Geogram 2014,
2014
Western Kentucky University
Geogram 2014, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology
Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications
No abstract provided.
Assessing Positional Accuracy And Correcting Point Data For Digital Soil Mapping At Varying Scales,
2014
Purdue University
Assessing Positional Accuracy And Correcting Point Data For Digital Soil Mapping At Varying Scales, Minerva J. Dorantes
Open Access Theses
Accuracy, timeliness, and the effect of scale of soil maps are rarely assessed. The recent increase in the use of GIS technologies and modelling software in natural resources and land management, has increased the demand for soil information at a finer resolution worldwide. Most of the world's developing countries rely on soils information at a scale that is too coarse for practical planning, and have obstacles impeding collection of new data, such as civil war and a lack of collection resources. The United States has an exhaustive collection of soils data at a fine scale. However, its location information is …
Vegetation And Soil Characteristics Of Pine Plantations And Naturally Regenerated Hardwood Forests On The Hoosier National Forest,
2014
Purdue University
Vegetation And Soil Characteristics Of Pine Plantations And Naturally Regenerated Hardwood Forests On The Hoosier National Forest, Patrick James Duffy
Open Access Theses
During the 1930s there was widespread erosion on farmland and subsequent land abandonment. As a result, Pinus strobus L. (white pine), P. resinosa Aiton (red pine), and P. echinata Mill. (shortleaf pine) were planted in the Midwest to prevent erosion and rehabilitate sites. These species were selected due to their wide availability at the time. Currently, it is the goal of the U.S. Forest Service to provide a more natural and sustainable landscape, in part by removing these non-native Pinus stands and by replacing them with native hardwood species. The ultimate success of hardwood restoration depends, in part, on the …
Liquid Swine Manure Application Timing And Instincttm Impacts On Net Soil Nitrogen Mineralization And Corn Yield,
2014
Purdue University
Liquid Swine Manure Application Timing And Instincttm Impacts On Net Soil Nitrogen Mineralization And Corn Yield, Min Xu
Open Access Theses
Nitrogen (N) is one of the most expensive variable input costs for corn production. Optimized manure management is essential to ensure maximum crop N utilization and to reduce the risk of N loss. A field study was conducted in central Indiana from 2011-2013 to assess liquid swine ( Sus scrofa L.) manure N availability when applied at different times or co-applied with InstinctTM , a microencapsulated form of nitrapyrin. Soil inorganic N contents, soil N mineralization, corn yield, grain N content, whole plant N concentrations of corn at the V6 growth stage, and ear leaf N concentrations of corn at …
Field Trip Guidebook For The Nebraska Well Drillers Association,
2014
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Field Trip Guidebook For The Nebraska Well Drillers Association, Duane A. Eversoll, Matt Joeckel, Lee Orton
Conservation and Survey Division
No abstract provided.
Peat As An Archive Of Remote Mercury Deposition In The Hudson Bay Lowlands, Ontario, Canada,
2014
The University of Western Ontario
Peat As An Archive Of Remote Mercury Deposition In The Hudson Bay Lowlands, Ontario, Canada, William James Goacher
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Peat from the Hudson Bay Lowlands (HBL) in Northern Ontario, Canada was used to reconstruct historical accumulation of mercury (Hg) over more than 7000 years before present. Nine cores, many with previously published paleoclimate studies, were analyzed for Hg and accumulation rates were calculated. Anthropogenic Hg enrichment factors were calculated based on accumulation rates. A more exclusive calculation of the anthropogenic enrichment factor corroborates modelling efforts that have suggested re-cycling legacy Hg is a much greater contributor to present day deposition than previously thought, but not prior to ~500 cal yrs BP. An older pre-industrial record provides a better background …
Three-Dimensional Deformable Pore Networks,
2014
Purdue Univeristy
Three-Dimensional Deformable Pore Networks, Jack W. Conrad, Laura J Pyrak-Nolte
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Porous structures in materials play a part in many areas of research and development. A couple of examples of this are extraction of water through aquifers and oil through fracking processes. Current understanding of the small scale fluid-fluid interactions in the structure of these porous materials stops at data of the two dimensional interface between the two fluids. This experiment aimed to create three dimensional, transparent, deformable micro-models which are expected allow us to obtain three dimensional data sets of the capillary pressure–saturation–interfacial area per volume relationship. The micro-models were synthesized using a grain deposition technique. Grains were formed using …
Assessing The Influence Of Mineral Surface Chemistry On Soil Organic Matter Stability In The Us In Response To Climate Change,
2014
Mills College
Assessing The Influence Of Mineral Surface Chemistry On Soil Organic Matter Stability In The Us In Response To Climate Change, Alexandra Toledo, Katherine Heckman
STAR Program Research Presentations
Soils represent a significant pool for carbon storage and sequestration. Previous field experiments have indicated that some mineral compositions are more effective in preserving soil organic matter (SOM) from microbial degradation. Due to climate change, it is important to quantify which soil types are changing in mineral surface chemistry. One way to do that is by differentiating the SOM stabilization mechanisms in different soil types at various depths. This study focused on examining the distribution of soil mass and composition by the soils density and mineral classification and the soils stability by measuring the amount of carbon and radiocarbon abundance. …
Measuring Carbon Dioxide (Co2) Flux Of Agricultural Practices In Sub-Saharan Africa,
2014
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Measuring Carbon Dioxide (Co2) Flux Of Agricultural Practices In Sub-Saharan Africa, Debra Blumberg O'Dell
Masters Theses
Agriculture has an important role in addressing two of the world’s most pressing problems: meeting global food demand and mitigating climate change. If agriculture is not practiced sustainably it will fail to meet future food demand and likely intensify the pace of global climate change. There are some agricultural practices, such as Conservation Agriculture, that can produce food sustainably and have the potential to mitigate climate change. However it is not clear which agricultural practices contribute to climate mitigation and by how much. By measuring the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of specific agricultural practices, the ability of practices to sequester …
Collaborative Research: Interactive Effects Of Chronic N Deposition, Acidification, And Phosphorus Limitation On Coupled Element Cycling In Streams,
2014
Principal Investigator; University of Maine, Orono
Collaborative Research: Interactive Effects Of Chronic N Deposition, Acidification, And Phosphorus Limitation On Coupled Element Cycling In Streams, Kevin S. Simons, Ivan J. Fernandez, Stephen A. Norton
University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports
The overarching goal of this project is to understand how chronic acidification and nitrogen enrichment of watersheds influences coupled biogeochemical cycling in streams. Embedded in the project were two primary research elements: 1) examining nitrogen satuartion and the extent of coupling between nitrogen and phosphorus cycling and 2) resolving the interactions among acidification, phosphorus bioavailability and biotic demand for nitrogen and phosphorus. The research involved a series of stable isotope tracer experiments to document nitrogen uptake under ambient and elevated phosphrous conditions and examination of a suite of key microbial processes (denitrification, decomposition, microbial enzyme activity) at two whole-watershed experiment …
Changes In Tundra Plant And Soil Organic Geochemical Composition In Response To Long-Term Increased Winter Precipitation In N. Alaska,
2014
Purdue University
Changes In Tundra Plant And Soil Organic Geochemical Composition In Response To Long-Term Increased Winter Precipitation In N. Alaska, Olivia Miller
Open Access Theses
Tundra ecosystem soils store half of the global soil organic carbon (SOC) pool and have the potential to release large amounts of greenhouse gases, primarily CH4 and CO2. As climates warm and permafrost thaws, the emissions of these gases as organic matter decomposition rates increase may become increasingly important to the chemistry of the atmosphere. Increases in precipitation that accompany warming, may shift tundra vegetative composition from moss/graminoid- to shrub-dominated systems. These vegetation shifts may result in important feedback effects as altered plant and litter chemistry may affect SOC storage in soils. Questions investigated include: 1) How …
Investigating Meter Scale Topographic Variation As A Factor Of Monterey Pine (Pinus Radiata) Growing Conditions At Kenneth Norris Rancho Marino Reserve, Cambria, Ca,
2014
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Investigating Meter Scale Topographic Variation As A Factor Of Monterey Pine (Pinus Radiata) Growing Conditions At Kenneth Norris Rancho Marino Reserve, Cambria, Ca, William J. Meyst
Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences
Endemic Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) is limited to three locations in California due to its unique ecological requirements. This project was conducted to investigate spatial growth patterns ofMonterey pine over complex ground surfaces. The coastal hills of Rancho Marino Reserve, Cambria, were surveyed using four 150-m transects to quantify and record ground surface features and growing conditions ofMonterey pine. Changes in elevation of each transect were measured using an Abney level. Linear ground surfaces were found at 86% (344 of 400) of survey nodes. Convex ground surfaces were found at 10.5% of survey nodes (42 of 400). Of …
The Effect Of Increasing Rates Of Biochar On Corn Grown In Salinas Clay Loam,
2014
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
The Effect Of Increasing Rates Of Biochar On Corn Grown In Salinas Clay Loam, Joshua Fridlund
Agricultural Education and Communication
In order to sustain the ever growing global population, agriculture needs to not only increase yields but to increase yields in a way that is sustainable and is either environmentally neutral or has a positive effect on the environment. Biochar offers a solution to this challenge with numerous environmental benefits, as well as agricultural benefits (Lehman and Joseph 2009). The agricultural benefits of biochar have been well documented in tropical climates, with the benefits of biochar for other climates, such as temperate climates and Mediterranean climates, relatively unknown (Blackwell et. al. 2009). To determine the effect of biochar on agricultural …
Plant-Microbial Interactions Change Along A Prairie Restoration Chronosequence,
2014
Eastern Illinois University
Plant-Microbial Interactions Change Along A Prairie Restoration Chronosequence, Anna Herzberger
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Soil microbial communities are critical in determining the performance and density of species in plant communities. However, their role in regulating the success of restorations is much less clear. This study assessed the ability of soil microbial communities to regulate the growth and performance of two potentially dominant grasses and two common forbs in prairie restorations. Specifically, I examined the effects of soil microbial communities along a restoration chronosequence from agricultural fields to remnant prairies using experimentally inoculated soils. The two grass species, Andropogon gerardii and Sorghastrum nutans, produced larger biomass with the agricultural inoculates and experienced a decline …
Stability, Erosion, And Morphology Considerations For Sustainable Slope Design,
2014
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Stability, Erosion, And Morphology Considerations For Sustainable Slope Design, Isaac Andres Jeldes Halty
Doctoral Dissertations
The construction of more natural and sustainable earth slopes requires the consideration of erosion and runoff characteristics as an integral part of the design. These effects not only result in high costs for removal of sediment, but also a profound damage to the ecosystem. In this dissertation, innovative techniques are developed such that more natural appearing slopes can be designed to minimize sediment delivery, while meeting mechanical equilibrium requirements. This was accomplished by: a) examining the fundamental failure modes of slopes built with minimum compaction (FRA) to enhance quick establishment of forest, b) investigating the geomechanical and erosion stability of …
Pore Water Extraction For Unsaturated Zone Isotope Research: An Investigation Using An Immiscible Displacement Fluid And A Centrifuge,
2014
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Pore Water Extraction For Unsaturated Zone Isotope Research: An Investigation Using An Immiscible Displacement Fluid And A Centrifuge, Caitlin Burnett Weaver
Dissertations & Theses in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Accurate and reliable pore water extraction techniques are important to an array of scientific fields including, but not limited to, hydrogeology, soil science, and paleoenvironmental research. The aim of the current project is to test the applicability of an immiscible displacement extraction technique for stable isotopes of water under a range of textural, hydrologic, and chemical conditions. In this study, laboratory experiments were conducted to establish the extent to which the proposed method 1) achieves sufficient yield for laboratory isotopic analyses, 2) results in isotopic exchange between water and the displacement fluid, 3) conserves initial isotopic compositions of spike test …
Estimating Unsaturated Flow Properties In Coarse Conglomeratic Sediment,
2014
Boise State University
Estimating Unsaturated Flow Properties In Coarse Conglomeratic Sediment, Michael James Thoma Jr.
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
In this dissertation, I address the lack of knowledge of unsaturated flow in coarse, conglomeratic sediment by determining if functional θ-ψ-K relationships, specifically van Genuchten-Mualem (VGM) relationships, developed to predict unsaturated flow in relatively fine-grained sediment can be directly applied to coarse, conglomeratic sediment. In the summer of 2011, a field-scale infiltration test was conducted at the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site to determine if functional ψ-θ-K relationships could be applied to infiltration in coarse, conglomeratic sediment, and to estimate parameter values for the VGM relationships. Vertically and laterally distributed ψ(t) and θ( …
Soil Water Flux Estimates From Streaming Potential And Penta-Needle Heat Pulse Probe Measurements,
2014
Utah State University
Soil Water Flux Estimates From Streaming Potential And Penta-Needle Heat Pulse Probe Measurements, Pawel J. Szafruga
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Better management of water resources is a growing concern with increasing stress on natural resources. Despite technological improvements in the past decades, a method to instantaneously measure soil water flux remains elusive, especially at a resolution adequate for monitoring natural processes (i.e. 1 mm d-1). The objectives of this research were to evaluate and improve two emerging methods for water flux estimates, 1) streaming potential and 2) heat pulse measurements, as tools to perform at these low flux rates. Streaming potential measures a voltage between two electrodes resulting from water with charged particles generating a current as it flows between …
Spreading The Char: The Importance Of Local Compatibility In The Diffusion Of Biochar Systems To The Smallholder Agriculture Community Context,
2014
Pomona College
Spreading The Char: The Importance Of Local Compatibility In The Diffusion Of Biochar Systems To The Smallholder Agriculture Community Context, Laura C. V. Munoz
Pomona Senior Theses
This thesis enters the context of smallholder agriculture communities in the developing world. It explores the potentials of biochar and what biochar systems could bring to the smallholder communities while simultaneously bringing environmental benefits. It then acknowledges the challenges of diffusion –the spreading of an unfamiliar innovation. It seeks to answer the question of what will make diffusion of biochar systems more successful in the smallholder context, fixating on the characteristic of compatibility as well as the role local community members can play in making a new biochar system more visible to the rest of the communities.
Linking Montane Soil Moisture Measurements To Evapotranspiration Using Inverse Numerical Modeling,
2014
Utah State University
Linking Montane Soil Moisture Measurements To Evapotranspiration Using Inverse Numerical Modeling, Ling Lv
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Evapotranspiration (ET) and soil moisture play important roles in annual water delivered from snowpack to reservoirs, lakes and streams. Indeed, ET and soil moisture are key factors dictating the performance of the regional climate models in the intermountain west (IMW) of the USA. Water resources management and climate modeling require accurate prediction of ET and areal soil moisture for reliable estimates of ongoing and future water needs. This research has examined ways to estimate ET from four common vegetation types in the IMW (aspen, conifer, grass and sage) using local soil moisture measurements from an advanced instrumentation network located in …
