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Physical and Environmental Geography Commons™
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Articles 1 - 9 of 9
Full-Text Articles in Physical and Environmental Geography
Carbon Storage And Cycling Of Reclaimed Mine Soils In Southeastern Kentucky, Alice Jones, Kelly Barber, Peter Acton, James Fox
Carbon Storage And Cycling Of Reclaimed Mine Soils In Southeastern Kentucky, Alice Jones, Kelly Barber, Peter Acton, James Fox
Alice Jones
Since the passage of the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) in 1977, the most common type of surface mine reclamation is heavy compaction followed by grass seeding. To promote better vegetative recovery after mining, the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) promotes leaving the top four feet of fill material loose and planting a seedling mix of native hardwood trees. This study aims to quantify the effects of the resulting soil bulk densities on decomposition processes through the analysis of carbon storage and cycling in the soil column. Soil carbon storage mechanisms are divided into specific size classes/pools, each corresponding …
Estimates Of Streambank Erosion In A Surface Mined Disturbed Watershed Of Southern Appalachia, Alice Jones, Kelly Foley, Darren Martin, James Fox, Peter Acton, Nathanial Adams
Estimates Of Streambank Erosion In A Surface Mined Disturbed Watershed Of Southern Appalachia, Alice Jones, Kelly Foley, Darren Martin, James Fox, Peter Acton, Nathanial Adams
Alice Jones
Mountaintop coal mining is a debated environmental issue which has a significant influence on Appalachian watersheds, particularly their channel evolution. A major issue related to the mining is the increase in sediment load and transport from increased runoff and streambank erosion during storm events. Estimates of streambank erosion associated with surface mining are important presently because environmental regulations of mining are being reevaluated. This study uses a compartmental streambank erosion model to estimate rates of streambank erosion in an actively mined first-order watershed in Eastern Kentucky. The study site is Island Branch (2.2 km²), a subwatershed of the Line Fork …
Carbon Sequestration In Soils On Reforested Coal Mining Sites In Southeastern Kentucky, Alice Jones, Frances Sayler, James Fox
Carbon Sequestration In Soils On Reforested Coal Mining Sites In Southeastern Kentucky, Alice Jones, Frances Sayler, James Fox
Alice Jones
Soil organic carbon was measured at four locations in Eastern Kentucky in order to assess the impact of surface mine reclamation through reforestation on the soil organic carbon pool. Three surface mines reforested under similar procedures 2, 5, and 14 years ago were sampled, along with soil from an undisturbed forest in the area. Soil was sampled from 4 depths, (0-5, 5-10, 10-25 and 25-50 cm) and samples were analyzed by an isotope ratio mass spectrometer for percent carbon and carbon isotopic signature. The Monte Carlo unmixing equation was used to differentiate geogenic carbon from organic carbon at the mine …
Quantifying Nitrogen Cycling On Surface Mined Lands Using Natural Delta 15n Abundances And Fungal Relationships: An Exploratory Study, Alice Jones, Stephanie Jarvis, James Fox, Harold Rowe
Quantifying Nitrogen Cycling On Surface Mined Lands Using Natural Delta 15n Abundances And Fungal Relationships: An Exploratory Study, Alice Jones, Stephanie Jarvis, James Fox, Harold Rowe
Alice Jones
The use of isotopes to measure the role of mycorrhizal fungi in cycling nitrogen between soil and plants is applied to a reclaimed surface mine to illustrate the impact of surface mining on soil nutrient cycling in a terrestrial ecosystem. Isotopic relationships between soil, plants, and fungi were examined for a ~10 year old pitch pine reclaimed valley fill in Breathitt County, KY and for an undisturbed mixed mesophytic forest in Letcher County, KY. A quantitative inventory of sporocarps present, their size and substrate was performed at each site. Isotopic signatures of fungal and presumed substrate samples, dominant foliage samples …
Metals Analysis As A Tool For Understanding Headwater Health And Stream Processes In The Southern Appalachian Coal Region: An Exploratory Analysis, Alice Jones, Lee Powell, James Fox
Metals Analysis As A Tool For Understanding Headwater Health And Stream Processes In The Southern Appalachian Coal Region: An Exploratory Analysis, Alice Jones, Lee Powell, James Fox
Alice Jones
Major and trace metal analysis was applied to four coal-country headwater streams to better understand the fate of metals in headwater streams affected by mining over time and to determine headwater health. The study watersheds were located in southeastern Kentucky and consisted of an active mine site, a site mined prior to the passage of the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), a post-SMCRA reclaimed mine site, and an undisturbed forest control site. Dissolved water metals and suspended sediment metals were sampled at each source, middle, and outlet. Samples were analyzed on an ICP-OES, and spatial trends …
Budgeting Soil Carbon In The Clean Coal Discussion: Elemental And Isotopic Measurements And Modeling Of Soil Carbon Uptake On Reclaimed Mining Sites, Alice Jones, Peter Acton, James Fox, Harry Rowe, Darren Martin, Elliott Campbell
Budgeting Soil Carbon In The Clean Coal Discussion: Elemental And Isotopic Measurements And Modeling Of Soil Carbon Uptake On Reclaimed Mining Sites, Alice Jones, Peter Acton, James Fox, Harry Rowe, Darren Martin, Elliott Campbell
Alice Jones
While recent research has focused on the use of carbon capture and sequestration technology feasibility, less focus has been placed upon terrestrial carbon storage affected by coal mining in the context of the clean coal debate. Recent research has shown that the initial disturbance of soil and above-ground carbon pools caused by surface coal mining methods can produce a significant carbon loss from the terrestrial ecosystem, thus increasing the coal carbon footprint of coal. However there is a lack of information regarding the uptake of CO (sub 2) on reclaimed mining sites during re-growth and re-establishment of the soil carbon …
The Microbial Pool And Soil Carbon Cycling On Reclaimed Surface Mine Sites, Alice Jones, Guy Evans, James Fox
The Microbial Pool And Soil Carbon Cycling On Reclaimed Surface Mine Sites, Alice Jones, Guy Evans, James Fox
Alice Jones
The southern Appalachian region is an important source of coal resources. The wide scale practice of surface mining in this region leads to the landscape-scale removal of surface material and soils, a large carbon reservoir and important component of the carbon cycle. To date, few scientific studies have examined the development of the soil carbon cycle on post-reclamation mine sites in this region. In particular, development of the microbial pool and its role in carbon cycling in post-reclamation mine soils remains poorly understood. This study measured microbial biomass and soil respiration, as well as bulk soil total organic carbon, total …
The Muddy Creek Project: Evolution Of A Field-Based Research And Learning Collaborative, Alice Jones, Danita Sage, Tom Edwards
The Muddy Creek Project: Evolution Of A Field-Based Research And Learning Collaborative, Alice Jones, Danita Sage, Tom Edwards
Alice Jones
For three years an on-going multidisciplinary research, teaching, and outreach collaboration has focused on the Muddy Creek Watershed in east-central Kentucky. At the core of the effort is a three-way partnership among a geologist, a geographer, and a biologist-two academic, one a state agency representative. The collaboration frequently includes additional academic partners, nonprofit and community members, and government agency personnel. It has produced graduate and undergraduate student learning experiences from individual student field projects, a course redesigned to include a major class project, and the incorporation of additional field-based components into existing coursework. Logistical and financial challenges require creativity to …
Physical Properties Of Selected Soils By Erosion Class, Alice Jones, Bill Lowery, James Swan, Tom Schumacher
Physical Properties Of Selected Soils By Erosion Class, Alice Jones, Bill Lowery, James Swan, Tom Schumacher
Alice Jones
The effects of soil erosion on soil fertility and yield have been documented with data as early as the 1900s, but there is limited literature relating soil erosion and soil physical properties. A regional research project (NC-174) was established in 1984 to elucidate the effects of erosion on soil productivity, with respect to changes in soil physical properties, and to determine the potential for using computer models to simulate this effect. Data are presented from 15 soils (sites) located in eight states in the North Central United States. Based on the thickness of topsoil, two to three levels of prior …