Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of Large Rock Blocks And Control On Landscape Evolution In The Ozarks, Chelsea Moran

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Geologists often use landscape form to infer landscape processes through time. While climate and tectonics shape geomorphic form, the potential range of spatial or temporal scales that can shape any specific landscape can render landscape process-form based hypotheses too general for consideration. Contributions by mathematical modeling have helped bridge the gap between inferring processes from form, notably in how sediment transport dynamics shape hillslopes. However, few models encapsulate the movement of large rock blocks ( >2 meters across) and their potential impact as hillslope sediment transport disruptors. The Upper Buffalo River watershed (BRW) in the Ozarks of northern Arkansas has …

Studying The South Lake Whatcom Fire, Lillian Buck

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This study investigates the ecological consequences of the South Lake Whatcom Fire, which occurred in August 2023, focusing on soil health and water quality. Lake Whatcom, historically shaped by indigenous settlements and 19th-century logging and mining activities, is a critical water source for Bellingham residents. The fire, sparked by lightning, was managed with hand-dug lines, and contained by September 2023. Soil analysis revealed a significant reduction in the organic matter/duff layer depth in burned areas compared to unburned sections, highlighting potential challenges for soil recovery and ecosystem health. Erosion concerns were raised, emphasizing the need for post-fire management strategies. This …

Evaluation And Description Of Nature-Based Engineering Stream Restoration Through Dutton Shadyside Park, Julie Wildschut, Andrea Lubberts, David P. Warners, Haley Weesies

Faculty and Professional Research

As land uses change over time, from wetlands and forests to agricultural fields, suburban neighborhoods, and commercial areas, stormwater runoff increases in volume and moves more rapidly into nearby streams. This altered hydrology conveys pollutants directly to local waterways and increases erosion, resulting in deeply entrenched channels with steep banks lacking vegetation. Plaster Creek, located near Grand Rapids, MI, is an example of such an impaired stream, having become channelized and separated from adjacent floodplain habitat along much of its 26-mile length. As part of a Michigan EGLE 319 grant, Plaster Creek Stewards, an initiative of Calvin University, used nature-based …

Micro-Field Assessment Of Soil Erosion And Surface Runoff Using Mini Rainfall Simulator In Upper River Njoro Watershed In Kenya, J. O. Onyando, M. O. Okelo, C. M. Gichaba, W. A. Shivoga, S. N. Miller

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Soil erosion and surface runoff are consequences of integration of several factors and processes within a catchment. The use of a rainfall simulator and run off plots provides a valuable research tool and are often used in soil erosion and surface runoff studies. Cheruiyot (1984) used this approach to study infiltration rates and sediment yield in Kiboko, Kenya. The present study used the same method but with a mini-rainfall simulator (Kamphorst, 1987) to study the effects of different land use treatments on soil loss and surface runoff.

Lidar Monitoring Of Annual And Storm-Driven Episodic Erosion At Rainsford Island, Alan H. Bartels

Graduate Masters Theses

Boston Harbor and its thirty-four islands are subject to erosion, driven by rain, winds, and waves. Climate change threatens to increase erosion over time as sea levels rise and the frequency and intensity of storms increase. Understanding the dynamics of coastal erosion is key to guiding the design of coastal shoreline protections, the research of which a goal of Stone Living Laboratory at the University of Massachusetts Boston. To better understand the impact of both annual weather and episodic severe storms, the high-resolution Riegl VZ400i LiDAR was deployed four times over 14 months from July 22, 2021 to October 19, …

Unearthing Complexity: Tangible Histories Of Water And Earth, Alexis Violet

Masters Theses

Unearthing Complexity investigates conceptions of time and surface through geological stories of the water and earth. Building on theories of deep time, hydrofeminism, critical zones, and grounding, I hope to foster a deeper awareness of time scales other than our own and a more tangible understanding of the embodied experience of matter in the universe. Working toward a new literacy of the water and earth in which they are recognized as living, changing bodies to which we are inherently tied at a molecular level, the site of this multiscalar inquiry occurs in the coastal zones of the Narragansett Bay where …

Effects Of Salix Psammophila On Groundwater Recharge In A Semiarid Area Of North China, Lizhu Hou, Jingdong Gao, Bill X. Hu, Xixi Wang

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Study region: The semiarid Mu Us Sandy Land (MUSL) was selected for this study. It is in the farming-pastoral ecotone of north China and functions as an eco-environmental barrier.

Study focus: Afforestation can mitigate desertification and soil erosion by improving hydrologic condition, which is particularly true for semiarid and arid regions. However, little is known about the quantitative response of hydrologic improvement to afforestation level that can be measured by leaf area index (LAI). The objective was to setup and use a physically-based model to quantitatively assess the dynamics of water fluxes from Salix psammophila afforestation in the MUSL.

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