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The End-Permian Mass Extinction And The Siberian Traps Eruptions, Rebecca Teed May 2016

The End-Permian Mass Extinction And The Siberian Traps Eruptions, Rebecca Teed

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

This handout focuses on the evidence for the theory that a series of flood-basalt eruptions in Siberia caused the mass extinction at the end of the Permian Period. This is the worst mass extinction known to geologists, and 90% or more of all species on Earth were wiped out. It is part of a set of four articles on possible causes of the Permian and Cretaceous mass extinctions that can be used to organize classroom debates or to have students compare and contrast the events and their causes.


Investigation Of Climate Variability And Climate Change Impacts On Corn Yield In The Eastern Corn Belt, Usa, Ruoyu Wang May 2016

Investigation Of Climate Variability And Climate Change Impacts On Corn Yield In The Eastern Corn Belt, Usa, Ruoyu Wang

Open Access Dissertations

The increasing demand for both food and biofuels requires more corn production at global scale. However, current corn yield is not able to meet bio-ethanol demand without jeopardizing food security or intensifying and expanding corn cultivation. An alternative solution is to utilize cellulose and hemi-cellulose from perennial grasses to fulfill the increasing demand for biofuel energy. A watershed level scenario analysis is often applied to figure out a sustainable way to strike the balance between food and fuel demands, and maintain environment integrity. However, a solid modeling application requires a clear understanding of crop responses under various climate stresses. This …


Establishing A Vegetative Cap For Sustainable Stabilization Of Copper Contaminated Soils In Torch Lake, Michigan, Virinder Pal Singh Sidhu May 2016

Establishing A Vegetative Cap For Sustainable Stabilization Of Copper Contaminated Soils In Torch Lake, Michigan, Virinder Pal Singh Sidhu

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Extensive mining activities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan have resulted in a number of contaminated sites with mine tailings. Several million metric tons of mine tailings were generated during the peak of copper (Cu) mining activities in this region. These tailings are called “stamp sands” because they were generated by crushing native Cu containing rocks, by a process known as stamping. The stamp sands were discharged into Lake Superior, other interior lakes and their shorelines, converting these areas into vast, fallow lands. The Cu contaminated stamp sands are being eroded back into …


Dietary Effects On The Stoichiometry Of Growth, Regulation, And Wastes Of Ozark Stream Insect Detritivores, Halvor Matthew Halvorson May 2016

Dietary Effects On The Stoichiometry Of Growth, Regulation, And Wastes Of Ozark Stream Insect Detritivores, Halvor Matthew Halvorson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A widespread stressor, anthropogenic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) pollution can increase resource nutrient content and alter animal community composition in freshwater ecosystems. In this dissertation, I used ecological stoichiometry theory to examine effects of diet nutrient content and leaf litter type on growth, regulation, and wastes of aquatic invertebrate detritivores. I tested effects of leaf litter diet carbon:phosphorus (C:P) on growth and stoichiometric regulation of the detritivorous caddisfly Pycnopsyche lepida and used results to determine a threshold elemental ratio of oak litter C:P=1620 that confers peak growth of this species. This empirical, growth-based approach provided a more accurate estimate …


Evaluation Of Rusle 2 To Estimate Soil Loss From Pastures, Stasha Katrina Balkissoon May 2016

Evaluation Of Rusle 2 To Estimate Soil Loss From Pastures, Stasha Katrina Balkissoon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The accurate estimation of soil erosion by the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation version 2 (RUSLE2) is critical for several conservation assessments, least of which is its use in the Phosphorus Index (PI) to identify and rank the vulnerability of agricultural fields to phosphorus (P) runoff. Earlier versions of RUSLE reported a soil loss overestimation, which were revised to give RUSLE2, where biomass production in different climatic regions was more accurately represented. RUSLE version 2.0, which contains the new vegetative biomass production routine, was evaluated using two performance indices, the Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency Index (NSE) and Index of Agreement (D) …


Agroecosystem And Ecosystem Resiliency To Extreme Hydrometeorological And Climate Events, Katherine M. Werner May 2016

Agroecosystem And Ecosystem Resiliency To Extreme Hydrometeorological And Climate Events, Katherine M. Werner

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to understand how a large-scale representation of agroecosystems and ecosystems respond to extreme hydrometeorological and climate extreme events (EHCE) within the Platte River Basin. The ability for agroecosystems and ecosystems to adapt to a changing and variable climate is vital for global water, energy, and food security. Two model experiments were performed, the first with a time span from 2000 to 2013 in which a dynamic leaf area index (LAI) MODIS15A2 product was implemented. The second experiment ran from 1950 through 2013 used a climatological fixed seasonal cycle calculated as the average from the …


Ecological Niche Modeling Of The North American Giant Salamander: Predicting Current And Future Potential Distributions And Examining Environmental Influences, Selena S. Roark May 2016

Ecological Niche Modeling Of The North American Giant Salamander: Predicting Current And Future Potential Distributions And Examining Environmental Influences, Selena S. Roark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

North American Giant Salamanders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), commonly known as hellbenders, have been experiencing a population decline for decades due to human influences, such as pollution and habitat destruction. Many efforts are underway to save the hellbender but their entire potential geographical range has not been well-studied. Currently, hellbender populations are delineated by county boundaries and are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. The Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Production, an Ecological Niche Model, was used to model the current hellbender potential distribution at a macro-scale under two different environmental scenarios. Additionally, future potential distributions were …


Peccaries (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) From The Late Miocene To Early Pliocene Gray Fossil Site: Regional Implications With A Review Of Tayassuinae, Evan M. Doughty May 2016

Peccaries (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) From The Late Miocene To Early Pliocene Gray Fossil Site: Regional Implications With A Review Of Tayassuinae, Evan M. Doughty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Analysis of the Gray Fossil Site peccary material indicates the presence of up to three species. Comparisons with the tayassuid material known from the Tyner Farm and Bone Valley Formation of Florida allows the identification of Mylohyus elmorei and at the GFS. Within the GFS material, Prosthennops cf. P. serus and cf. Catagonus sp. are also tentatively recognized but further verification is required. The known range for Prosthennops is expanded into the Appalachian region. Presence of M. elmorei at the Gray Fossil Site provides the first known occurrence of this species outside of the Palmetto fauna of Florida, indicating that …


Description Of Cranial Elements And Ontogenetic Change Within Tropidolaemus Wagleri (Serpentes: Crotalinae)., Nicolette L. Hill May 2016

Description Of Cranial Elements And Ontogenetic Change Within Tropidolaemus Wagleri (Serpentes: Crotalinae)., Nicolette L. Hill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tropidolaemus wagleri is a species of Asian pitviper with a geographic range including Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Bruniei, parts of Indonesia, and the hilippines. Tropidolaemus is a member of the Crotalinae subfamily, within Viperidae. The genus Tropidolaemus includes five species, and was once included within the genus Trimeresurus. While some osteologic characteristics have been noted a comprehensive description of cranial elements has not been produced for T. wagleri. An in-depth description of the cranial skeleton of Tropidolaemus wagleri lays the foundation for future projects to compare and contrast other taxa within Crotalinae and Viperidae. The chosen reference specimen …


Description, Taphonomy, And Paleoecology Of The Late Pleistocene Peccaries (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) From Bat Cave, Pulaski County, Missouri, Aaron L. Woodruff May 2016

Description, Taphonomy, And Paleoecology Of The Late Pleistocene Peccaries (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) From Bat Cave, Pulaski County, Missouri, Aaron L. Woodruff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The late Pleistocene faunal assemblage from Bat Cave, central Ozarks, Missouri provides an opportunity to assess specific aspects of behavior, ecology, and ontogeny of the extinct peccary Platygonus compressus. All identifiable elements referable to this taxon were catalogued and examined, and a minimum number of individuals of 70 was determined for the sample. The presence of distinct, non-overlapping age groups suggests that P. compressus utilized Bat Cave on a seasonal basis. A predator-prey relationship with Canis dirus, the second most abundant vertebrate from the Bat Cave site, is also described in this study. Damage patterns suggest that the …


New Records Of Colubrids From The Late Hemphillian Gray Fossil Site Of Northeastern Tennessee, Derek J. Jurestovsky May 2016

New Records Of Colubrids From The Late Hemphillian Gray Fossil Site Of Northeastern Tennessee, Derek J. Jurestovsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Gray Fossil Site is a rich Hemphillian (North American Land Mammal Age) locality located in northeastern Tennessee which has produced tens-of-thousands of fossils of multiple taxa including hundreds of individual snake skeletal remains. Analyzed here are cranial and vertebral fossils identified as belonging to various colubrid taxa including Carphophis sp., Gyalopion sp., Heterodon sp., Natricinae indeterminate, Thamnophis sp., and a new, undescribed genus and species. In addition, multiple new features of snake vertebrae are described, some of which question the validity of the genus Neonatrix. Finally, the distribution and paleoecology of the listed genera allows an interpretation of …


Sagebrush Ecology Of Parker Mountain, Utah, Nathan E. Dulfon May 2016

Sagebrush Ecology Of Parker Mountain, Utah, Nathan E. Dulfon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

On Parker Mountain located in south central Utah, management actions such as controlling mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. subsp. vaseyana), with mechanical and chemical treatments can increase forage for livestock and benefit wildlife such as greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Tebuthiuron treatments were applied on Parker Mountain from 2000-2012 with assistance from the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, the Utah Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Treatments applied to mountain big sagebrush on Parker Mountain provide an important opportunity to evaluate the value of mountain big sagebrush treatments in …


Comparing Biodiversity Of Silurian Reefs In Illinois And Wisconsin Using Museum Collections And Unbiased Bulk Samples, Walker Weyland '17 Apr 2016

Comparing Biodiversity Of Silurian Reefs In Illinois And Wisconsin Using Museum Collections And Unbiased Bulk Samples, Walker Weyland '17

IMSAloquium Student Investigation Showcase

Silurian (Wenlock) fossil reefs from the Racine Formation in Illinois measure over 100 meters tall and draping flanks beds extend over a mile. Biodiversity studies of reefs in Southeastern Wisconsin reveal complex, diverse communities with over 191 species. We hypothesized that the larger reefs reflect a more optimal environment and may have had higher diversity than reefs in Wisconsin. We compared diversity between the reefs using, identified fossils from the Field Museum, which were collected in Herscer, Romeo, Thornton, Bridgeport, and Hawthorn. Then we compared the results with those from Watkin’s (1997) counts, collected from Horlick, Ives, Franklin, and Francy …


Constraining Neogene Temperature And Precipitation Histories In The Central Great Plains Using The Fossil Record Of Alligator, Evan Whiting Apr 2016

Constraining Neogene Temperature And Precipitation Histories In The Central Great Plains Using The Fossil Record Of Alligator, Evan Whiting

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Most amphibians and reptiles (excluding birds) are poikilothermic; their internal body temperature varies with that of their external environment. This makes them useful as climate proxies, especially when linked to geographic distributions of ambient climate. I evaluate the utility of the extant crocodylian genus Alligator as a paleoclimate proxy for the Central Great Plains (CGP) using species distribution modeling. Alligator is a readily identifiable taxon with a good CGP fossil record during the Neogene (~23–2.6 Ma). Alligator first appeared in the CGP in the late Eocene (~37 Ma), was absent during most of the Oligocene, reappeared in the early Miocene …


Undergraduate Research Projects Help Promote Diversity In The Geosciences, De'etra Young, Shannon R. Trimboli, Rick S. Toomey, Thomas Byl Apr 2016

Undergraduate Research Projects Help Promote Diversity In The Geosciences, De'etra Young, Shannon R. Trimboli, Rick S. Toomey, Thomas Byl

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


Citizen Science At Mammoth Cave National Park: Integrating Research And Education, Shannon R. Trimboli Apr 2016

Citizen Science At Mammoth Cave National Park: Integrating Research And Education, Shannon R. Trimboli

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


Modeling Activity Of The Indiana Bat (Myotis Sodalis) At Mammoth Cave National Park Using Remotely-Sensed Descriptors Of Forest Canopy Conditions, Luke E. Dodd, N, S. Skowronski, M. B. Dickinson, L. K. Rieske, M. J. Lacki Apr 2016

Modeling Activity Of The Indiana Bat (Myotis Sodalis) At Mammoth Cave National Park Using Remotely-Sensed Descriptors Of Forest Canopy Conditions, Luke E. Dodd, N, S. Skowronski, M. B. Dickinson, L. K. Rieske, M. J. Lacki

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


Quantitative Dye Studies To Evaluate The Spill Response System For Mammoth Cave National Park, Jetara Brown, Thomas Byl, Rick S. Toomey, Lonnie Sharpe Jr. Apr 2016

Quantitative Dye Studies To Evaluate The Spill Response System For Mammoth Cave National Park, Jetara Brown, Thomas Byl, Rick S. Toomey, Lonnie Sharpe Jr.

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


Natural Resource Condition Assessment For Mammoth Cave National Park, Cate Webb, Chris Groves, Katie Algeo Apr 2016

Natural Resource Condition Assessment For Mammoth Cave National Park, Cate Webb, Chris Groves, Katie Algeo

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


The Max Kämper Map Of Mammoth Cave: An Nps Centennial Restoration, Tres Seymour Apr 2016

The Max Kämper Map Of Mammoth Cave: An Nps Centennial Restoration, Tres Seymour

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


What Data Analytics Can Do For You!, Leyla Zhuhadar, J. Kirk Atkinson, Albert Meier, Ouida Meier Apr 2016

What Data Analytics Can Do For You!, Leyla Zhuhadar, J. Kirk Atkinson, Albert Meier, Ouida Meier

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


Use Of Multiphysics Simulation To Model Environmental Conditions Associated With Bat Hibernacula Including Preliminary Indication Of Impacts On Saltpeter Vats In Mammoth Cave, Aaron Bird, Rick Olson, Rick Toomey, Aaron Addison, Rachel Bosch Apr 2016

Use Of Multiphysics Simulation To Model Environmental Conditions Associated With Bat Hibernacula Including Preliminary Indication Of Impacts On Saltpeter Vats In Mammoth Cave, Aaron Bird, Rick Olson, Rick Toomey, Aaron Addison, Rachel Bosch

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


The Effect Of Faulting On Past And Present Hydrogeology In Long Cave, Mammoth Cave National Park, Rick Olson, Rick S. Toomey Apr 2016

The Effect Of Faulting On Past And Present Hydrogeology In Long Cave, Mammoth Cave National Park, Rick Olson, Rick S. Toomey

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


An Overview Of The Reverse Flow Patterns Of River Styx In Mammoth Cave, Kentucky: 2009-2012, Shannon R. Trimboli, Kim Weber, Susan Ryan, Rick S. Toomey Apr 2016

An Overview Of The Reverse Flow Patterns Of River Styx In Mammoth Cave, Kentucky: 2009-2012, Shannon R. Trimboli, Kim Weber, Susan Ryan, Rick S. Toomey

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


Measurement Of Inorganic Carbon Fluxes From Large River Basins In South Central Kentucky Karst, Connor Salley, Chris Groves Apr 2016

Measurement Of Inorganic Carbon Fluxes From Large River Basins In South Central Kentucky Karst, Connor Salley, Chris Groves

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


Tracing Carbon In Karst Environments In South-Central Kentucky To Identify Changes In Groundwater Dynamic Under Varying Land Uses, Chelsea Ballard, Jason Polk, Kegan Mcclanahan Apr 2016

Tracing Carbon In Karst Environments In South-Central Kentucky To Identify Changes In Groundwater Dynamic Under Varying Land Uses, Chelsea Ballard, Jason Polk, Kegan Mcclanahan

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


Ongoing Geographic Documentation Of The Mammoth Cave System And Related Caves, Pat Kambesis, Bob Osburn Apr 2016

Ongoing Geographic Documentation Of The Mammoth Cave System And Related Caves, Pat Kambesis, Bob Osburn

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


Strip Adaptive Cluster Sampling With Application To Cave Crickets, Kurt Lewis Helf, Tom Philippi, Bill Moore, Lillian Scoggins Apr 2016

Strip Adaptive Cluster Sampling With Application To Cave Crickets, Kurt Lewis Helf, Tom Philippi, Bill Moore, Lillian Scoggins

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


Organization And Development Of The Eyes Of Ptomaphagus Hirtus, The Troglobitic Small Carrion Beetle Of Mammoth Cave, Markus Friedrich, Jasmina Kulacic, Elke Buschbeck Apr 2016

Organization And Development Of The Eyes Of Ptomaphagus Hirtus, The Troglobitic Small Carrion Beetle Of Mammoth Cave, Markus Friedrich, Jasmina Kulacic, Elke Buschbeck

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.


Evaluating The Energetic Value Of Lepidoptera Using Bomb Calorimetry, Shelby A. Fulton, Luke E. Dodd, Lynne K. Rieske Apr 2016

Evaluating The Energetic Value Of Lepidoptera Using Bomb Calorimetry, Shelby A. Fulton, Luke E. Dodd, Lynne K. Rieske

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.