Other Environmental Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Excessive Soil Phosphorus Accumulation On Loblolly Pine (Pinus Taeda L.) Seedlings, Hannah C. Bays

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many landowners in East Texas apply poultry litter to pastures as a source of nitrogen (N) for forage crops. After many years of repeated poultry litter application, soils can accumulate extremely high extractable phosphorus (P) concentrations, sometimes over 1000 mg kg^-1 of plant available P. Landowners report the conversion of these pastures to loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations is often problematic, with poor seedling survival and abnormal tree growth. This study was conducted to assess the effects of excessive soil phosphorus on loblolly pine seedlings. An outdoor pot study was conducted using bare root seedlings and triple …

The Effects Of Prescribed Burning On Soil Water Infiltration Rates And Other Select Soil Physical And Chemical Properties In East Texas, Cassady Pennington Dunson, Brian P. Oswald, Kenneth Farrish, Tyson Hart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on whether prescribed burning affects soil physical and chemical properties, especially water infiltration, in Western Gulf Coast forests. Soil water infiltration rates were measured 1) pre-burn (before the fire), 2) post-burn (one month after the fire), and 3) at vegetation green-up (three months after the fire). Soil samples were also collected to determine the effects of prescribed burning on soil pH, bulk density, particle density, pore space, soil strength, O-horizon weight and depth (organic matter), water stable aggregates, and soil fertility. This project was conducted on two different burn intervals. The National Forests and Grasslands of Texas …

Tree Canopy Effects On Roof-Harvested Rainwater In East Texas, Kimberly Gamez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nine experimental metal roofs with rainwater harvesting systems were constructed and water quality parameters were measured in 2016-2017 in order to evaluate the effects of arboreal overhang on roof-harvested rainwater quality collected in East Texas. Three treatments were evaluated: Rainwater collected from roofs without any overhanging tree vegetation, rainwater collected from roofs under predominantly Southern yellow pine tree cover, and rainwater collected from roofs under predominantly hardwood tree cover. Rainwater was collected from these roofs for one year. The effects of canopy cover on water quality parameters, comparison to drinking water standards, first-flush efficiency, and seasonal effects were evaluated.

Significant …

Aerial Mineral And Organic Particulate Deposition In East Texas, Sarah Caton, Sarah Caton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study determined the monthly amount, particle size distribution, and chemical composition of particulate deposition in East Texas over a one-year period. It also recognized the seasonal patterns of this deposition as well as its primary origins as either mineral or organic particulate deposition.

The study recorded the monthly mass of deposition, particle size distribution, and the chemical makeup of deposition throughout a period of twelve months at seven sampling locations. SEM-EDS technology was used in conjunction with PCI programming to measure the sizes of depositional particles throughout this time period and identify their chemical composition.

The total yearly deposition …

Evaluation Of Groundwater Sodium And Sodium Uptake In Taxodium And Its Hybrids On Galveston Island, Texas, Daniel Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In September 2008, Hurricane Ike swept through the Gulf of Mexico striking the Gulf Coast, claiming hundreds of lives and causing billions of dollars in damage. The hurricane left behind elevated sea salt concentrations in the soil and groundwater, preventing the unaided return of live oaks and other species to the island. To determine effective ways to ameliorate the elevated Na⁺ concentrations in the soil, eight treatments were applied to the soil and combinations of three species of plants, live oak (Quercus virginiana), hybrid bald cypress (Taxodium ‘T406’), and yellow hibiscus (Hibiscus hamabo …

Simulated Mine Land Reclamation Impact On Biomass Partitioning And Nutrient Contents In Loblolly Pine, Osarumen Egharevba

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Forest productivity on reclaimed mine land is hindered by soil compaction. Different techniques have been used to alleviate the effect of compaction to various degrees of success. The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) was developed in the Appalachians and has been used to improve forest productivity on reclaimed mines in this region. The FRA provides a step by step method designed to reduce compaction, control erosion, provide land stabilization and accelerate forest succession. This method had not been evaluated in the Gulf Coastal Plain, where the pan scraper reclamation method is commonly used. However, using pan scrapers increases mine soil compaction …

Applications Of Digital Remote Sensing To Quantify Glacier Change In Glacier And Mount Rainier National Parks, Brianna Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Digital remote sensing and geographic information systems were employed in performing area and volume calculations on glacial landscapes. Characteristics of glaciers from two geographic regions, the Intermountain Region (between the Rocky Mountain and Cascade Ranges) and the Pacific Northwest, were estimated for the years 1985, 2000, and 2015. Glacier National Park was studied for the Intermountain Region whereas Mount Rainier National Park was representative of the glaciers in the Pacific Northwest. Within the thirty year period of the study, the glaciers in Glacier National Park decreased in area by 27.5 percent while those on Mount Rainier only decreased by 5.7 …

Coarse Root, Forest Litter, And Soil Organic Matter Contributions To Carbon Sequestration In Loblolly Pine (Pinus Taeda) Plantations In East Texas, William Wedge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding ecosystem carbon dynamics is of increasing importance with atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations on the rise. Land management strategies, such as land use conversion, effect ecosystem carbon cycling dynamics and can alter the quantity of carbon sequestered in vegetation and soils. In East Texas and much of the southern United States, there has been a trend of converting marginal pastureland into loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations. This afforestation, like all other land use conversions, leads to a redistribution of carbon in vegetation and soil carbon sinks. In 2003, five marginal pasturelands in East Texas were afforested with loblolly pine …

Soil Amelioration And Plant Establishment On Sodium Affected Soils On Galveston Island, Texas, Elaine Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The storm surge from Hurricane Ike in 2008 inundated much of Galveston Island, Texas, causing lasting below-ground impacts in the form of elevated soil sodium (Na+) concentrations. The Na+ initially killed much of the vegetation on the Island and its persistence in soils and groundwater slowed revegetation with some species. Soil amelioration techniques aimed at reducing soil Na+ concentrations were evaluated on an area affected by the storm surge. The treatments were: constructed raised beds composed of uncontaminated soil, incorporation of organic mulch, gypsum application, and combinations of these treatments. Inputs of Na+ from sea-spray aerosols were also quantified using …

Effectiveness Of Prescribed Fire On Meeting Fuel Load And Wildlife Habitat Management Objectives In East Texas National Forests, Trey Wall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using standardized methodology outlined by the United States Forest Service and the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas’ Fire Monitoring Program for data collection, the efficacy of current Forest Service prescribed burn regimes were analyzed for 24 study sites in East Texas National Forests. Study sites were located within Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, and Angelina/Sabine National Forests. Efficacy was determined by comparing defined management objectives established by the Forest Service to the data collected at the study sites. The results conclude that most objectives, as outlined by the Forest Service, are not being met with the current practices. Re-visitation of …

A Comparison Of Four Wetlands Assessment Procedures Relevant To The Alluvial Valleys Of East Texas, Amy Camp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Currently several methods are used by public and private entities to assess wetland functional condition in support of the Section 404 Clean Water Act program. Four of these are: Forested Wetlands in Alluvial Valleys of the Coastal Plain of the Southeastern United States (SEHGM); A Regional Guidebook for Applying the Hydrogeomorphic Approach to the Functional Assessment of Forested Wetlands in Alluvial Valleys of East Texas (ETXHGM); Texas Rapid Assessment Method (TXRAM); and the Wildlife Habitat Appraisal Procedure (WHAP). Little previous research compares wetland functional assessment methods. Results of the SEHGM, ETXHGM, TXRAM, and WHAP methods were compared on five East …

Geophysical Delineation Of Megaporosity And Fluid Migration Pathways For Geohazard Characterization Within The Delaware Basin, Culberson County, Texas, Jonathan David Woodard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Differential dissolution of gypsum karst within the Delaware Basin poses a significant threat to infrastructure that society depends on. The study area is located in Culberson County, Texas and traverses a distance of approximately 54 kilometers along RM 652 within the Gypsum Plain which is situated on the northern margin of the Chihuahua Desert and includes outcrops of Castile and Rustler strata that host karst geohazards. Regions of karst geohazard potential have been physically surveyed proximal to the study area in evaporites throughout the Castile Formation outcrop; minimal hazards, in comparison to the Castile Formation, have been documented in …

Assessment And Characterization Of Microbial Communities In Salt Affected Soils On Galveston Island, Elaine Fowler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After Hurricane Ike in 2008, Galveston Island was flooded with sea water that left the soil and groundwater of the island with elevated sodium concentrations. As part of a long-term study that aims to restore plant life to the island, various soil amelioration techniques are being evaluated. Samples from bedded and non- bedded plots treated with gypsum, mulch, or both were assessed for microbial populations. Samples collected in July and October 2016 were cultured on Tryptic Soy Agar (bacteria enumeration), Pseudomonas Agar, Actinomycete Agar, and Rose Bengal Agar (fungi enumeration). Bacteria populations ranged from 4.07 to 5.12 log CFU/gram and …

Predicting Post-Fire Change In West Virginia, Usa From Remotely-Sensed Data, Michael Strager P. Strager, Melissa Thomas-Van Gundy, Aaron E. Maxwell

Journal of Geospatial Applications in Natural Resources

Prescribed burning is used in West Virginia, USA to return the important disturbance process of fire to oak and oak-pine forests. Species composition and structure are often the main goals for re-establishing fire with less emphasis on fuel reduction or reducing catastrophic wildfire. In planning prescribed fires land managers could benefit from the ability to predict mortality to overstory trees. In this study, wildfires and prescribed fires in West Virginia were examined to determine if specific landscape and terrain characteristics were associated with patches of high/moderate post-fire change. Using the ensemble machine learning approach of Random Forest, we determined that …

Spatial Analysis Of Forest Crimes In Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri, Karun Pandit, Eddie Bevilacqua, Giorgos Mountrakis, Robert W. Malmsheimer

Journal of Geospatial Applications in Natural Resources

Forest crime mitigation has been identified as a challenging issue in forest management in the United States. Knowledge of the spatial pattern of forest crimes would help in wisely allocating limited enforcement resources to curb forest crimes. This study explores the spatial pattern of three different types of forest crimes: fire crime, illegal timber logging crime, and occupancy use crime in the Salem-Patosi Ranger District of Mark Twain National Forest. Univariate and bivariate Ripley’s K-functions were applied to explore the spatial patterns in crime events, like clustering and attraction among forest crime types. Results reveal significant clustering for each forest …

Comparison Of Terrain Indices And Landform Classification Procedures In Low-Relief Agricultural Fields, Derek A. Evans, Karl W. J. Williard, Jon E. Schoonover

Journal of Geospatial Applications in Natural Resources

Landforms control the spatial distribution of numerous factors associated with agronomy and water quality. Although curvature and slope are the fundamental surface derivatives used in landform classification procedures, methodologies for landform classifications have been performed with other terrain indices including the topographic position index (TPI) and the convergence index (CI). The objectives of this study are to compare plan curvature, the convergence index, profile curvature, and the topographic position index at various scales to determine which better identifies the spatial variability of soil phosphorus (P) within three low relief agricultural fields in central Illinois and to compare how two methods …

Discordant Data And Interpretation Of Results From Wildlife Habitat Models, Anita T. Morzillo, Michael G. Wing, Justin Long

Journal of Geospatial Applications in Natural Resources

Wildlife habitat management is an important part of natural resource management. As a result, there are a large number of models and tools for wildlife habitat assessment. A consequence of the many assessment tools is inconsistency when comparing results between tools, which may lead to potential confusion management decisions. Our objective was to compare results from two wildlife habitat models – one being relatively coarse (HUC5) scale and not spatially dynamic and the other being finer scale spatial data based on a 30 m spatial resolution –for habitat assessment of three species across the West Cascades of Oregon: Northern spotted …