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Nitrogen

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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Unraveling Sources Of Cyanate In The Marine Environment: Insights From Cyanate Distributions And Production During The Photochemical Degradation Of Dissolved Organic Matter, Rui Wang, Jihua Liu, Yongle Xu, Li Liu, Kenneth Mopper Jan 2024

Unraveling Sources Of Cyanate In The Marine Environment: Insights From Cyanate Distributions And Production During The Photochemical Degradation Of Dissolved Organic Matter, Rui Wang, Jihua Liu, Yongle Xu, Li Liu, Kenneth Mopper

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Cyanate is a nitrogen and energy source for diverse marine microorganisms, playing important roles in the nitrogen cycle. Despite the extensive research on cyanate utilization, the sources of this nitrogen compound remain largely enigmatic. To unravel the sources of cyanate, distributions and production of cyanate during photochemical degradation of natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) were investigated across various environments, including freshwater, estuarine, coastal areas in Florida, and the continental and slope regions of the North American mid-Atlantic Ocean (NATL). Cyanate production was also examined during the photochemical degradation of exudates from a typical strain of Synechococcus, an important phytoplankton …


Re-Evaluating Hydrogen Sulfide As A Sink For Cadmium And Zinc In The Oxic To Suboxic Upper Water Column Of The Pacific Ocean, N. R. Buckley, E. E. Black, J. A. Kenyon, N. T. Lanning, M. Sieber, T. M. Conway, J. N. Fitzsimmons, G. A. Cutter Jan 2024

Re-Evaluating Hydrogen Sulfide As A Sink For Cadmium And Zinc In The Oxic To Suboxic Upper Water Column Of The Pacific Ocean, N. R. Buckley, E. E. Black, J. A. Kenyon, N. T. Lanning, M. Sieber, T. M. Conway, J. N. Fitzsimmons, G. A. Cutter

OES Faculty Publications

Hydrogen sulfide is produced by heterotrophic bacteria in anoxic waters and via carbonyl sulfide hydrolysis and phytoplankton emissions under oxic conditions. Apparent losses of dissolved cadmium (dCd) and zinc (dZn) in oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans have been attributed to metal-sulfide precipitation formed via dissimilatory sulfate reduction. It has also been argued that such a removal process could be a globally important sink for dCd and dZn. However, our studies from the North Pacific OMZ show that dissolved and particulate sulfide concentrations are insufficient to support the removal of dCd via precipitation. In contrast, apparent …


Nitrogen Fixation At The Mid-Atlantic Bight Shelfbreak And Transport Of Newly Fixed Nitrogen To The Slope Sea, C. R. Selden, M. R. Mulholland, K. E. Crider, S. Clayton, A. Macías-Tapia, P. Bernhardt, D. J. Mcgillicuddy Jr., W. G. Zhang, P. D. Chappell Jan 2024

Nitrogen Fixation At The Mid-Atlantic Bight Shelfbreak And Transport Of Newly Fixed Nitrogen To The Slope Sea, C. R. Selden, M. R. Mulholland, K. E. Crider, S. Clayton, A. Macías-Tapia, P. Bernhardt, D. J. Mcgillicuddy Jr., W. G. Zhang, P. D. Chappell

OES Faculty Publications

Continental shelves contribute a large fraction of the ocean's new nitrogen (N) via N2 fixation; yet, we know little about how physical processes at the ocean's margins shape diazotroph biogeography and activity. Here, we test the hypothesis that frontal mixing favors N2 fixation at the Mid-Atlantic Bight shelfbreak. Using the 15N2 bubble release method, we measured N2 fixation rates on repeat cross-frontal transects in July 2019. N2 fixation rates in shelf waters (median = 5.42 nmol N L−1 d−1) were higher than offshore (2.48 nmol N L−1 d−1) …


Developing Two-Dimensional Ammonium Sensors For Use In Marine Sediments, Zoe Kass Jan 2024

Developing Two-Dimensional Ammonium Sensors For Use In Marine Sediments, Zoe Kass

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Nitrogen spatial distribution and denitrification rates are not currently well understood in marine sediments. Both nitrogen distribution and denitrification rates vary widely. Better understanding these processes and the factors that impact them could have a variety of applications, from providing us with a foundation for determining any potential impacts of anthropogenic nitrogen to restoring eel grass beds. This project focused on the development of a two-dimensional ammonium sensor using diffusive equilibrium thin films. We successfully created and calibrated our sensor before deploying it at Padilla Bay to produce a two-dimensional image of the spatial distribution and concentrations of ammonium in …


Nitrite Cycling In The Primary Nitrite Maxima Of The Eastern Tropical North Pacific, Nicole M. Travis, Colette L. Kelly, Margaret R. Mulholland, Karen L. Casciotti Jan 2023

Nitrite Cycling In The Primary Nitrite Maxima Of The Eastern Tropical North Pacific, Nicole M. Travis, Colette L. Kelly, Margaret R. Mulholland, Karen L. Casciotti

OES Faculty Publications

The primary nitrite maximum (PNM) is a ubiquitous feature of the upper ocean, where nitrite accumulates in a sharp peak at the base of the euphotic zone. This feature is situated where many chemical and hydrographic properties have strong gradients and the activities of several microbial processes overlap. Near the PNM, four major microbial processes are active in nitrite cycling: ammonia oxidation, nitrite oxidation, nitrate reduction and nitrite uptake. The first two processes are mediated by the nitrifying archaeal/bacterial community, while the second two processes are primarily conducted by phytoplankton. The overlapping spatial habitats and substrate requirements for these microbes …


On The Chronological Understanding Of The Homogeneous Dielectric Barrier Discharge, Xinpei Lu, Zhi Fang, Dong Dai, Tao Shao, Feng Liu, Cheng Zhang, Dawei Liu, Lanlan Nie, Chunqi Jiang Jan 2023

On The Chronological Understanding Of The Homogeneous Dielectric Barrier Discharge, Xinpei Lu, Zhi Fang, Dong Dai, Tao Shao, Feng Liu, Cheng Zhang, Dawei Liu, Lanlan Nie, Chunqi Jiang

Bioelectrics Publications

Dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) are widely utilised non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasmas with a diverse range of applications, such as material processing, surface treatment, light sources, pollution control, and medicine. Over the course of several decades, extensive research has been dedicated to the generation of homogeneous DBD (H-DBD), focussing on understanding the transition from H-DBD to filamentary DBD and exploring strategies to create and sustain H-DBD. This paper first discusses the influence of various parameters on DBD, including gas flow, dielectric material, surface conductivity, and mesh electrode. Secondly, a chronological literature review is presented, highlighting the development of H-DBD and the …


Levels Of Autotrophy And Heterotrophy In Mesophotic Corals Near The End Photic Zone, Amy Carmignani, Veronica Z. Radice, Kathryn M. Mcmahon, Alex I. Holman, Karen Miller, Kliti Grice, Zoe Richards Jan 2023

Levels Of Autotrophy And Heterotrophy In Mesophotic Corals Near The End Photic Zone, Amy Carmignani, Veronica Z. Radice, Kathryn M. Mcmahon, Alex I. Holman, Karen Miller, Kliti Grice, Zoe Richards

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mesophotic corals live at ~30-150 m depth and can sustain metabolic processes under light-limited conditions by enhancing autotrophy through specialized photoadaptations or increasing heterotrophic nutrient acquisition. These acclimatory processes are often species-specific, however mesophotic ecosystems are largely unexplored and acclimation limits for most species are unknown. This study examined mesophotic coral ecosystems using a remotely operated vehicle (Ashmore Reef, Western Australia at 40–75m depth) to investigate the trophic ecology of five species of scleractinian coral (from genera Leptoseris, Pachyseris, and Craterastrea) using stable isotope analyses (δ13C and δ15N) of host and symbiont tissues …


Initial Estuarine Response To Inorganic Nutrient Inputs From A Legacy Mining Facility Adjacent To Tampa Bay, Florida, Marcus W. Beck, Andrew Altieri, Christine Angelini, Maya C. Burke, Jing Chen, Diana W. Chin, Jayne Gardiner, Chuanmin Hu, Katherine A. Hubbard, Yonggang Liu, Cary Lopez, Miles Medina, Elise Morrison, Edward J. Phlips, Gary E. Raulerson, Sheila Scolaro, Edward T. Sherwood, David Tomasko, Robert H. Weisberg, Joseph Whalen May 2022

Initial Estuarine Response To Inorganic Nutrient Inputs From A Legacy Mining Facility Adjacent To Tampa Bay, Florida, Marcus W. Beck, Andrew Altieri, Christine Angelini, Maya C. Burke, Jing Chen, Diana W. Chin, Jayne Gardiner, Chuanmin Hu, Katherine A. Hubbard, Yonggang Liu, Cary Lopez, Miles Medina, Elise Morrison, Edward J. Phlips, Gary E. Raulerson, Sheila Scolaro, Edward T. Sherwood, David Tomasko, Robert H. Weisberg, Joseph Whalen

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Legacy mining facilities pose significant risks to aquatic resources. From March 30th to April 9th, 2021, 814 million liters of phosphate mining wastewater and marine dredge water from the Piney Point facility were released into lower Tampa Bay (Florida, USA). This resulted in an estimated addition of 186 metric tons of total nitrogen, exceeding typical annual external nitrogen load estimates to lower Tampa Bay in a matter of days. An initial phytoplankton bloom (non-harmful diatoms) was first observed in April. Filamentous cyanobacteria blooms (Dapis spp.) peaked in June, followed by a bloom of the red tide organism Karenia brevis …


Connecticut Embayment Characteristics 2022, Jamie M.P. Vaudrey, James E. O'Donnell Mar 2022

Connecticut Embayment Characteristics 2022, Jamie M.P. Vaudrey, James E. O'Donnell

Department of Marine Sciences

Data on Connecticut embayment characteristics. This Excel file is the centerpiece for capturing embayment characteristics as presented in RESPEC (2022), developed specifically for this project. Some parameters such as watershed size, embayment size, and tidal range were pulled from other sources described in Appendix A of RESPEC (2022), but much of the data and indicators in the Excel file were developed for this project. Each parameter included in the spreadsheet is fully defined in Appendix A of RESPEC (2022). All data available in the spreadsheet are provided by embayment in Appendix C of RESPEC (2022), including the results of bathymetric …


Coastal Upwelling Enhances Abundance Of A Symbiotic Diazotroph (Ucyn-A) And Its Haptophyte Host In The Arctic Ocean, Corday R. Selden, Sveinn V. Einarsson, Kate E. Lowry, Katherine E. Crider, Robert S. Pickart, Peigen Lin, Carin J. Ashjian, P. Dreux Chappell Jan 2022

Coastal Upwelling Enhances Abundance Of A Symbiotic Diazotroph (Ucyn-A) And Its Haptophyte Host In The Arctic Ocean, Corday R. Selden, Sveinn V. Einarsson, Kate E. Lowry, Katherine E. Crider, Robert S. Pickart, Peigen Lin, Carin J. Ashjian, P. Dreux Chappell

OES Faculty Publications

The apparently obligate symbiosis between the diazotroph Candidatus Atelocyanobacterium thalassa (UCYN-A) and its haptophyte host, Braarudosphaera bigelowii, has recently been found to fix dinitrogen (N2) in polar waters at rates (per cell) comparable to those observed in the tropical/subtropical oligotrophic ocean basins. This study presents the novel observation that this symbiosis increased in abundance during a wind-driven upwelling event along the Alaskan Beaufort shelfbreak. As upwelling relaxed, the relative abundance of B. bigelowii among eukaryotic phytoplankton increased most significantly in waters over the upper slope. As the host’s nitrogen demands are believed to be supplied primarily by UCYN-A, …


Is Bog Water Chemistry Affected By Increasing N And S Deposition From Oil Sands Development In Northern Alberta, Canada?, R. Kelman Wieder, Melanie A. Vile, Kimberli D. Scott, James C. Quinn, Cara M. Albright, Kelly J. Mcmillen, Caitlyn Herron, Hope Fillingim Dec 2021

Is Bog Water Chemistry Affected By Increasing N And S Deposition From Oil Sands Development In Northern Alberta, Canada?, R. Kelman Wieder, Melanie A. Vile, Kimberli D. Scott, James C. Quinn, Cara M. Albright, Kelly J. Mcmillen, Caitlyn Herron, Hope Fillingim

Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Nitrogen and sulfur emissions from oil sands operations in northern Alberta, Canada have resulted in increasing deposition of N and S to the region's ecosystems. To assess whether a changing N and S deposition regime affects bog porewater chemistry, we sampled bog porewater at sites at different distances from the oil sands industrial center from 2009 to 2012 (10-cm intervals to a depth of 1 m) and from 2009 to 2019 (top of the bog water table only). We hypothesized that: (1) as atmospheric N and S deposition increases with increasing proximity to the oil sands industrial center, surface porewater …


Stable Isotopes Used To Infer Trophic Position Of Green Turtles (Chelonia Mydas) From Dry Tortugas National Park, Gulf Of Mexico, United States, David C. Roche, Michael S. Cherkiss, Brian J. Smith, Derek A. Burkholder, Kristen M. Hart Sep 2021

Stable Isotopes Used To Infer Trophic Position Of Green Turtles (Chelonia Mydas) From Dry Tortugas National Park, Gulf Of Mexico, United States, David C. Roche, Michael S. Cherkiss, Brian J. Smith, Derek A. Burkholder, Kristen M. Hart

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Evaluating resource use patterns for imperiled species is critical for understanding what supports their populations. Here we established stable isotope (δ13C, δ15N) values for the endangered green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) population found within the boundaries of Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO), south Florida, USA. There is little gene flow between turtles sampled at DRTO and in other rookeries in Florida, underscoring the need to study this distinct population. Between 2008 and 2015 we collected multiple sample types (skin [homogenized epidermis/dermis], whole blood, red blood cells, plasma, carapace) from 151 unique green turtles, including …


Elevated Atmospheric Co2 Concentration Triggers Redistribution Of Nitrogen To Promote Tillering In Rice, Juan Zhou, Yingbo Gao, Junpeng Wang, Chang Liu, Zi Wang, Minjia Lv, Xiaoxiang Zhang, Yong Zhou, Guichun Dong, Yulong Wang, Jianye Huang, Dafeng Hui, Zefeng Yang, Youli Yao May 2021

Elevated Atmospheric Co2 Concentration Triggers Redistribution Of Nitrogen To Promote Tillering In Rice, Juan Zhou, Yingbo Gao, Junpeng Wang, Chang Liu, Zi Wang, Minjia Lv, Xiaoxiang Zhang, Yong Zhou, Guichun Dong, Yulong Wang, Jianye Huang, Dafeng Hui, Zefeng Yang, Youli Yao

Biology Faculty Research

Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration (eCO2) often reduces nitrogen (N) content in rice plants and stimulates tillering. However, there is a general consensus that reduced N would constrain rice tillering. To resolve this contradiction, we investigated N distribution and transcriptomic changes in different rice plant organs after subjecting them to eCO2 and different N application rates. Our results showed that eCO2 significantly promoted rice tillers (by 0.6, 1.1, 1.7, and 2.1 tillers/plant at 0, 75, 150, and 225 kg N ha−1 N application rates, respectively) and more tillers were produced under higher N application rates, …


Estimating The Denitrification Rate In Hood Canal Using Water Circulation, Spencer Johnson Apr 2021

Estimating The Denitrification Rate In Hood Canal Using Water Circulation, Spencer Johnson

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Hood Canal is a long, fjordal estuarine inlet. Because of a sill near its mouth, Hood Canal experiences regular low oxygen in its bottom water; recently, dissolved oxygen has been even lower than usual, leading to fish kills and other ecosystem damage. Anthropogenic nutrients, particularly nitrogen, may be the cause, so it is important to quantify the components of the nitrogen cycle, like denitrification. To my knowledge, there is only one estimate of denitrification from Hood Canal in the literature. This study sought to supplement that data with an independent estimate of denitrification using water circulation along with N2 concentrations …


Particulate And Dissolved Organic Matter In Stormwater Runoff Influences Oxygen Demand In Urbanized Headwater Catchments, Kelly M. Mccabe, Erik M. Smith, Susan Q. Lang, Claudia Benitez-Nelson Jan 2021

Particulate And Dissolved Organic Matter In Stormwater Runoff Influences Oxygen Demand In Urbanized Headwater Catchments, Kelly M. Mccabe, Erik M. Smith, Susan Q. Lang, Claudia Benitez-Nelson

Faculty Publications

Increasing inputs of organic matter (OM) are driving declining dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in coastal ecosystems worldwide. The quantity, source, and composition of OM transported to coastal ecosystems via stormwater runoff have been altered by land use changes associated with urbanization and subsequent hydrologic flows that accompany urban stormwater management. To elucidate the role of stormwater in the decline of coastal DO, rain event sampling of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in samples collected from the outfall of stormwater ponds and wetlands, as well as samples of largely untreated runoff carried by stormwater ditches, was conducted across a range of urban …


Impacts Of Multiple Environmental Changes On Long‐Term Nitrogen Loading From The Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Shufen Pan, Zihao Bian, Hanqin Tian, Yuanzhi Yao, Raymond G. Najjar, Marjorie A.M. Friedrichs, Eileen E. Hofmann, Rongting Xu, Bowen Zhang Jan 2021

Impacts Of Multiple Environmental Changes On Long‐Term Nitrogen Loading From The Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Shufen Pan, Zihao Bian, Hanqin Tian, Yuanzhi Yao, Raymond G. Najjar, Marjorie A.M. Friedrichs, Eileen E. Hofmann, Rongting Xu, Bowen Zhang

CCPO Publications

Excessive nutrient inputs from land, particularly nitrogen (N), have been found to increase the occurrence of hypoxia and harmful algal blooms in coastal ecosystems. To identify the main contributors of increased N loading and evaluate the efficacy of water pollution control policies, it is essential to quantify and attribute the long‐term changes in riverine N export. Here, we use a state‐of‐the‐art terrestrial–aquatic interface model to examine how multiple environmental factors may have affected N export from the Chesapeake Bay watershed since 1900. These factors include changes in climate, carbon dioxide, land use, and N inputs (i.e., atmospheric N deposition, animal …


Taxonomic And Nutrient Controls On Phytoplankton Iron Quotas In The Ocean, Benjamin S. Twining, Olga Antipova, P. Dreux Chappell, Natalie R. Cohen, Jeremy E. Jacquot, Elizabeth L. Mann, Adrian Marchetti, Daniel C. Ohnemus, Sara Rauschenberg, Alessandro Tagliabue Jan 2021

Taxonomic And Nutrient Controls On Phytoplankton Iron Quotas In The Ocean, Benjamin S. Twining, Olga Antipova, P. Dreux Chappell, Natalie R. Cohen, Jeremy E. Jacquot, Elizabeth L. Mann, Adrian Marchetti, Daniel C. Ohnemus, Sara Rauschenberg, Alessandro Tagliabue

OES Faculty Publications

Phytoplankton iron contents (i.e., quotas) directly link biogeochemical cycles of iron and carbon and drive patterns of nutrient limitation, recycling, and export. Ocean biogeochemical models typically assume that iron quotas are either static or controlled by dissolved iron availability. We measured iron quotas in phytoplankton communities across nutrient gradients in the Pacific Ocean and found that quotas diverged significantly in taxon‐specific ways from laboratory‐derived predictions. Iron quotas varied 40‐fold across nutrient gradients, and nitrogen‐limitation allowed diatoms to accumulate fivefold more iron than co‐occurring flagellates even under low iron availability. Modeling indicates such “luxury” uptake is common in large regions of …


Evaluation Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus Removal From A Denitrifyingwoodchip Bioreactor Treatment System Receiving Silage Bunker Runoff, Jillian C. Sarazen, Joshua W. Faulkner, Stephanie E. Hurley Jul 2020

Evaluation Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus Removal From A Denitrifyingwoodchip Bioreactor Treatment System Receiving Silage Bunker Runoff, Jillian C. Sarazen, Joshua W. Faulkner, Stephanie E. Hurley

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Leachate and storm-driven runoff from silage storage bunkers can degrade receiving water bodies if left untreated. This study evaluated a novel treatment system consisting of three treatment tanks with a moving-bed biofilm reactor and paired side-by-side denitrifying woodchip bioreactors for the ability to reduce influent nutrient mass loads. Flow-based samples were taken at four locations throughout the system, at the inflow to the first tank, outflow from the tanks prior to entering the woodchip bioreactors, and from the outflows of both bioreactors. Samples were analyzed for concentrations of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) species. Inflow concentrations were reduced from the …


Impacts Of Human Recreation On Nutrient Availability And Periphyton Abundance On The Niobrara River, Matthew Chen, Jessica Corman, Sydney Kimnach, Kayla Vondracek Apr 2020

Impacts Of Human Recreation On Nutrient Availability And Periphyton Abundance On The Niobrara River, Matthew Chen, Jessica Corman, Sydney Kimnach, Kayla Vondracek

UCARE Research Products

In freshwater ecosystems, eutrophication can create many problems. Excess nutrients, like nitrogen or phosphorus, promote algal or cyanobacterial growth. This growth also leads to increased organic matter production and decomposition, a process that can reduce oxygen concentration in the water. When this happens, species diversity declines, transparency of the water declines, and anoxia may lead to fish kills . Of particular concern is the possibility of cyanobacteria blooms that create compounds toxic for humans. Many of the waters across Nebraska receive excessive nutrients from human activities, largely related to agriculture (Dickey 1982). However, there is one river, the Niobrara River, …


Carbon And Nitrogen Recycling During Cyanohabs In Dreissenid-Invaded And Non-Invaded Us Midwestern Lakes And Reservoirs, Trinity L. Hamilton, Jessica Corman, Jeff R. Havig Jan 2020

Carbon And Nitrogen Recycling During Cyanohabs In Dreissenid-Invaded And Non-Invaded Us Midwestern Lakes And Reservoirs, Trinity L. Hamilton, Jessica Corman, Jeff R. Havig

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Lakes and reservoirs play key roles in global carbon cycling, especially as a carbon sink. Enrichment of nutrients in lakes and reservoirs (eutrophication) and rising global temperatures favors the proliferation of bloom-forming cyanobacteria. Harmful blooms of cyanobacteria (cyanoHABs) alter carbon and nutrient cycling in freshwater ecosystems. Some evidence suggests the introduction or establishment of invasive mussel species (i.e., Dreissena spp.) also favor cyanoHAB formation through selective filter feeding, a process through which they may also impact biogeochemical processes including carbon cycling and sequestration. However, few studies have considered the combined effects of invasive mussels and cyanoHABs on carbon and nitrogen …


Role Of Vegetated Coastal Ecosystems As Nitrogen And Phosphorous Filters And Sinks In The Coasts Of Saudi Arabia, V. Saderne, M. Cusack, Oscar Serrano, H. Almahasheer, P. K. Krishnakumar, L. Rabaoui, M. A. Qurban, C. M. Duarte Jan 2020

Role Of Vegetated Coastal Ecosystems As Nitrogen And Phosphorous Filters And Sinks In The Coasts Of Saudi Arabia, V. Saderne, M. Cusack, Oscar Serrano, H. Almahasheer, P. K. Krishnakumar, L. Rabaoui, M. A. Qurban, C. M. Duarte

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Vegetated coastal ecosystems along the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf coasts of Saudi Arabia thrive in an extremely arid and oligotrophic environment, with high seawater temperatures and salinity. Mangrove, seagrass and saltmarsh ecosystems have been shown to act as efficient sinks of sediment organic carbon, earning these vegetated ecosystems the moniker 'blue carbon' ecosystems. However, their role as nitrogen and phosphorus (N and P) sinks remains poorly understood. In this study, we examine the capacity of blue carbon ecosystems to trap and store nitrogen and phosphorous in their sediments in the central Red Sea and Arabian Gulf. We estimated the …


Size And Density Of Upside-Down Jellyfish, Cassiopea Sp., And Their Impact On Benthic Fluxes In A Caribbean Lagoon, Chester B. Zarnoch, Noshin Hossain, Erika Fusco, Mary Alldred, Timothy J. Hoellein, Sophia Perdikaris Jan 2020

Size And Density Of Upside-Down Jellyfish, Cassiopea Sp., And Their Impact On Benthic Fluxes In A Caribbean Lagoon, Chester B. Zarnoch, Noshin Hossain, Erika Fusco, Mary Alldred, Timothy J. Hoellein, Sophia Perdikaris

School of Global Integrative Studies: Faculty Publications

Anthropogenic disturbances may be increasing jellyfish populations globally. Epibenthic jellyfish are ideal organisms for studying this phenomenon due to their sessile lifestyle, broad geographic distribution, and prevalence in near-shore coastal environments. There are few studies, however, that have documented epibenthic jellyfish abundance and measured their impact on ecological processes in tropical ecosystems. In this study, the density and size of the upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea spp.) were measured in Codrington Lagoon, Barbuda. A sediment core incubation study, with and without Cassiopea, also was performed to determine their impact on benthic oxygen and nutrient fluxes. Densities of Cassiopea were 24–168 …


Defoliation Severity Is Positively Related To Soil Solution Nitrogen Availability And Negatively Related To Soil Nitrogen Concentrations Following A Multi-Year Invasive Insect Irruption, Emma Conrad-Rooney, Audrey Barker Plotkin, Valerie J. Pasquarella, Joseph Elkinton, Jennifer L. Chandler, Jaclyn Hatala Matthes Jan 2020

Defoliation Severity Is Positively Related To Soil Solution Nitrogen Availability And Negatively Related To Soil Nitrogen Concentrations Following A Multi-Year Invasive Insect Irruption, Emma Conrad-Rooney, Audrey Barker Plotkin, Valerie J. Pasquarella, Joseph Elkinton, Jennifer L. Chandler, Jaclyn Hatala Matthes

Environmental Conservation Faculty Publication Series

Understanding connections between ecosystem nitrogen (N) cycling and invasive insect defoliation could facilitate the prediction of disturbance impacts across a range of spatial scales. In this study we investigated relationships between ecosystem N cycling and tree defoliation during a recent 2015–18 irruption of invasive gypsy moth caterpillars (Lymantria dispar), which can cause tree stress and sometimes mortality following multiple years of defoliation. Nitrogen is a critical nutrient that limits the growth of caterpillars and plants in temperate forests. In this study, we assessed the associations among N concentrations, soil solution N availability and defoliation intensity by L. dispar …


Effects Of Detritivores On Nutrient Dynamics And Corn Biomass In Mesocosms, Josephine Lindsey-Robbins, Angélica Vázquez-Ortega, Kevin Mccluney, Shannon Pelini Dec 2019

Effects Of Detritivores On Nutrient Dynamics And Corn Biomass In Mesocosms, Josephine Lindsey-Robbins, Angélica Vázquez-Ortega, Kevin Mccluney, Shannon Pelini

School of Earth, Environment and Society Faculty Publications

(1) Background: Strategies aimed at managing freshwater eutrophication should be based on practices that consider cropland invertebrates, climatic change, and soil nutrient cycling. Specifically, detritivores play a crucial role in the biogeochemical processes of soil through their consumptive and burrowing activities. Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of increasing detritivore abundance as a strategy for nutrient management under varied rainfall. (2) Methods: We manipulated soil macroinvertebrate abundance and rainfall amount in an agricultural mesocosms. We then measured the phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon levels within the soil, corn, invertebrates, and soil solution. (3) Results: Increasing detritivore abundance in our soil significantly increased …


Benchmarking On-Farm Maize Nitrogen Balance In The Western U.S. Corn Belt, Fatima Amor Tenorio Dec 2019

Benchmarking On-Farm Maize Nitrogen Balance In The Western U.S. Corn Belt, Fatima Amor Tenorio

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A nitrogen (N) balance, calculated as the difference between N inputs and grain-N removal, provides an estimate of the potential N losses. We used N balance with other N-related metrics (partial factor productivity for N inputs, and yield-scaled N balance), to benchmark maize yields in relation with N input use in the US Corn Belt. We first used experimental data on grain-N concentration (GNC) to assess variation in this parameter due to biophysical and management factors. Subsequently, we used N balance and N-related metrics to benchmark yields in relation with N inputs in irrigated and rainfed fields in Nebraska using …


Short Term Effects Of Hurricane Irma And Cyanobacterial Blooms On Ammonium Cycling Along A Freshwater-Estuarine Continuum In South Florida, Justyna J. Hampel, Mark J. Mccarthy, Megan H. Reed, Silvia E. Newell Oct 2019

Short Term Effects Of Hurricane Irma And Cyanobacterial Blooms On Ammonium Cycling Along A Freshwater-Estuarine Continuum In South Florida, Justyna J. Hampel, Mark J. Mccarthy, Megan H. Reed, Silvia E. Newell

Faculty Publications

Lacustrine and coastal systems are vulnerable to the increasing number and intensity of tropical storms driven by climate change. Strong winds associated with tropical storms can mobilize nutrients in sediments and alter nitrogen and phosphorus cycling, leading to amplification of preexisting conditions, such as eutrophication and cyanobacterial blooms (cyanoHABs). In 2016, Florida declared a State of Emergency within and downstream of Lake Okeechobee (LO) due to toxic cyanobacterial blooms (primarily Microcystis). The blooms originated in LO, but flood control measures released water from LO to the brackish St. Lucie Estuary (SLE). In September 2017, Hurricane Irma traversed the Florida …


Experimental Nitrogen Addition Alters Structure And Function Of A Boreal Bog: Critical Load And Thresholds Revealed, R. Kelman Wieder, Dale H. Vitt, Melanie A. Vile, Jeremy A. Graham, Jeremy A. Hartsock, Hope Fillingim, Et Al. Aug 2019

Experimental Nitrogen Addition Alters Structure And Function Of A Boreal Bog: Critical Load And Thresholds Revealed, R. Kelman Wieder, Dale H. Vitt, Melanie A. Vile, Jeremy A. Graham, Jeremy A. Hartsock, Hope Fillingim, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

Bogs and fens cover 6% and 21%, respectively, of the 140,329 km2 Oil Sands Administrative Area in northern Alberta. Development of the oil sands has led to increasing atmospheric N deposition, with values as high as 17 kg N.ha-1yr-1; regional background deposition is N.ha-1yr-1. Bogs, being ombrotrophic, may be especially susceptible to increasing N deposition. To examine responses to N deposition, over five years, we experimentally applied N (as NH4NO3) to a bog near Mariana Lake, Alberta, unaffected by oil sands activities, at …


Stable Isotope Analysis Of Japan Sea And East China Sea Sediments: Late Pleistocene Paleoceanographic Reconstructions, Heather Dawn Black Mar 2019

Stable Isotope Analysis Of Japan Sea And East China Sea Sediments: Late Pleistocene Paleoceanographic Reconstructions, Heather Dawn Black

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The East Asian Monsoon system is an important dynamic of East Asian climates, affecting over one-third of the world’s population. Marginal seas within East Asia are ideal environments to study past fluctuations of monsoon intensities and durations as they are sensitive to climatic and glacio-eustatic sea level changes. This study focuses on continuous sedimentary sequences collected from three Integrated Oceanic Drilling Program Expedition 346 sites; Sites U1426 and U1427 in the Japan Sea and Site U1429 in the East China Sea. Elemental concentration (%TOC, %TN, and %CaCO3) and stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) …


Greenhouse Gas And Nitrogen Inventory Report For Municipal And School Operations, Jackson H. Kaspari, Elena Piekut Jan 2019

Greenhouse Gas And Nitrogen Inventory Report For Municipal And School Operations, Jackson H. Kaspari, Elena Piekut

The Sustainability Institute Publications

The City of Dover recognizes the many challenges that a changing climate presents and acknowledges that municipalities have a responsibility to lead adaptation and greenhouse gas reduction efforts at the local level. Through a University of New Hampshire Sustainability Fellowship undertaken by UNH doctoral student Jackson Kaspari, the City of Dover has become the first municipality in North America to complete a baseline footprint for both greenhouse gas (GHG) and nitrogen impacts of local government operations. This inventory informs Dover’s policymakers, residents, property owners, and business owners on how to best introduce mitigation measures, helping Dover contribute to a global …


Seasonality Of Nitrogen Balances In A Mediterranean Climate Watershed, Oregon, Us, Jiajia Lin, Jana E. Compton, Scott G. Leibowitz, George Mueller-Warrant, William Matthews, Stephen H. Schoenholtz, Daniel M. Evans, Rob A. Coulombe Dec 2018

Seasonality Of Nitrogen Balances In A Mediterranean Climate Watershed, Oregon, Us, Jiajia Lin, Jana E. Compton, Scott G. Leibowitz, George Mueller-Warrant, William Matthews, Stephen H. Schoenholtz, Daniel M. Evans, Rob A. Coulombe

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Staff Publications

We constructed a seasonal nitrogen (N) budget for the year 2008 in the Calapooia River Watershed (CRW), an agriculturally dominated tributary of the Willamette River (Oregon, U.S.) under Mediterranean climate. Synthetic fertilizer application to agricultural land (dominated by grass seed crops) was the source of 90% of total N input to the CRW. Over 70% of the stream N export occurred during the wet winter, the primary time of fertilization and precipitation, and the lowest export occurred in the dry summer. Averaging across all 58 tributary subwatersheds, 19% of annual N inputs were exported by streams, and 41% by crop …