Digital Commons Network^™

Water Metrics, Lisa-Maria Rebelo, Jean-Marc Faurès, Poolad Karimi, Wim Bastiaanssen, Meredith Giordano, Vladimir Smakhtin, Peter G. Mccornick

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Society has a universal need for water that crosses all sectors of activity. We need to be able to measure progress towards sustainable water for all by working towards targets that consider the different dimensions of water resources and use, including water quantity and quality. A suite of indicators that reflect water use by different sectors is needed to measure progress towards the forthcoming SDGs’ [sustainable development goals] water-related targets. Such indicators will need to rely on national data, must consider the variation in data availability, and can be complemented with new cost-effective ways for data collection.

Remote sensing measurements, …

Fluoride Exposure From Groundwater As Reflected By Urinary Fluoride And Children’S Dental Fluorosis In The Main Ethiopian Rift Valley, Tewodros Rango, Avner Vengosh, Marc Jeuland, Redda Tekle-Haimanot, Erika Weinthal, Julia Kravchenko, Christopher Paul, Peter G. Mccornick

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

This cross-sectional study explores the relationships between children’s F⁻ exposure from drinking groundwater and urinary F⁻ concentrations, combined with dental fluorosis (DF) in the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) Valley. We examined the DF prevalence and severity among 491 children (10 to 15 years old) who are lifelong residents of 33 rural communities in which groundwater concentrations of F⁻ cover a wide range. A subset of 156 children was selected for urinary F⁻ measurements. Our results showed that the mean F⁻ concentrations in groundwater were 8.5 ± 4.1 mg/L (range: 1.1–18 mg/L), while those in urine …

The Effect Of Non-Fluoride Factors On Risk Of Dental Fluorosis: Evidence From Rural Populations Of The Main Ethiopian Rift, Julia Kravchenko, Tewodros Rango, Igor Akushevich, Behailu Atlaw, Peter G. Mccornick, R. Brittany Merola, Christopher Paul, Erika Weinthal, Courtney Harrison, Avner Vengosh, Marc Jeuland

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Elevated level of fluoride (F⁻) in drinking water is a well-recognized risk factor of dental fluorosis (DF). While considering optimization of region-specific standards for F⁻, it is reasonable, however, to consider how local diet, water sourcing practices, and non-F⁻ elements in water may be related to health outcomes. In this study, we hypothesized that non-F⁻ elements in groundwater and lifestyle and demographic characteristics may be independent predictors or modifiers of the effects of F⁻ on teeth. Dental examinations were conducted among 1094 inhabitants from 399 randomly selected households of 20 rural communities of …

Fluoride Exposure From Groundwater As Reflected By Urinary Fluoride And Children’S Dental Fluorosis In The Main Ethiopian Rift Valley, Tewodros Rango, Avner Vengosh, Marc Jeuland, Redda Tekle-Haimanot, Erika Weinthal, Julia Kravchenko, Christopher Paul, Paul Mccornick

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

This cross-sectional study explores the relationships between children’s F⁻ exposure from drinking groundwater and urinary F⁻ concentrations, combined with dental fluorosis (DF) in the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) Valley. We examined the DF prevalence and severity among 491 children (10 to 15 This cross-sectional study explores the relationships between children’s F⁻ exposure from drinking groundwater and urinary F⁻ concentrations, combined with dental fluorosis (DF) in the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) Valley. We examined the DF prevalence and severity among 491 children (10 to 15 years old) who are lifelong residents of 33 rural communities in which …

Shape Evolution And Sexual Dimorphism In The Mandible Of The Dire Wolf, Canis Dirus, At Rancho La Brea, Alexandria L. Brannick

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Rancho La Brea tar pits are a classic fossil lagerstätten, famous for the deposition of episodic accumulations of large numbers of fossils over short intervals in the late Pleistocene. I analyzed 157 Canis dirus (dire wolf) hemi-mandibles from Rancho La Brea through a 2D landmark-based morphometric analysis to test for size and shape changes through time. I scored 16 landmarks on each mandible gathered from four pits of different ages: 61/67 (~13-14 thousand years ago [ka]), 13 (~17-18 ka), 2051 (~26 ka), and 91 (~28 ka). Analyses indicate size does change through time, and shares a broad correlation with …

The Inky Story Of The Dinky Oak Gall, Ken Sulak

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Maybe you have noticed these little spheres before – but did not give them much thought. Or maybe, you puzzled: What are these wooden pearls? How did they get there? Well, a tiny wasp, called the pea galler wasp or gallfly, Belonocnema treatae, is the culprit. The diminutive female gallfly (one of nearly a thousand species in the gall wasp family Cynipidae), about the size of a fire ant, lays eggs on a freshly budded live oak leaf in spring. When the larva hatches, it produces a chemical that induces the oak to enclose it in a protective and …

Impact Of Climate Change On Wheat Production In Kentucky, Kathleen Russell, Chad Lee, Rebecca L. Mcculley, David Van Sanford

Plant and Soil Sciences Research Report

Summary:

• From 2002 to 2012, Kentucky winter wheat ranged in value from $52 million to $209 million.
• Climate change and variability have the potential to significantly impact this important economic enterprise within our state.
• This report summarizes the current state of knowledge of the potential of climate change to impact wheat production in Kentucky and surrounding states.

Rapid Fluctuations In Mid-Latitude Siliceous Plankton Production During The Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (Odp Site 1051, Western North Atlantic), Jakub Witkowski, Steven M. Bohaty, Kirsty M. Edgar, David M. Harwood

ANDRILL Research and Publications

The Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO; ~ 40 million years ago [Ma]) is one of the most prominent transient global warming events in the Paleogene. Although the event is well documented in geochemical and isotopic proxy records at many locations, the marine biotic response to the MECO remains poorly constrained. We present new high-resolution, quantitative records of siliceous microplankton assemblages from the MECO interval of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1051 in the subtropical western North Atlantic Ocean, which are interpreted in the context of published foraminiferal and bulk carbonate stable isotope (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) records. …

Boron Nutrition Of Burley And Dark Tobacco, Laura Ann Frakes Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The incidences of suspected Boron (B) deficiency have increased recently in Kentucky tobacco fields, potentially due to recent changes in management practices. The symptoms observed in the field include; hollow stalk, stunted growth, deformed or no bud formation, small slits on the lower leaf midrib and uncontrollable breaking of the midrib approximately two inches from the stalk. B is a micronutrient tobacco needs in minute amounts, however excessive additions of B could cause toxicity. The objectives of this work were to 1) establish critical points for B sufficiency, 2) describe and define B deficiency and toxicity symptoms and 3) develop …

Combined Effects Of Phosphorus Nutrition And Elevated Carbon Dioxide Concentration On Chlorophyll Fluorescence, Photosynthesis, And Nutrient Efficiency Of Cotton, Shardendu K. Singh, Vangimalla R. Reddy

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

To examine the combined effects of phosphorus (P) nutrition and CO2 on photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence (CF), and nutrient utilization and uptake, two controlled-environment experiments were conducted using 0.01, 0.05 and 0.20 mM external phosphate each at ambient and elevated CO2 (aCO2: 400 and eCO2: 800 mmol mol–1, respectively). The CF parameters were affected more by P nutrition than by CO2 treatment. Photoinhibition of photosystem II (PSII) was due to increased minimal CF (Fo') and decreased maximal CF (Fm'), and efficiency of energy harvesting (Fv'/Fm'). In addition, reduced electron transport rate (ETR), the quantum yield of PSII (FPSII) and CO2 assimilation …

Carbon And Nitrogen Isotope Analysis Of Archaeological Faunal Material From Dutchess Quarry Caves, Ny, Jessica Zuhlke

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this study was to do an isotopic analysis to determine the carbon and nitrogen isotope concentrations of archaeological faunal material found in the Dutchess Quarry Caves in Orange County, NY. These isotope values were then used to compare the taxa from which the samples were taken to determine if and how trophic relationships were formed. The main focus of this comparison spotlighted a sample from a human femur; to establish the human's position trophically with the other large and small mammal samples collected. The human had been previously radiocarbon dated to have lived between 2877 and 3180 …

Benthic And Pelagic Pathways Of Methylmercury Bioaccumulation In Estuarine Food Webs Of The Northeast United States, Celia Y. Chen, Mark E. Borsuk, Deenie M. Bugge, Terill Hollweg

Dartmouth Scholarship

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a contaminant of global concern that bioaccumulates and bioamagnifies in marine food webs. Lower trophic level fauna are important conduits of MeHg from sediment and water to estuarine and coastal fish harvested for human consumption. However, the sources and pathways of MeHg to these coastal fisheries are poorly known particularly the potential for transfer of MeHg from the sediment to biotic compartments. Across a broad gradient of human land impacts, we analyzed MeHg concentrations in food webs at ten estuarine sites in the Northeast US (from the Hackensack Meadowlands, NJ to the Gulf of Maine). MeHg concentrations …

The Influences Of Poultry Litter Biochar And Water Source On Radish Growth And Nutrition, Julia Allen, David E. Longer, Edward E. Gbur, Lichen Hao

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Many row-crop fields today have declined in soil fertility due to poor management practices and overuse of pesticides. Under these conditions, plant nutrient uptake can be sub-optimal. There are several soil amendments that can be used to improve soil quality and plant growth. This study focused on the addition of biochar to the soil and the use of structured water to enhance plant growth. Biochar is produced by pyrolysis of organic feedstocks. Previous studies which focused on biochar have shown an increase in plant yield, nutrient availability in the soil, and soil water holding capacity. Structured water is the liquid …

Terebella Lapilloides Münster, 1833 From The Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous İnaltı Carbonates, Northern Turkey: Its Taxonomic Position And Paleoenvironmental-Paleoecological Significance, Mustafa Yücel Kaya, Demi̇r Altiner

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

The agglutinating annelid Terebella lapilloides Münster, 1833 is commonly encountered in reefal deposits from the Late Jurassic. This annelid is described and documented for the first time from the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous carbonates of the İnaltı Formation in the Central Pontides, Turkey. The whole İnaltı formation, 395 m in thickness, was studied near Bürnük village and 105 samples were collected along the section. The investigated thin sections reveal the shallow water and the reefal/fore-reefal character of the carbonates with coral-sponge frame-builders. The bioconstituents are accompanied by various microencrusters and microproblematica (such as Lithocodium aggregatum, Bacinella-type structures, Koskinobullina socialis, Radiomura cautica, …

Mercury Distributions And Cycling In The North Atlantic And Eastern Tropical Pacific Oceans, Katlin L. Bowman

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The distribution of mercury (Hg) in the ocean is complex as a result of in situ chemical transformations and inputs from natural and anthropogenic sources. Within the ocean, inorganic Hg is methylated to monomethylmercury (MMHg), which bioaccumulates and biomagnifies in marine food webs and poses a health risk to humans who eat fish. The biogeochemistry of Hg in the ocean has been studied for decades, however, recently improved sampling and analytical techniques have allowed for an enhanced understanding of global distributions of different Hg species. This dissertation uses a newly developed method for the analysis of MMHg that improves detection …

Comparing Crop Land Net Primary Production Estimates From Inventory, A Satellite-Based Model, And A Process-Based Model In The Midwest Of The United States Zhengpeng, Zhengpeng Li, Shuguang Liu, Zhengxi Tan, Normann B. Bliss, Claudia J. Young, Tristram O. West, Stephen M. Ogle

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Accurately quantifying the spatial and temporal variability of net primary production (NPP) for crop-lands is essential to understand regional cropland carbon dynamics. We compared three NPP estimates for croplands in the Midwestern United States: inventory-based estimates using crop yield data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS); estimates from the satellite-based Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro radiometer (MODIS) NPP product; and esti-mates from the General Ensemble bio geochemical Modeling System (GEMS) process-based model. The three methods estimated mean NPP in the range of 469–687 g C m⁻²yr⁻¹and total NPP in the range …

Toxicity Of Pb‐Contaminated Soil To Japanese Quail (Coturnix Japonica) And The Use Of The Blood–Dietary Pb Slope In Risk Assessment, W. Nelson Beyer, Yu Chen, Paula Henry, Thomas May, David Mosby, Barnett A. Rattner, Valerie I. Shearn-Bochsler, Daniel Sprague, John Weber

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

This study relates tissue concentrations and toxic effects of Pb in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) to the dietary exposure of soil‐borne Pb associated with mining and smelting. From 0% to 12% contaminated soil, by weight, was added to 5 experimental diets (0.12 to 382mg Pb/kg, dry wt) and fed to the quail for 6 weeks. Benchmark doses associated with a 50% reduction in delta‐aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity were 0.62mg Pb/kg in the blood, dry wt, and 27mg Pb/kg in the diet. Benchmark doses associated with a 20% increase in the concentration of erythrocyte protoporphyrin were 2.7mg Pb/kg in …

Effects Of Salinity And Dissolved Organic Matter On Cu Toxicity To Americamysis Bahia In Estuarine Environments, Rabia Nasir

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

As salinity increases the geochemical speciation of Cu is altered as a result of organic/inorganic complexation/competition. Such salinity changes may further challenge the osmoregulatory capabilities of euryhaline organisms. This chemical-biological interaction complicates the understanding of the impacts of Cu in estuarine waters. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) has been widely established to be an important modifier of Cu toxicity in freshwaters however its effectiveness in modulating Cu toxicity across the range of salinities that occur in estuarine conditions has not been studied in a systematic manner. Site to site differences in DOM quality with respect to the potential for toxicity mitigation …

Phytoplankton And Nutrient Dynamics In A Tidally Dominated Eutrophic Estuary: Daily Variability And Controls On Bloom Formation, Ryan E. Morse, Margaret R. Mulholland, Todd A. Egerton, Harold G. Marshall

OES Faculty Publications

To better understand nutrient dynamics and factors that promote the initiation of algal blooms, the Lafayette River, a tidal subestuary of Chesapeake Bay that experiences seasonal algal blooms, was sampled daily for a period of 54 d in the fall of 2005. Three phytoplankton blooms (chl a concentrations exceeding twice the average of monthly measurements from 2000 to 2009) occurred during this period: a mixed bloom of Akashiwo sanguinea and Gymnodinium sp., a monospecific Skeletonema costatum bloom, and a monospecific Gymnodinium sp. bloom. Over the sampling period, nutrient concentrations increased following precipitation events and were elevated between bloom periods but …

Pengaruh Dosis Pupuk N Dan P Terhadap Pertumbuhan Vegetatif Jarak Pagar Di Dua Tempat Berbeda, Santi Rosniawaty, Rija Sudirja

Jurnal Kultivasi

Physic nut is an alternative source of biofuel. The potential is high because it have many benefits and can not be consumed, so it will not compete with human needs. The effect of N and P fertilizer on physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) has been studied from August 2010 until March 2011. The experiments were carried out in two different locations, in the field experiment of BPBHAT Jatinangor and farmer gardens in Plered. Soil types in Jatinangor and Plered was Inceptisol. Type of climate in Jatinangor was C while in Plered was D according to Schmidt-Ferguson (1951). Experimental design used …

Pertumbuhan Dan Hasil Tanaman Jagung (Zea Mays L.) Hibrida P-12 Yang Ditanam Pada Jarak Tanam Dan Dosis Pupuk Fosfor Yang Berbeda Pada Inseptisol Jatinangor, Agus Wahyudin, Ruminta, Nimas Nur Hafizhoh

Jurnal Kultivasi

This experiment was aims to determine the combination effect of plant spacing and phosphorus fertilizer on growth and yield of hybrid corns P-12. The experiment was conducted on March-July 2013 in inceptisol soil type in Agricultural Faculty Field Station, Padjadjaran University, Jatinangor, Sumedang, West Java. The experimental was use a Randomized Block Design with nine treatments and three replications, there is combination, plant space 75 cm x 25 cm and 200 kg/ha phosphorus fertilizer; plant space 75 cm x 25 cm and 300 kg/ha phosphorus fertilizer; plant space 75 cm x 25 cm and 400 kg/ha phosphorus fertilizer; plant space …

Quantitative Trait Loci Associated With Waterlogging Tolerance In A Soft Red Winter Wheat Mapping Population, Diana Carolina Ballesteros Benavides

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Waterlogging is caused when water stays superficially in the soil for an extended period of time, creating an anaerobic environment which decreases plant growth and grain yield at maturity. Despite the impact of waterlogging on wheat production both globally and in the southeastern U.S., very little is known about the genetic control of waterlogging tolerance in wheat. The objective of this study was to determine the amount of genetic variation for vegetative stage waterlogging tolerance present within a wheat recombinant inbred line (RIL) population and to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with tolerance and productivity. Experiments were carried out …

The Imperative Of Conserving California's Foothill Oak Woodlands, Lauren Phillips

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Improving The Efficiency Of Fall Applied N With Cover Crops, Corey Lacey

Theses and Dissertations

Nitrate loss studies in Midwestern tile-drained fields have found that fall applied nitrogen (N) resulted in elevated nitrate concentrations in tile water during both the corn and soybean year of a 2 year rotation. The effectiveness of cover crops to reduce nitrate leaching when N is spring applied has been well demonstrated, however there is a dearth of knowledge on the ability of cover crops to reduce nitrate leaching in a system where N is fall applied. Thus, the objectives of this research were to (i) investigate the efficacy of winter cover crops to reduce nitrate leaching from fall applied …

Pastures For Horses, Robert Coleman

Kentucky Grazing Conference

The horse evolved as a grazing animal. In order to consume enough forage to meet the horses’ nutritional needs a significant amount of time would be spent each day grazing. The pattern of selecting forage-moving to the next area starting to graze again can easily translate into 14 to 16 hours of grazing activity each day. The level of grazing activity will also be affected by the available forage and the daily access to pasture.

Pastures For Goats And Sheep, Greg Brann

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Pasture for sheep is not that different than that for cattle but pasture for goats is very different. Sheep are grazers like cattle whereas goats are browsers like deer. Even though grass and clover are not a goats preference if all of the forage present is grass and clover goats will eat it. Due to goats and sheep being more prey animals than cattle they don’t like to wade off into tall vegetation, also it takes more energy for them to move through tall growth. Many plants that we traditionally consider weeds become desirable forbs when goats or sheep are …

(How I Think About) Kentucky's Pastures: One Of Kentucky's Untapped Resources, Jimmy C. Henning

Kentucky Grazing Conference

One of the privileges of old(er) age is the prerogative to take liberties with assigned tasks. At the risk of confusing producers and offending more scientifically-current forage scientists, the topic of pasture as an untapped resource presented an opportunity to address task from an unexpected angle. Certainly, Kentucky’s pastures are a resource with untapped potential. But the idea that their value as a resource depends on how we think about them is one worth pursuing.

Report Card On Sustainable Natural Resource Use In Agriculture, Robert Summers, David Weaver

All other publications

Condition and trend Nutrients, such as phosphorus (P), are essential for profitable agriculture in the south-west of WA; however, excess P – more than is required for optimal production – is stored in many agricultural soils. On average, pasture soils and arable soils contain 1.3 times and 1.6 times respectively, as much P as is required for optimal production. Production in P-enriched soils is more likely to be constrained by soil acidity (50–60% of pasture and arable soils), potassium (K) (50% of pasture soils and less than 10% of arable soils), and sulphur (S) (30% of pasture soils). Management implications …

Decomposition And Nutrient Release Of Different Cover Crops In Organic Farm Systems, Jianru Shi

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

Cover crops act as green manure adding organic matter to agricultural-soils. For legume green manures to be an effective nitrogen (N) source for organic farming systems, their N release must be in synchrony with crop N demand. The objectives of this study were 1) determine the decomposition rates of three common cover crops (white clover, (Trifolium repens,L ) red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and soybean (Glycine max L) in order to determine when most N was released and its synchrony with subsequent corn crop uptake; 2) we focused on the effect of cover crops on soil …

Pushing The Envelope? Maize Production Intensification And The Role Of Cattle Manure In Recovery Of Degraded Soils In Smallholder Farming Areas Of Zimbabwe, Leonard Rusinamhodzi, Marc Corbeels, Shamie Zingore, Justice Nyamangara, Ken E. Giller

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Soil fertility decline is a major constraint to crop productivity on smallholder farms in Africa. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term (up to nine years) impacts of nutrient management strategies and their local feasibility on crop productivity, soil fertility status and rainfall infiltration on two contrasting soil types and different prior management regimes in Murehwa, Zimbabwe. The nutrient management strategies employed in the study were: a control with no fertiliser, amendments of 100kg Nha-1, 100kg N+lime, three rates of manure application (5, 15 and 25tha-1) in combination with 100kg Nha-1, and three rates of P fertiliser …