of harvested U.S. cropland. Low adoption rates are attributed to yield impact concerns, seed and planting costs, and lack of advocacy. This study, which began in October 2019, assessed the effects of nitrogen rate and cover crop diversity on weed biomass, soil coverage, in-situ residue decomposition, soil nitrogen and phosphorus availability, and cash crop yield to better understand the costs and benefits of cover crop adoption at two locations in Tennessee (Milan and Spring Hill). Treatments were replicated 4 …

Complete Genome Sequences Of Chop, Delrio, And Grandslam, Three Gordonia Phages Isolated From Soil In Central Arkansas, Heidi N. Mathes, Elijah I. Christenson, John H. Crum, Emme M. Edmondson, Kassidy E. Gray, Luke W. Lawson, Lauren E. Lee, Michael P. Lee, Jackson A. Lipscomb, Morgan E. Masengale, Hannah G. Matthews, Charles M. Mcclain 4th, Tuesday N. Melton, Trace H. Morrow, Alexis M. Perry, David R. Rainwater, Grace E. Renois, Maryann F. Rettig, Duncan C. Troup, Allie J. Wilson, Nathan Reyna, Ruth Plymale

Articles

Chop, DelRio, and GrandSlam are phage with a Siphoviridae morphotype isolated from soil in Arkansas using the host Gordonia terrae 3612. All three are temperate, and their genomes share at least 96% nucleotide identity. These phage are assigned to cluster DI based on gene content similarity to other sequenced actinobacteriophage.

Modeling Spatial Distributions Of Tidal Marsh Blue Carbon Using Morphometric Parameters From Lidar, Bonnie Turek

Masters Theses

Tidal marshes serve as important “blue carbon” ecosystems that accrete large amounts of carbon with limited area. While much attention has been paid to the spatial variability of sedimentation within salt marshes, less work has been done to characterize spatial variability in marsh carbon density. Driven by tidal inundation, surface topography, and sediment supply, soil properties in marshes vary spatially with several parameters, including marsh platform elevation and proximity to the marsh edge and tidal creek network. We used lidar to extract these morphometric parameters from tidal marshes to map soil organic carbon (SOC) at the meter scale. Fixed volume …

Concept Validation: Collecting Composite Samples To Understand The Presence Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) In Michigan Forested Areas, Nicole Renee Sanabria

Masters Theses

This research discusses the results of a state-wide study conducted by The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to assess the presence of PFAS in shallow soils of state-owned forested areas in Michigan utilizing a composite sampling method. One sample collected from each of Michigan’s 83 counties reveals the presence of PFAS in all but one sample, with total PFAS concentrations ranging from non-detect to 2.016 μg/kg (dry weight). PFOS is generally detected at the highest concentrations, ranging from non-detect to 0.88 μg/kg, followed by PFBA, with concentrations ranging from non-detect to 0.69 μg/kg, and PFOA, with concentrations …

Using Soil And Forest Type To Map Bedrock In Nemo, South Dakota, Madison R. Isaac

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Bedrock mapping can be used to locate economic deposits, assess natural disaster (e.g., mass wasting) risk, and decipher the geologic history of a region. This study examines a site at Nemo, South Dakota to assess whether two contrasting types of bedrock produce different soil that result in different types of forest cover. Although bedrock varied, other soil forming factors were uniform. Within an approximately 1 km² area, quartzite and metagabbro bedrock, ponderosa pine and quaking aspen forests were mapped. The soil above the quartzite bedrock is thinner and sandier and is dominated by ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). …

Evaluating The Relative Influence Of Soil Water Potential, Soil Moisture, And Vapor Pressure Deficit On Semi-Arid Vegetation Dynamics, Kayla R. Jamerson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Knowledge of vegetation’s response to soil water availability and atmospheric demand is critical to understanding the impact of climate change on semi-arid ecosystems. However, limited field-based research has been conducted to assess the relative importance of these drivers and previous research has simplified the assessment of soil water availability by relying on soil volumetric water content (VWC) as a primary control on plant growth, which, as opposed to soil water potential (Ψsoil), does not account for the effects of soil texture on plant available water. To address these gaps, we compared remotely sensed indicators of vegetation response to field based …

Diagnosing Excess Nitrogen In Rice Using Post-Season Tissue Samples, Kyle Hoegenauer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Proper nitrogen (N) management in rice production can be difficult to achieve without the aid of tools such as soil and tissue tests. There are no tests currently available to rice producers that determine whether N has been managed properly throughout the season or that detect instances of over fertilization. Rice stalk samples were collected from N response trials within 3 days of harvest from the primary Arkansas rice growing region in 2016-2018. Stalk samples were analyzed for N concentration through a KCl extraction and spectrofluorometric quantification. Samples analyzed with leaf material intact contained statistically different N concentrations than samples …

Study Of Soil Characteristics To Estimate Sulphur Supply For Plant Growth, M. Mathot, R. Lambert, B. Toussaint, A. Peeters

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

During the last decades, sulphur (S) deficiencies have been observed throughout Europe (Zaoh et al., 2002). Accurate estimation of S supply by the soil-atmosphere system is required to give advice for S fertilisers. Soil is an important S source for plants and it is therefore important to evaluate supply by the soil to avoid deficiencies or excessive S fertilisation. The purpose of this preliminary study was to estimate which soil characteristics could be useful for predicting S supply by soil. Lolium multiflorum was grown on different soils in a growth chamber and S supply was correlated with soil characteristics.

The Effect Of Forage Legumes On Mineral Nitrogen Content In Soil, M. Isolahti, A. Huuskonen, M. Tuori, Oiva Nissinen, R. Nevalainen

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The cultivation of forage legumes is often suggested as a possibility to improve nitrogen (N) utilisation in farming. However, previous studies have indicated examples in which the cultivation of legumes such as white clover has led to accumulation of large amounts of N in soil (Adams & Pattison, 1985). In this study the potential risks of N leaching were estimated by determining amount of mineral N in the soil.

Soils Of The Central Nebraska Loess Hills And Central Loess Plains, Judith Turk, Rebecca Young, Nicolas A. Jelinsky, Amber D. Anderson, Ashlee Dere, Colby J. Moorberg, Rachel K. Owen

Conservation and Survey Division

Understanding soil systems that characterize a region is critical to natural resource management. However, the knowledge gained through intensive study of local soil systems, which takes place annually as part of collegiate soil judging contests, is often poorly preserved for future use. In this study, field descriptions and laboratory data for 16 soil profiles described for the 2019 Region 5 Soil Judging Contest were used to characterize the soil system of the Central Nebraska Loess Hills and Central Loess Plains. Three landscape components of this soil system were analyzed: the loess uplands and rainwater basins, the transitional zone, and bottomlands. …

Manganese Geochemistry And Plant Availability In Response To Agricultural Practices, Ashleigh R. Montgomery

Masters Theses

Manganese (Mn) is an essential micronutrient for all organisms. In soils, Mn forms determine availability to plants. Most Mn research has been conducted in forest ecosystems and Mn cycling in agricultural systems is understudied. Therefore, the objective of the experiment is to understand the effect of different agricultural management strategies on Mn cycling and plant availability. First, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different application rates of two Mn fertilizers (MnSO₄ and MnEDTA) on soil geochemical properties and growth of corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max). The fertilizers were applied to …

The Characterization Of Dynamic Soil Properties And Their Relation To Soil Organic Carbon In East Tennessee Soils, Shannon Marissa Newell

Masters Theses

Quantifying how dynamic soil properties (DSPs) are affected by different management regimes is essential for understanding how these vital resources can be better managed. The Dewey soil series is a critical soil series in East Tennessee. For this study, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) worked alongside the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) in an effort to better understand the dynamics of the Dewey soil series through a wide range of DSP data. To accomplish this, Dewey soil was collected from five sites which are considered representative of five management regimes: well-managed cropland (WMC), poorly-managed cropland (PMC), well-managed pasture (WMP), …

Trace Element Contamination In Urban Soils: Testing And Management, Melissa Chilinski, Melanie Stock, Paul R. Grossl, Eli Oliver

All Current Publications

Trace elements, often referred to as heavy metals, naturally occur in the soil at low levels. Certain land use histories can elevate the concentrations of trace elements to levels that present health risks. Understanding which elements and soil test values may impact human or crop health is an important aspect of gardening and micro-farming, particularly in urban environments that are at increased risk of soil contamination. This fact sheet provides instructions on interpreting soil test results for trace elements through the Total Element Composition EPA 3050B Soil Test (#S19) at Utah State University Analytical Laboratory.

Grazing Land Contributions To Carbon Sequestration, Ronald F. Follett, G. E. Schuman

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Key points

1. Grazing management can be used to increase soil organic carbon sequestration.

2. Grazing land soils contain large amounts of carbon with depth, and can store it for centuries.

3. Policies to encourage terrestrial carbon sequestration through conservation and good management of grazing lands are critical for many countries and the world.

Biochar: Properties And Potential Benefits For Agricultural Soil In Rwanda, Andromede Uwase

Honors Theses

Physical and chemical soil degradation is becoming a major challenge for agricultural productivity in Rwanda, which is the most important part of the country’s economy. The wide spreading soil degradation in Rwanda is mainly a result of naturally poor soils coupled with unsustainable soil management leading to, for example, accelerated soil erosion, acidification, nutrient loss, compaction, and to decreasing yields. Biochar, as an end product of pyrolysis of biomass in the absence of oxygen, has been proposed as a soil amendment in remediation strategies because of its positive effects on soil productivity relevant parameters such as soil pH, structure, nutrient …

Long Term Observation Of The Grassland Vegetation Used Intensively Or Extensively And Ecologically, H.-D. Matthes, J. Matthes, W. Jentsch, V. Pastushenko

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The aim of the present paper was to study alterations of the grassland flora from 55 plots following a more extensive management under long term observation within 6 years. Extensification of grassland use leads to an increase of the numbers of plant species by 32%, “Red-list-species” included. The moisture number of the soils slightly increased and the reaction and nitrogen numbers decreased. Results are presented for different vegetation units.

Soil Gypsum Content Analysis Of The Proposed Road Route Extension Of Fm 2185 In The Gypsum Plain, Culberson County, Texas, Chikaodili Ohakawa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soils serve as the underlying substrate on which foundations for most structures are built. The properties of a soil type are therefore an important consideration in building engineered structures. Gypsic soils are problematic for construction of such structures. One of the main problems with gypsic soils is dissolution. Gypsum (CaSO₄·2H₂O) in soils dissolves easily creating voids which can be detrimental to the integrity of engineering structures. To mitigate this, it is important to determine the amount of gypsum present in soils, before construction is initiated.

In this study, three methods were employed in the determination of …

Cover Crop Effects On Near-Surface Soil Aggregate Stability In The Southern Mississippi Valley Loess (Mlra 134), Chandler M. Arel

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Intensive agricultural cultivation within major land resource area (MLRA) 134, the Southern Mississippi Valley Loess, has led to soil erosion, soil compaction, and the overall destabilization of near-surface soil aggregates. The use of cover crops during the agricultural offseason has been shown to help alleviate soil compaction and provide stabilizing effects against soil erosion, which are particularly important as the silty soils of MLRA 134 have a large erosion potential. This study evaluated the effects of cover crop and no-cover crop treatment on silt-loam soils within MLRA 134. Treatments were implemented during Fall 2018 and Fall 2019 and consisted of …

Hydrologic Controls On Phosphorus Speciation And Mobilization In A Subalpine Watershed (East River, Colorado), Lucia Isobel Arthen-Long

Masters Theses

The cycling of phosphorus (P) through floodplain environments is critical to ecosystem productivity and has significant implications on both water quality and soil fertility. P export from soils in response to saturation has been well documented, but the relative vulnerability of specific P pools to mobilization remains poorly constrained, as do the mechanisms mediating its release. The prediction of P availability in and export from mountainous floodplain soils is of great importance as global climate change is projected to significantly alter precipitation regimes in alpine systems. This study combined a thorough characterization of P distribution across a hillslope to floodplain …