Environmental Monitoring Commons^™

Pastoral Resources And Their Management In The Sandstone-Yalgoo-Paynes Find Area, Western Australia, A M E Van Vreeswyk, P. T. Godden

Agriculture reports

This report covers about 94,700 square kilometres of rangelands in the Sandstone-Yalgoo-Paynes Find area of Western Australia. The area lies within 27°S and 30°S latitudes, and 115°30'E and 120°E longitudes and includes the towns of Sandstone, Yalgoo and Paynes Find. The northern, southern, and eastern limits of the survey area are largely defined by the boundaries of the 1:250,000 scale series map sheets.The western limit is the boundary between the pastoral and agricultural area.

Observations On Groundwater Recharge In The Westdale Catchment, M F. Lewis, C E. Mcconnell

Resource management technical reports

A study of the role of groundwater carriers and barriers in controlling salinity was carried out in the Westdale Catchment by Lewis and McConnell (in preparation). Although that study was primarily concerned with groundwater flow and discharge processes, the data collected also provided rudimentary information on the timing of groundwater recharge events and their distribution across the landscape.

Completion Report: Arkansas State Plant Board Pesticide Ground Water Monitoring Project - Phase Vi, T. Nichols, P. Vendrell, K. Steele, H. D. Scott, C. Armstrong

Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Interagency Lake Mead And Las Vegas Wash Monitoring Program: Standard Operating Procedures Manual, Bureau Of Reclamation, City Of Henderson Water Reclamation Facility, City Of Las Vegas Water Pollution Control Facility, Clark County Sanitation District, Nevada, Southern Nevada Water Authority

Publications (WR)

A number of agencies sample Lake Mead and the Las Vegas Wash on a routine basis at several locations. In order to share and properly interpret the data, the Bureau of Reclamation, Southern Nevada Water Authority and the three Wastewater Treatment Facilities (City of Las Vegas, Clark County Sanitation District and City of Henderson) formed a committee to examine sampling and analytical protocols and to share information with the goal of maximizing the data quality. The group first met in April 1997.

It was agreed that an effort should be made to discuss and compare specific sampling and analytical techniques …

Morphogenesis Of Douglas Fir Buds Is Altered At Elevated Temperature But Not At Elevated Co2, Martha E. Apple, Melissa S. Lucash, David M. Olszyk, David T. Tingey

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Global climatic change as expressed by increased CO₂ and temperature has the potential for dramatic effects on trees. To determine what its effects may be on Pacific Northwest forests, Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii ) seedlings were grown in sun-lit controlled environment chambers at ambient or elevated (+4°C above ambient) temperature, and at ambient or elevated (+200 ppm above ambient) CO₂. In 1995–1996 and 1996–1997, elevated CO₂ had no effect on vegetative bud morphology, while the following unusual morphological characteristics were found with greater frequency at elevated temperature than at ambient: rosetted buds with reflexed and loosened outer …

Integrating The Nation's Environmental Monitoring And Research Networks And Programs, James R. Gosz, Pete Murdoch

Long Term Ecological Research Network

An Exercise to Demonstrate the Value of Index Areas in a National Network: A Report Prepared for the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

The Environmental Monitoring Team, a team of Federal scientists and program managers, was convened by the CENR Steering Committee and given the charge "to develop a national framework for integration and coordination of environmental monitoring and related research through collaboration and building upon existing networks and programs". Two of the recommendations for a National Environment Monitoring Framework were; 1) evaluate alternatives for selecting the number and distribution of "index areas", including stratification by ecoregion in …

Monitoring Cavefish Populations And Environmental Quality In Cave Springs Cave, Arkansas, Arthur V. Brown, G. O. Graening, Paul Vendrell

Technical Reports

Cave Springs Cave, Benton County, Arkansas, was monitored from October 1997 to June 1998 to determine the chemical and physical environmental quality and the status of the population of threatened Ozark cavefish, Amblyopsis rosae. The majority of the chemical parameters measured were indicative of adequate environmental quality in the Cave Springs Cave ecosystem. However, several significant problems were revealed. A trend analysis of known water quality studies of this cave complex suggests that many organic and inorganic chemicals have increased in concentration in the last 14 years. This ecologically sensitive water body did not meet Arkansas water quality regulations for …

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 …

A Comparison Of Astm Standard E1599-94 And A Site Assessment Project Located In North Las Vegas, Kenneth Anthony Katsuda

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document provides a comparison of ASTM E-1599-94 Standard for a petroleum release and the procedures performed on a site assessment project in North Las Vegas. The major elements of a site assessment are thoroughly discussed in this document. They elements consist of the Initial Site Assessment, On-Site Delineation, Off-Site Delineation, Sampling/Analysis, and Site Assessment Methodologies.

The data was obtained through extensive research, utilizing reference documents,on-site experience, and the knowledge of Keith Stewart of Stewart Environmental.

After reviewing and comparing the data of my research, the procedures applied to the North Las Vegas Site (NLVS) were quite similar to the …

How To Reduce Drought Risk, Cody Knutson, Mike Hayes, Tom Phillips

Drought Mitigation Center: Faculty Publications

This guide describes a practical step-by-step process for identifying actions that can be taken to reduce potential drought-related impacts before a drought occurs. Step 1 begins with making sure that the right people are brought together and supplied with adequate data to make informed and equitable decisions during the process. Steps 2 and 3 narrow the focus of the study by identifying high priority drought-related impacts that are relevant to the user’s location or activity. Step 4 demonstrates that in order to reduce the potential for the identified impacts to occur in the future, it is necessary to understand the …

Lake Whatcom Monitoring Project 1996/1997 Report, Robin A. Matthews, Michael Hilles, Geoffrey B. Matthews

Lake Whatcom Annual Reports

This report is part of an on-going series of annual reports and special project reports that document the Lake Whatcom monitoring program.

This work is conducted by the Institute for Watershed Studies and other departments at Western Washington University. The major objective of this program is to provide long-term baseline water quality monitoring in Lake Whatcom and selected tributaries. Each section contains brief explanations about the water quality data, along with discussions of patterns observed in Lake Whatcom.

Chapter 2 Climate, Donald A. Wilhite, Kenneth G. Hubbard

Drought Mitigation Center: Faculty Publications

The broad climatic patterns of the Sand Hills region are also characteristic of the central Great Plains environment. The spatial and temporal patterns of these climatic variables have a significant effect on the natural resources of the region.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Water Quality Monitoring Project: 1998 Annual Report, Ronald Jones, Joseph N. Boyer

SERC Research Reports

No abstract provided.

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of The Sandstone-Yalgoo-Paynes Find Area, Western Australia, A L. Payne, A M E Van Vreeswyk, K A. Leighton, H J. Pringle, P Hennig

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of the Sandstone-Yalgoo-Paynes Find area, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) between 1992 and 1993, describes and maps the natural resources of the region’s pastoral leasehold land. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the area’s natural resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The area surveyed covers about …

Agricultural Water Quality Index Field Handout, Jeffrey Cooper, Richard Rediske, Melvin Northup, Mark Thogerson, Jonathan Van Denend

Scientific Technical Reports

The Agricultural Water Quality Index (AWQI) is an assessment tool designed for use in agroecosystems. Most existing environmental indices and assessment tools focus on the stream channel and/or riparian zone (the area between the channel and active land use). In contrast, the AWQI places an emphasis on land use and soil types that play a significant role in hydrologic cycles and water quality characteristics within the watershed.

The AWQI is designed to be used by agricultural technicians with limited experience in aquatic ecology; however, it does assume a reasonable background in soil characteristics. This index is intended for use during …

Agricultural Water Quality Index, Jeffrey Cooper, Richard Rediske, Melvin Northup, Mark Thogerson, Jonathan Van Denend

Scientific Technical Reports

The primary purpose of the Agricultural Water Quality Index (AWQI) is to provide the agricultural community with a practical technical method for conducting cost-effective water quality assessments of rivers and streams in agroecosystems. The protocols presented have been derived from extensive literature review and the results of field research in agroecosystems performed during the summer of 1997 by the authors of this index. This assessment tool is not intended to replace those already in use by state agencies or to be used without regional modifications.

Drought-Induced Shift Of A Forest–Woodland Ecotone: Rapid Landscape Response To Climate Variation, Craig Allen, David D. Breshears

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

In coming decades, global climate changes are expected to produce large shifts in vegetation distributions at unprecedented rates. These shifts are expected to be most rapid and extreme at ecotones, the boundaries between ecosystems, particularly those in semiarid landscapes. However, current models do not adequately provide for such rapid effects—particularly those caused by mortality—largely because of the lack of data from field studies. Here we report the most rapid landscape-scale shift of a woody ecotone ever documented: in northern New Mexico in the 1950s, the ecotone between semiarid ponderosa pine forest and pinon– juniper woodland shifted extensively (2 km or …

Salinity Action Plan : Wetland Vegetation Monitoring, 1997/1998, G. Ogden, R. H. Froend

Research outputs pre 2011

This report represents the vegetation component of a project designed to provide on-going monitoring of wetland salinity and biological resources in wetlands of the agricultural zone of south-west Western Australia. Maintenance of wetland biological diversity in the agricultural zone is one of the major objectives of the Salinity Action Plan. Due to their low position in the landscape, wetlands are the habitat most affected by salinisation...

Wetland Vegetation Monitoring, 1998 Survey: Gnangara Wetlands, N. E. Pettit, R. H. Froend

Research outputs pre 2011

Water regimes, both groundwater and surface water components dil'ectly effect distribution, health and species composition of wetland fringing vegetation. In the area of the northern Swan Coastal Plain overlying the Gnangara groundwater mound, wetland water levels and therefore the vegetation can be intimately connected to underlying groundwater levels. The Water Corporation (formerly Water Authority of Western Australia) has been drawing water from the Gnangara mound for domestic water supply for a number of years. The main objective of this study is to monitor the changes in the vegetation fringing these wetlands and to determine if this is related to changes …

Inventory Of Sub-Catchments Within The Oyster Harbour Catchment, B Radys

Resource management technical reports

The release of the "Salinity Action Plan for Western Australia' in December 996 highlighted the need for catchment scale planning and coordinated actions to reverse salinity trends.

A separate report has been produced for each major catchment area. Each report contains and inventory of all sub-catchments, with information on area, degradation risks and group activities with each catchment.

Inventory Of Sub-Catchments Within The Albany Eastern Hinterland, B Radys

Resource management technical reports

The release of the "Salinity Action Plan for Western Australia' in December 996 highlighted the need for catchment scale planning and coordinated actions to reverse salinity trends.

A separate report has been produced for each major catchment area. Each report contains and inventory of all sub-catchments, with information on area, degradation risks and group activities with each catchment.

The Soil Acarine Fauna Of Selected Agroecosystems Within The York Shire, Derek Juan Swarts

Theses : Honours

The practice of broadacre, dryland farming is known to affect the physico-chemical structure of the soil but our knowledge or its impact on the biological structure is rudimentary. The soil acarine (mite) communities which inhabit these soils display a variety of responses to this agricultural practice. With the increasing focus on developing ecologically sustainable agricultural techniques, an understanding of the soil acari becomes increasingly important. This study investigated the impact of two agricultural practices (designated here us Conventional and Non-Conventional) upon the abundance and diversity of the soil acari. Conventional agricultural practice involved broad scale chemical application to weeds and …

Inventory Of Sub-Catchments Within The Wilson Inlet Catchment, B Radys

Resource management technical reports

The release of the "Salinity Action Plan for Western Australia' in December 996 highlighted the need for catchment scale planning and coordinated actions to reverse salinity trends.

A separate report has been produced for each major catchment area. Each report contains and inventory of all sub-catchments. with information on area, degradation risks and group activities with each catchment.

Effects Of Agricultural Practices On Nutrient Concentrations And Loads In Two Small Watersheds, Northwestern Arkansas, Robin G. Roggio, Kenneth F. Steele, P. F. Vendrell, M. A. Nelson

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The water quality of two small, adjacent watersheds was monitored to determine the effect of land use on nutrient loads and flow-weighted mean concentrations. Poultry litter and liquid swine waste are surface applied as fertilizer to pastures that are used for hay production and beef cattle grazing. The study area is located in northwestern Arkansas, east central Washington County. Cannon Creek, the less influenced watershed (628 hectares), contains 11% pasture; whereas, Shumate Creek, the more influenced watershed (589 hectares), contains 22% pasture and receives approximately four times more land applied animal waste as fertilizer. The remaining land cover in both …

Remote Characterization Of Wetland Vegetation And Corresponding Relationship To Soils : Final Report On The Evaluation Of Imagery-Derived Terrain Attributes In The Coastal Zone, John E. Anderson, James E. Perry, Jill Meyer

Reports

To accomplish the goals of this study, a pristine coastal barrier island environment was selected that was free from influences of urban development. This provided the optimal situation that could be expected to be encountered by military strategists and base resource managers. The site selected was Parramore Island (Figure I). Parramore Island is the seventh island ( north to south) located on the seaward margin of the southeastern Delmarva Peninsula and is one of the most dynamic and least disturbed coastal landscapes remaining in North America (McCaffrey and Dueser, 1990). The island is centered at Latitude 37° 30' and Longitude …

Perceptions Of Seagrass Ecosystem Health And Potential Indicators For Monitoring, Nick Wood

Theses : Honours

A range of seagrass characteristics were assessed for potential use as indicators of ecosystem health. Shoot density, shoot width, maximum shoot length, above and below ground biomass, percentage canopy cover, leaf area index, leaf extension rate, meadow productivity, epiphyte biomass, epiphyte species richness, percentage of calcium carbonate in epiphytic material and percentage of nitrogen in leaf tissue were all measured in “healthy~ and unhealthy" Posidonia augustifolia meadows in Cockburn and Warnbro Sounds, from June through to August 1998. A questionnaire was used to determine which meadows researchers and managers in the seagrass ecology field in Perth perceived to be healthy …

Carbon Sequestration Of Two Oil Mallee Species, Eucalyptus Loxophleba Subsp. Lissophloia And Eucalyptus. Kochii Subsp. Plenissima In The Semi-Arid Environment Of The Central Wheatbelt Of Western Australia, Andrew Phillip Mccarthy

Theses : Honours

The planting of "Oil malices" have a number of implications in terms of environmental management within Western Australia. Firstly, the incorporation of perennial trees on a large scale into the agricultural landscape can assist in balancing the hydrological cycle and other land degradation problems (Bird et. al. 1992; Western Australian Salinity Action Plan, 1996). Secondly, harvesting the above-ground biomass can produce an economic return because of the oil contained within the leaves. This oil has the potential to replace ozone damaging solvents (Barton and Knight, J997; Wildy, 1996). Finally, "oil mallees" have the potential to offset greenhouse gas emissions, because …

The Distribution And Long-Term Change In Banksia Ilicifolia Communities On The Gnangara Mound, Ryan Gurner

Theses : Honours

The Gnangara Mound is a large shallow groundwater aquifer which occurs in the superficial formations bounded by the Swan River, Ellenbrook, Gingin Brook, Moore River and the Indian Ocean on the northern Swan Coastal Plain. To protect terrestrial vegetation on the Gnangara Mound. groundwater levels must be maintained to allow plants access to water which is required for their survival. In areas with a shallow depth to groundwater, studies have shown that groundwater drawdown (reduction of the water table by any processes or factors) has a high potential to impact on the vegetation (Havel. 1968: Aplin. 1976: Heddle. 1980a: Dodd …