Environmental Monitoring Commons^™

Quantitative Comparison Of Fecal Coliform And Fecal Streptococci Counts Of Six Ponds In Charlotte Sounty, Virginia, Melissa Dunn Back

Theses & Honors Papers

Performing testing to detect for the presence of fecal coliform and fecal streptococci are the acceptable standard methods for judging the quality of water. Their presence and quantitation are presumed to be a predictive indicator of potentially more serious organisms being present. This study was initiated to look at the differences in fecal coliform counts between irrigation ponds and livestock ponds. The hypothesis was that livestock ponds would have a significantly higher count of fecal coliform and fecal streptococci than irrigation ponds. This hypothesis was accepted. Six privately owned ponds in Charlotte County, Virginia were used to evaluate for the …

An Evaluation Of Stream Flow Characteristics And Fecal Coliform Loads In Sayler's Creek Watershed, South Central Virginia, David Straton Gilbert

Theses & Honors Papers

The Sayler's Creek watershed is located within Prince Edward County, Nottoway, and Amelia Counties of the south central region of Virginia. The Sayler's Creek Watershed consists of two small creeks: Big Sayler's Creek and Little Sayler's Creek. The Environmental Protection Agency has Big Sayler's Creek listed as impaired and not Little Sayler's Creek. Based upon visual inspections of the Sayler's Creek watershed throughout the year, Little Sayler's Creek is inlpaired for fecal coliform instead of Big Sayler's Creek. Another hypothesis of this study is that fecal coliform levels are directly related to runoff from cattle ranches in the immediate floodplain …

Bioindication Of Atmospheric Heavy Metal Deposition In The Blue Ridge Using The Moss Thuidium Delcatulum, Johathan Scott Schilling

Theses & Honors Papers

Heavy metals in the environment pose a risk to human health as well as to ecosystem health. These metals are released into the atmosphere as a result of industrial processes, and can be transported away from their sources to be deposited into the environment. Ectohydric mosses are known accumulators of atmospheric heavy metals, and their tissue can be used to quantify integrated deposition of these metals over time in the ecosystem.

In this study, the moss Thuidium delicatulum (Hedw.) was used to quantify lead (Pb), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni) concentrations in the central Blue Ridge of Virginia …

Breeding Bird Utilization Of Shelterwood-Cut Oak Stands In Buckingham County, Virginia, Kim Marie Mcdonald

Theses & Honors Papers

Breeding bird populations on three shelterwood cut oak stands in Buckingham County, Virginia were studied using Breeding Bird Census (BBC) techniques. The stands were cut partly or entirely during the year prior to the 1997 breeding season, when the BBCs were conducted. The plots were established as part of a study of oak regeneration following controlled bums in the Virginia piedmont. Canopy cover on the plots averaged 66.8% after the cuts and total basal area averaged 41915 cm2/acre. At least 23 species of birds had territories partly or entirely on at least one of the plots, and at least nine …

Establishment Of A Nighthawk Migration Monitoring Program, Jeri Paige Guilliams

Theses & Honors Papers

The Nighthawk Migration Monitoring Program was initiated in 1997 to study the Common Nighthawk, Chordeiles minor. Modeled after the Hawk Migration Association of North America's hawkwatching methodology, the program enlisted volunteers to record time of day for peak flight, time of season for peak flight, weather conditions affecting migration, and other data. Volunteers were enlisted by establishment of a web­ page and e-mail address, preparation and circulation of a brochure, and through mail.

Individual chapters of the Virginia Society of Ornithology and others expressing interest were sent a letter, brochure, a Nighthawk Count Report Form, and an instruction sheet for …

The Effect Of Wildlife Management Techniques On Grassland Birds In Central Virginia, Eric Wayne Rosenbaum

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of wildlife management techniques on grassland bird species . Grassland birds have been declining in number for the last twenty-five years (Kershner and Bollinger 1996). Their decline is attributed to overall habitat loss. This study was conducted at James River Wildlife Management Area in Nelson County, Virginia. Three grassland plots were selected to represent three different kinds of management. One plot was planted in wheat, another in corn, and one plot was burned. Birds within these plots were monitored for one year. Each plot was also subjected to a vegetational …