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Evaluating The Influences Of Harvesting Activity And Eutrophication On Loss Of Aquatic Vegetations In Taihu Lake, China, Juhua Luo, Ruiliang Pu, Hongtao Duan, Ronghua Ma, Zhigang Mao, Yuan Zeng, Linsheng Huang, Qitao Xiao

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

A rapid degradation of aquatic vegetations in Taihu Lake has roused a wide attention in recent years. Giving large-scale harvesting activity on aquatic vegetation since 2012, whether water eutrophication or the human harvest activity induced the degradation remains controversial and unclear. In this study, based on Landsat and HJ-CCD data acquired from 1984 to 2016 and a 12-year field observation (2005–2016) of water quality, a method was proposed to quantitatively assess impacts of harvesting activity and water quality change on degradations of both floating-leaved aquatic vegetation (FAV) and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in Taihu Lake. First, areas of FAV and …

Soil Amendment And Soil Testing As Nutrient Reduction Strategies For The Peel Integrated Water Initiative, Robert Summers, Peta Richards, David Weaver, David Rowe

Resource management technical reports

The Transform Peel program focuses on 42 000 hectares (ha) due east of Mandurah called the Peel Food Zone, 75 kilometres (km) south of Perth in the shires of Murray and Serpentine Jarrahdale and includes an assessment of intensified and enclosed agriculture and a business park. The Peel Integrated Water Initiative was developed through Transform Peel to identify water sources and minimise the effect of these projects on water quality by reducing the nutrient loads discharged into the Peel–Harvey Estuarine System, which has been suffering from poor water quality for this reason.

The mineral sand miner MZI Resources Pty Ltd …

Detection And Enumeration Of Bacterial Pathogens In The American Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica), Mohammad Maruf Billah

Theses and Dissertations

American oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is a popular seafood for its delicacy and high nutritional value. Based on increasing concern about contamination of bacterial pathogens in raw oyster, my research objectives have been focused on detection and enumeration of two important bacterial pathogens, Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. in the American oyster in south Texas waters, local markets and controlled laboratory studies. Immunohistochemical and RT-PCR analyses showed substantial bacterial pathogen’s presence in gills and digestive glands of oysters collected from San Martin Lake and South Padre Island as well as local markets. Laboratory studies showed increasing trend of both …

Effects Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (Amf) On Growth And Herbivore Defenses In Sorghum Sudangrass (Sorghum X Drummondii), Jasleen Kaur

Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 2: In this chapter we have examined the role of trichomes in plant stress biology, reviewed the studies on herbivore X trichome interactions, and their role in plant defences. Ultimately, we have proposed new areas of research for future work.

Chapter 3: In this chapter, we examined whether AMF has cascading effects on insect community dynamics through attraction/repulsion of beneficial and damaging insects using Sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum x drummondii), either inoculated with commercial AMF mix or left as control in lab and field experiments. Our results suggest positive effects of AMF on plant growth, and a lower initial incidence of …

Archaeological, Geophysical, And Geospatial Analysis At David Crockett Birthplace State Park, In Upper East Tennessee, Reagan Cornett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A geophysical survey was conducted at David Crockett Birthplace State Park (40GN205, 40GN12) using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and magnetometry. The data indicated multiple levels of occupation that were investigated by Phase II and Phase III archaeological excavations. New cultural components were discovered, including the remnants of a Protohistoric Native American structure containing European glass trade beads and Middle Woodland artifacts that suggest trade with Hopewell groups from Ohio. A circular Archaic hearth was uncovered at one meter below surface and similar deep anomalies were seen in the GPR data at this level. A semi-automated object-based image analysis (OBIA) was implemented …

Hydroponic And Soilless Culture Systems And Transplant Practices Influence Production Of Basil (Omicum Basilicum L.), Samuel Warren Edward Doty

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two controlled-environment greenhouse experiments evaluated (1) plant growth and morphology of basil (Omicum basilicum L.) grown in three different hydroponic and soilless substrate systems and (2) seedling tray cell-count and transplant date into hydroponic culture effects on basil growth and yield at harvest. For the first experiment, four basil cultivars (‘Genovese’, ‘Mrs. Burns Lemon’, ‘Sweet Thai’, and ‘Cinnamon’) were grown in deep flow technique (DFT) hydroponics, nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponics, and a novel shallow aggregate ebb-and-flood (SAEF) soilless substrate system and were harvested after 21 d. Plant yield and morphological characteristics measured at harvest included shoot fresh mass, shoot …

Encephalization In Commensal Raccoons: A Unique Test Of The Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis, Peter M. Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated selective pressures associated with encephalization in mammals and discussed broader implications. Relative brain size as measured by EQ (Encephalization Quotient) was compared between ecological categories. Omnivores had higher average EQ than ecological specialists. Since specialists are disproportionately affected by extinction events, selection for ecological generalism is proposed as encephalization mechanism. This mechanism may reinforce the more widely known Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis (CBH)—the idea that possessing relatively large brains has buffered lineages against environmental change. CBH is tested here by comparing EQs in Procyon lotor (raccoon) in urban and rural environments. CBH predicts that raccoons in the most …

A Tale Of Two Species: Black-Tailed And White-Tailed Prairie Dog Biogeography From The Last Interglacial To 2070, April Dawn Bledsoe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ecological niche models (ENMs) were created for White-tailed and Black-tailed prairie dogs and projected into the Last Interglacial (LI), the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and mid-Holocene (mid-H) to discern possible past suitable habitat for both species. Additionally, ENMs were projected into the future year 2070 representative concentration pathways (RCPs) 2.6 and 8.5 to discern how climate change may affect future habitat suitability. Kernel density estimations, minimum convex polygons, and median distribution centers of White-tailed and Black-tailed occurrence records were examined between time-periods to discern the effects of anthropogenic westward expansion on both species’ distributions. Current ENMs were constructed from commonly …

Wayne E. Sabbe Arkansas Soil Fertility Studies 2019, Nathan A. Slaton

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Rapid technological changes in crop management and production require that the research efforts be presented in an expeditious manner. The contributions of soil fertility and fertilizers are major production factors in all Arkansas crops. The studies described within will allow producers to compare their practices with the university’s research efforts. Additionally, soil-test data and fertilizer sales are presented to allow comparisons among years, crops, and other areas within Arkansas.

Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Ammonia Volatilization From Soil Amended With Excreta From Ruminants Fed Alternative Forage-Based Diets, Samuel Park

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Forage-based ruminant diets supplemented with condensed tannins or polyphenolic-containing legumes may alter nitrogen (N) metabolism in the animal and reduce gas emissions from soil receiving excreta. The objective of the study was to determine if soil receiving urine or manure from sheep fed forage diets supplemented with condensed tannin or polyphenolic-containing legumes would decrease N gas emissions. Two field trials were conducted: in the first trial, sheep were fed alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) silage diets supplemented with 0, 9, 18, or 27% sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneate [Dumont de Courset] G. Don) (n = 4). In the second trial sheep were …

Cplr And Water Resource Utilization By Livestock Farmers In Different Ecosystems Of India, Purushottam Sharma, Sadhna Pandey, R. K. Sharma, J. P. Upadhyay, Satyapriya, A. K. Ray, Nagaratna Biradar, S. Radotra

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The common property resources comprises of all such resources that are meant for common use of the villagers including all resources. The National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO), 1999 in its report defines CPRs as “Resources accessible to and collectively owned\held\managed by an identifiable community and on which no individual has exclusive property rights are called common property resources”. Over the time, there has been gradual decline in CPRs availability to the villagers. The CPRs play an important role in the livelihood of resource poor farmers. According to NSSO, 1999, the percentage of Common Property Land Resources in total geographical area, …

Participatory Pasture Development In Hot Arid Region Of India, Arun Kumar Misra, R. P. Singh, Ram Narayan Kumawat, Mavji Patidar, M. M. Roy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock production is one of the main occupations of resource-poor and resource-rich people living in India’s arid regions, and common grazing lands have always played a major role in livestock based livelihood systems, as around 50% of animals depend on grazing (Misra et al, 2015). According to the National Sample Survey Organization, common property land resources constitute about 15% of the total geographical area of India, of which 23% is community pasture and grazing lands and 16% have been classified as village forests and woodlots (NSSO, 1999). At another level, India has the largest livestock population in the world, …

Feasibility Of Buffalo Rearing On Pasture In Tropical Climate Of Andaman And Nicobar Islands, M. S. Kundu, A. Kundu, S. Dam Roy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands form the Southern most tip of the Indian subcontinent, located (6-14° N latitude and 92-94°E longitude) in the South Eastern part of the Bay of Bengal .There are 572 Islands of which only 37 are currently inhabited. The Islands are beautiful and unique. The indigenous plants, animals, livestock, and marine life contribute to uniqueness of these Islands. The total livestock population has increased to many fold from meager 38.6 thousand in 1961 to 154.75 thousand in 2012. The buffalo constitute 5.08 per cent of the livestock of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The buffaloes …

Mitigating Policy Measures To Increase Fodder Availabilty In Natural Calamities Situations, Om Singh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Though the availability of feed and fodder has improved in the last decade, still there exists a substantial gap between demand and availability of fodder in the country, particularly during the lean periods and at the time of natural calamities including droughts and or flood situations. Availability of adequate quantity of feed and fodder for livestock is essential for improving livestock productivity. Under the Rasthriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), the States have sufficient funds and autonomy to undertake development of feed and fodder besides other agricultural and allied activities. There is a need to disseminate the benefits of using high …

Policy Perspective For Grassland Based Integrated Farming System: Innovation & Challenges In Indian Context, Kamal Kumar Datta, Soumitra Chowdhury, Madhu Mohini

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Indian agriculture is increasingly getting influenced more and more by economic factors. This needs not be surprising because irrigation expansion, infrastructure development, penetration of rural markets, development and spread of short duration and drought resistant crop technologies have all contributed to minimizing the role of non-economic factors in crop choice for even small farmers. Both at micro and macro level, the picture of livestock sector is very much disintegrated where growth is mainly from fishery and meat production and not from milk production. The common perception that animal rearing is not as remunerative as poultry or fishery seems to be …

Realising The Potential Of Youth In The Development Of Sustainable Grasslands, J. C. Bidogeza, Ralph Von Kaufmann

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The declining interest of youth worldwide to remain in rural areas and pursue careers in agriculture and grasslands is a threat to all human welfare. Ways and means must be found to redress the decreasing interest of youths in grassland development. Ironically there is a lot of untapped potential for rewarding careers but the youths do not have the skills needed to exploit it. This cannot be corrected by providing occasional and piecemeal training opportunities. The perilous consequences of allowing the rangelands to degenerate are sufficiently serious to warrant a comprehensive approach to developing the wide range of skills needed …

Master Grazer: Improving Grazing Management In Kentucky, S. Ray Smith, Garry D. Lacefield, Lyndsay Jones, Jeff Lehmkuhler, Donna M. Amaral-Phillips, Kelly Kramer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Master Grazer Educational Program is the result of funding provided by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board to educate producers on better utilization of grazing lands to improve livestock production and the profitability of the State. County agriculture and natural resource agents, extension specialists, industry contacts and producers work together to make this program a success. The Master Grazer Educational Program began in 2006 as evening lecture sessions taking place in local extension offices. In 2008, the program grew with the addition of a field session that showcased a farm with successful grazing practices, a farm with underdeveloped grazing practices, …

Creating An International Forage And Grasslands Curriculum, Brianna L. Randow, David B. Hannaway, Kimberly Japhet, Phil Shuler, Chunhua Yang, Zhihua Li, Peter J. Ballerstedt, Alan S. Cooper, Xianguo Wang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands cover nearly 2/3 of the land masses of the world and make up 1/4 of the earth's surface. Although various regions of the world have different names for their grasslands, common management principles govern maintaining and improving these lands for the food production and environmental services they provide. There is much talk today about “finding the balance between environmental protection and economic development” but there is little evidence of knowledge about grassland ecosystems being translated into effectively implemented policies designed to restore degraded grasslands. In contrast, there are many examples of the tragic consequences of economic development rather than …

Strengths And Weaknesses Of National Agricultural Research Systems: Attracting The Next Generation Of Grasslands Researchers, James E. Pratley, Casper W. Roxburgh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the 1960s and 1970s the world faced up to the poverty and hunger facing a significant proportion of the global population, which at the time was around 4 billion people. The efforts of Norman Borlaug and the Green Revolution resulted in food production increasing as the technologies and knowledge known at the time were directed to that task. The success of the Green Revolution was such that governments and the world communities turned attention to other issues and agricultural development slid down the list of priorities. The world population is now over 7 billion and projected to be over …

Pasture Establishment And Sustainability In Arid Region Of Rajasthan, India: Prospects And Constraints, Surendra Singh Shekhawat, S. M. Kumawat, S. L. Godara

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rajasthan is the largest state of India and covers nearly 10.4 per cent (342.65 lakh ha) of total geographical area of the country. About 65 per cent of its population is dependent on agriculture. According to livestock census-2007, Rajasthan ranks at the third place (56.663 million) in the country for total livestock population after Uttar Pradesh (60.272 million) and Andhra Pradesh (60.175 million). The large livestock population of the state shows importance of fodder in the state. Western part of Rajasthan state covers the area of the state towards western side of Aravali range of hills, which divides the state …

Working With Farmers: The Key To Adoption Of Improved Fodder Technologies, Satyapriya, P. Singh, H. V. Singh, P. Sharma

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The lack of a close working relationship between agricultural research organizations, different extension organizations and with different categories of farmers is one of the most difficult institutional problems of agricultural technological implementation in India. Agricultural research and extension organizations generally fight over the same limited government resources and they try to increase the flow of resources coming to their respective institutions to solve day-today management problems, rather than ensuring that their respective organizations contribute to the broader goal of getting improved agricultural technology to all major categories of farmers. In addition, the researchers and extension workers of many research and …

Grasspea: A Potential Fodder And Feed Resources, Ashutosh Sarker, Pooja Sah, Vijay Kumar Yadav, M. M. Das

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.) is a an important legume crop grown in India, Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Pakistan for human food, animal feed and soil health improvement. In India, grasspea is grown in about 521,100 ha, mainly in Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Orissa, Assam, West Bengal, and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Grasspea cultivation is low-cost and easy. Inherently grasspea possesses resistance to drought, excess moisture, salinity, diseases, and insect pests. As grasspea has an ambivalent reputation due to ODAP content in its plant parts, efforts are on to develop low or ODAP-free grasspea varieties with high biomass for dual …

Production And Resource Use Of Winter Feed Crops In New Zealand, John De Ruiter, E. Chakwizira, S. Maley

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the South Island of New Zealand (NZ), dairy cow numbers have increased from 1.4 to 2.1 million since 2005 (Statistics, New Zealand, 2014). This has led to a strong demand for winter feed crops in place of pasture, and also for supplementing pasture during lactation. Yields of 19–35 t DM/ha are reported for fodder beet (Beta vulgaris L.) in NZ (Chakwizira et al., 2014) compared with 14–25 t DM/ha for forage kale (Brassica oleracea L.) (Chakwizira et al., 2009) and 18–25 t DM/ha for maize (Zea mays L.). Fodder beet has only recently been …

Animal Production In A Subtropical Region Of Mexico: Rangeland´S Productive Characteristics, Benito Albarrán-Portillo, C. M. Arriaga-Jordan, Isela G. Salas Reyes, Fernando Vicente Mainar, Adela Martinez Fernandez, Francisca Aviles Nova, Rolando Rojo Rubio

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Dual-purpose cattle farms (DP) in México and in particular in the south west of the State of México are low input, based on tropical pastures under extensive management combined with fodder trees and shrubs that contributes to forage production during the dry season, where grasses are scarce. Farms land extension ranged from 30 to 300 hectares. The stoking rate is low with less than a cow per ha. There is only a perimetral fence, there is no pasture´s subdivision. Cows browse freely within the rangeland 24 h/d all year round. Cattle are predominantly Brow Swiss with small proportion of zebu …

Performance Of Improved Forage Species Under Dry Temperate Conditions Of North Western Himalayas, Naveen Kumar, B. R. Sood, Sunil Kumar

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The dry temperate region of Himalayas is characterized by low precipitation, low temperature and high snowfall. In this region generally, all the areas excluding the intensively cultivated one are used as pasture and grasslands. The area is characterized by sloppy desert mountains with crop growing season of 5-6 months (April to September). In the region due to continuous heavy grazing and lack of management indigenous grass species presently represent the third or fourth stage of degradation. In north western Himalayas livestock plays a significant role in sustaining the livelihood of people, but in the region all forage resources are hardly …

Productive Longevity Of Fodder Galega-Grass Swards, Aleksandrs Adamovics, Olga Adamovica, Iveta Gutmane

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Red clover, alfalfa and white clover are traditional forage crops in Latvia. In Latvian agricultural practice, fodder galega (Galega orientalis Lam.) is grown for a relatively short period. Recently introduced into Latvia, it is rousing evergrowing interest due to its persistency and high yielding ability. Experiments on fodder galega show that this longlived legume survives in pure stands for 25 and more years and provides annual DM yields from 9.56 to 11.0 t ha^-1 (Adamovics and Auzins, 2006; Slepetys, 2000; Slepetys and Adomovics, 2011). Pure fodder galega stands, compared to other legumes, are not thinning out during harvest …

Fodder Yield And Quality Of Egyptian Clover (Trifolium Alexandrinum L.), Annual Ryegrass (Lolium Multiflorum Lam.), And Barley (Hordeum Vulgare L.) Monocultures As Affected By Organic And Mineral Fertilization, Heba Sabry Attia Salama

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) is the most important forage legume crop in Egypt. Despite the fact that its yield and protein content are high, it is characterized by low dry matter content especially in the 1st cut, in addition to its limited energy supply, attributed to the low carbohydrate content. Therefore, there is a pressing need to introduce some promising winter annual forage grasses, like barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), and investigate their performance under the Egyptian agricultural conditions. This would enhance the Egyptian animal production systems by providing a high-quality feed …

The Effects Of Temperature On Evacuation Rates And Absorption Efficiency Of Flathead Catfish, Zach Horstman

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Knowledge of fish gastric evacuation rates are a necessary component for both field and laboratory studies when trying to understand feeding rates, modeling energy budgets, and understanding trophic dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. Many freshwater fish encounter a broad range of environmental temperatures across life history stages, but the mechanistic link between temperature and physiological processes often remains poorly understood. We designed three recirculating aquatic systems capable of rearing Flathead Catfish Plyodictis olivaris in order to quantify gastric evacuation rates and gross energy absorption at three temperatures (17º C, 22º C and 25º C). We examined the relationship between temperature and …

Evaluation Of Metal Contamination And Soil Properties At Former Mine Sites In Poland, Kaitlyn Mcclung, Emily Brooks

Research and Creativity Symposium

Surface mining dramatically affects the environment, both where the resource extraction takes place and in the areas where mining wastes and overburden are deposited. Poland is Europe’s top coal producing country and is also home to many mines for pyrite, sand, and other mineral resources. We studied soil samples from three former mining areas in Poland: the Bełchatów and Smolnica coal mines, and the Piaseczno sulfur mine. Various substrates, amendments, and trees had been used for remediation, with activities taking place up to 36 years previously. The success of reforestation and soil development varied greatly, especially in pH, organic matter, …

Rejuvenation Of Wild Ber (Zizyphus Species) Through Budding At Farmer’S Field, Ravi Pratap Singh, Satendra Kumar, Rajiv K. Agrawal, Sunil Kumar, M. M. Das, J. B. Singh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Ber is mainly cultivated for its fresh fruits, which are rich in vitamins C, A and B complex. Due to its nutritional qualities it is called poor man’s apple (Gajbhiya et al., 2003). A large number of wild ber shrubs (Zizyphus mauritiana, Z. rotundifolia and Z. nummularia) were seen growing on the neglected lands, uncultivated lands, roadsides and farm boundaries in Kadesara Kala Village in Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh (India). Production potential of this species is very low because of poor upkeep and inferior genetic makeup. But they have extensive root system which can withstand …