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Analysis Of The Blancan Procyonids Of Florida, Laura S. Gilmore May 2013

Analysis Of The Blancan Procyonids Of Florida, Laura S. Gilmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Procyonids are well known biologically but knowledge of their fossil record is comparatively sparse. This study seeks to describe a sample of late Blancan procyonid fossils composed mostly of postcranial and dental material. Fossils are analyzed using linear and 2D geometric morphometrics and compared with a large sample of modern specimens from a wide geographic area to understand the range of intraspecific variation. The large Procyon species is described as a new taxon based on morphology of the postcrania and lower dentition, while another Procyon species is also described as new due to an apomorphy in the upper dentition. A …

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Identifying Myotis Species Using Geometric Morphometrics And Its Implications For The Fossil Record And Conservation, Kyle J. Jansky May 2013

Identifying Myotis Species Using Geometric Morphometrics And Its Implications For The Fossil Record And Conservation, Kyle J. Jansky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dentaries of the 6 species of Myotis that occur in the eastern United States were analyzed using landmark-based geometric morphometrics. The species could be distinguished with a high degree of accuracy. Evidence was found of a phylogenetic signal in the morphology of the Neotropical and Nearctic Myotis sub-clades. There is also evidence of convergence in the morphology of the dentary among Myotis species that feed primarily by gleaning. When analyzed together there was no evidence of sexual dimorphism among the 6 eastern U.S. Myotis, but when analyzed individually some dimorphism may be present. A sample of fossil Myotis of …

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The Effects Of Physicochemical Properties Of Ceo2 Nanoparticles On Toxicity To Soil Denitrification Processes, Jessica Dahle May 2013

The Effects Of Physicochemical Properties Of Ceo2 Nanoparticles On Toxicity To Soil Denitrification Processes, Jessica Dahle

All Theses

Due to the rise of nanotechnology in industry, the concentrations of engineered metal oxide nanoparticles being released to the environment are increasing daily. Cerium-based compounds such as nanoparticulate ceria (NP CeO2) have received much attention in the last several years due to their popular applications (e.g., mischmetal, pharmaceuticals, nanotechnology) in industrial and commercial uses. Like many emerging pollutants, NP CeO2 is often released to the environment, where its toxicological effects are not well known. Though several environmental exposure pathways have been identified for CeO2 NPs, a major route of NP introduction to the environment is via biosolids application to agricultural …

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Groundcover Management System And Nutrient Source Impact Physical Soil Quality Indicators In An Organically Managed Apple Orchard, Neal Mays May 2013

Groundcover Management System And Nutrient Source Impact Physical Soil Quality Indicators In An Organically Managed Apple Orchard, Neal Mays

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In March 2006, four groundcover management systems (GMS) and two nutrient sources (NS) were implemented for their ability to alter the soil physical condition of a newly established, organically managed apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) orchard. Annual applications of municipal green compost (GC), shredded office paper (SP), wood chips (WC), and mow-blow (MB) grass mulch were utilized as GMS, and NS supplied to trees were from composted poultry litter (PL), a commercial organic fertilizer (CF), or an untreated control (NF) in a 4x3 factorial study. An established, conventionally-managed orchard was located adjacent to the organic research orchard on the same …

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Adaptation Of Regional Representative Soil Project And Soil Judging For Cameroon, Celestine Che May 2013

Adaptation Of Regional Representative Soil Project And Soil Judging For Cameroon, Celestine Che

All Dissertations

Representative regional soils have agricultural, cultural, economic, environmental, and historical importance to Cameroon. Twenty seven regional representative soils have been identified in Cameroon. A set of laboratory exercises, assignments and exam questions have been developed utilizing the Regional Representative Soil Project (RRSP) that gives students an opportunity to practice interpretation of soil series descriptions, taxonomic classes, soil forming factors, and soil physical and chemical properties. The RRSP can be further enhanced and complemented with Soil Judging. Conventional soil judging as practiced in the United States has been adapted for Cameroon by a graduate student from that country using an undergraduate-level …

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Soil Moisture Recognition And The Spatial Distribution Of Storm Activity In The Mojave Desert Using High-Resolution Aster And Modis Imagery For Thermophysical Mapping, Russell J. Skuse May 2013

Soil Moisture Recognition And The Spatial Distribution Of Storm Activity In The Mojave Desert Using High-Resolution Aster And Modis Imagery For Thermophysical Mapping, Russell J. Skuse

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Climate models suggest that the Mojave Desert ecoregion is vulnerable to becoming drier in the future, and as the human population grows and development increases, environmental stresses will likely increase. Determining the spatial distribution and variation of soil moisture on a regional scale is an essential component to climate change, hydrologic, and habitat analyses. Soil permeability and sediment stability are characteristics that have been shown to be measurable from remote sensing observations. The primary objective of this project is to map the mechanical composition of the surface materials in the Mojave Desert ecoregion with implications for soil permeability, sediment stability, …

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Litter Conditioning Is Differentially Affected By Leaf Species, Phosphorus Enrichment, And Light Availability, Erin E. Scott May 2013

Litter Conditioning Is Differentially Affected By Leaf Species, Phosphorus Enrichment, And Light Availability, Erin E. Scott

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic enrichment of nitrogen and phosphorus is one of the most pervasive and detrimental threats to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. In streams that rely on allochthonous basal food resources, such as leaves, nutrient pollution can result in altered food quality and decreased carbon (C) standing stocks. However, the magnitude and mechanisms of this change in quality are poorly understood. Laboratory microcosm studies were conducted to 1) quantify the response of litter C:P to a gradient of phosphorus (P) enrichment (0, 0.05, and 0.5 mg SRP/L) across leaf species with variable levels of degradability (sugar maple and oak), and 2) quantify the …

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Understanding The Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum: Evaluation Of Deuterium Values (Δd) Related To Precipitation And Temperature, Colin Gannon Apr 2013

Understanding The Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum: Evaluation Of Deuterium Values (Δd) Related To Precipitation And Temperature, Colin Gannon

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

The Middle Miocene Climate Optimum was a unique warming period in the Earth’s geologic history, when a high global mean annual temperature was accompanied by a relatively low global CO2 concentration. Hydrogen isotopic signals (specifically molecular δD, the ratio of deuterium to hydrogen) from lipids of fossils and sediments offer intrinsic insights into precipitation of ancient climates. Using samples collected from known Middle Miocene deposits, we measured δD of n-alkanes extracted from well-preserved plant and sediment samples from varying latitudes across the Northern Hemisphere, and then analyzed the data through a zonally averaged precipitation and evaporation climate model. The reduced …

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Hidden Markov Models For Estimating Animal Mortality From Anthropogenic Hazards, Matthew A. Etterson Apr 2013

Hidden Markov Models For Estimating Animal Mortality From Anthropogenic Hazards, Matthew A. Etterson

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Carcass searches are a common method for studying the risk of anthropogenic hazards to wildlife, including nontarget poisoning and collisions with anthropogenic structures. Typically, numbers of carcasses found must be corrected for scavenging rates and imperfect detection. Parameters for these processes (scavenging and detection) are often estimated using carcass distribution trials in which researchers place carcasses in the field at known times and locations. In this manuscript I develop a variety of estimators based on multi-event or hidden Markov models for use under different experimental conditions. I apply the estimators to two case studies of avian mortality, one from pesticide …

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The Effects Of Eutrophication And Salinization On Methane Production In Urban And Rural Lakes, Rebecca Kiekhaefer Apr 2013

The Effects Of Eutrophication And Salinization On Methane Production In Urban And Rural Lakes, Rebecca Kiekhaefer

Honors Theses

Asylum lake is an urban lake in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The lake is located near the intersection of two major roadways which are heavily salted during the winter. Wintergreen lake is a rural lake that is on the property of the Kellogg Biological Station in Augusta, Michigan. The lake is surrounded by the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary and is relatively isolated from major roadways. Both lakes are eutrophic, Asylum lake because of high salinity and lack of turnover (Macleod, et aI., 2011) and Wintergreen lake because of high nutrient inputs (Threlkeld, 1979). Previous work suggests that road salt deicers can change the …

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Researching Soil Hydrogen Dynamics In Subarctic Sweden, Victoria Lynn Ward Apr 2013

Researching Soil Hydrogen Dynamics In Subarctic Sweden, Victoria Lynn Ward

Inquiry Journal 2013

No abstract provided.

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Recovery From Disturbance Requires Resynchronization Of Ecosystem Nutrient Cycles, Edward B. Rastetter, Ruth D. Yanai, R Quinn Thomas, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Timothy J. Fahey, Melany C. Fisk, Bonnie L. Kwiatkowski, Steven P. Hamburg Apr 2013

Recovery From Disturbance Requires Resynchronization Of Ecosystem Nutrient Cycles, Edward B. Rastetter, Ruth D. Yanai, R Quinn Thomas, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Timothy J. Fahey, Melany C. Fisk, Bonnie L. Kwiatkowski, Steven P. Hamburg

All Materials

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are tightly cycled in most terrestrial ecosystems, with plant uptake more than 10 times higher than the rate of supply from deposition and weathering. This near-total dependence on recycled nutrients and the stoichiometric constraints on resource use by plants and microbes mean that the two cycles have to be synchronized such that the ratio of N:P in plant uptake, litterfall, and net mineralization are nearly the same. Disturbance can disrupt this synchronization if there is a disproportionate loss of one nutrient relative to the other. We model the resynchronization of N and P cycles following …

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Building Upon Common-Pool Resource Theory To Explore Success In Transitioning Water Management Institutions, Christina M. Hoffman Apr 2013

Building Upon Common-Pool Resource Theory To Explore Success In Transitioning Water Management Institutions, Christina M. Hoffman

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

Nebraska, like many regions around the world, is faced with the challenge of adapting to a new era in water management. Increasing demands for water resources, mounting concerns over threatened and endangered species, and obligations to abide by interstate water allocation agreements have motivated Nebraska to revisit traditional water management approaches. However, although Nebraska’s water management institutions have undergone much change, little research exists on the influence these changes have had on the ability of water institutions to successfully manage water allocations. This research (1) qualitatively explores the perspectives and experiences of stakeholders in the overappropriated region of the Platte …

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Cycling Of Molecular Hydrogen In Subarctic Sweden, Victoria Ward Apr 2013

Cycling Of Molecular Hydrogen In Subarctic Sweden, Victoria Ward

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

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Impact And Signatures Of Deglaciation On The Cryosphere, Landscape, And Habitability Of Earth And Mars, Nathalie A. Cabrol, Andrew G. Fountain, J. S. Kargel Mar 2013

Impact And Signatures Of Deglaciation On The Cryosphere, Landscape, And Habitability Of Earth And Mars, Nathalie A. Cabrol, Andrew G. Fountain, J. S. Kargel

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Science questions can help bridge Astrobiology and Earth Science disciples around the theme of planetary deglaciation.

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Large Woody Debris Mobility Areas In A Coastal Old-Growth Forest Stream, Oregon, Beth Marie Bambrick Mar 2013

Large Woody Debris Mobility Areas In A Coastal Old-Growth Forest Stream, Oregon, Beth Marie Bambrick

Dissertations and Theses

This study uses a spatial model to visualize LWD mobility areas in an approximate 1km reach of Cummins Creek, a fourth-order stream flowing through an old-growth Sitka spruce-western hemlock forest in the Oregon Coast Range. The model solves a LWD incipient motion equation for nine wood size combinations (0.1m, 0.4m, 1.7m diameters by 1.0m, 6.87m, 47.2m lengths) during the 2-year, 10-year, and 100-year discharge events. Model input variables were derived from a combination of field survey, remotely sensed, and modeled data collected or derived between June 2010 and July 2011. LWD mobility map results indicate the 2-year discharge mobilizes all …

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Modeling Vulnerability Of Groundwater To Pollution Under Future Scenarios Of Climate Change And Biofuels-Related Land Use Change: A Case Study In North Dakota, Usa, Ruopu Li, James W. Merchant Mar 2013

Modeling Vulnerability Of Groundwater To Pollution Under Future Scenarios Of Climate Change And Biofuels-Related Land Use Change: A Case Study In North Dakota, Usa, Ruopu Li, James W. Merchant

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Modeling groundwater vulnerability to pollution is critical for implementing programs to protect groundwater quality.Most groundwater vulnerability modeling has been based on current hydrogeology and land use condi- tions. However, groundwater vulnerability is strongly dependent on factors such as depth-to-water, recharge and land use conditions thatmay change in response to future changes in climate and/or socio-economic condi- tions. In this research, a modeling framework, which employs three sets of models linked within a geographic information system (GIS) environment, was used to evaluate groundwater pollution risks under future climate and land use changes in North Dakota. The results showed that areas with …

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On The Lack Of Stratospheric Dynamical Variability In Low‐Top Versions Of The Cmip5 Models, Andrew J. Charlton-Perez, Mark P. Baldwin, Thomas Birner, Robert X. Black, Amy H. Butler, Natalia Calvo, Nicholas A. Davis, Edwin P. Gerber, Nathan Gillett, Steven Hardiman, Junsu Kim, Kirsten Krüger, Yun-Young Lee, Elisa Manzini, Brent A. Mcdaniel, Lorenzo Polvani, Thomas Reichler, Tiffany A. Shaw, Michael Sigmond, Seok-Woo Son, Matthew Toohey, Laura Wilcox, Shigeo Yoden, Bo Christiansen, François Lott, Drew Shindell, Seiji Yukimoto, Shingo Watanabe Mar 2013

On The Lack Of Stratospheric Dynamical Variability In Low‐Top Versions Of The Cmip5 Models, Andrew J. Charlton-Perez, Mark P. Baldwin, Thomas Birner, Robert X. Black, Amy H. Butler, Natalia Calvo, Nicholas A. Davis, Edwin P. Gerber, Nathan Gillett, Steven Hardiman, Junsu Kim, Kirsten Krüger, Yun-Young Lee, Elisa Manzini, Brent A. Mcdaniel, Lorenzo Polvani, Thomas Reichler, Tiffany A. Shaw, Michael Sigmond, Seok-Woo Son, Matthew Toohey, Laura Wilcox, Shigeo Yoden, Bo Christiansen, François Lott, Drew Shindell, Seiji Yukimoto, Shingo Watanabe

Faculty Articles

We describe the main differences in simulations of stratospheric climate and variability by models within the fifth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) that have a model top above the stratopause and relatively fine stratospheric vertical resolution (high-top), and those that have a model top below the stratopause (low-top). Although the simulation of mean stratospheric climate by the two model ensembles is similar, the low-top model ensemble has very weak stratospheric variability on daily and interannual time scales. The frequency of major sudden stratospheric warming events is strongly underestimated by the low-top models with less than half the frequency of events …

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Exploration Of Eratosthenes Seamount – A Continental Fragment Being Forced Down An Oceanic Trench, Garrett Mitchell, Larry A. Mayer, Katherine L.C. Bell, Nicole A. Raineault, Chris Roman, Robert D. Ballard, Kelsey Cornwell, Al Hine, Eugene Shinn, Iordanis Dimitriadis, Onac Bogdan Mar 2013

Exploration Of Eratosthenes Seamount – A Continental Fragment Being Forced Down An Oceanic Trench, Garrett Mitchell, Larry A. Mayer, Katherine L.C. Bell, Nicole A. Raineault, Chris Roman, Robert D. Ballard, Kelsey Cornwell, Al Hine, Eugene Shinn, Iordanis Dimitriadis, Onac Bogdan

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

No abstract provided.

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Uncoupling Between Dinitrogen Fixation And Primary Productivity In The Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Eyal Rahav, Barak Herut, Noga Stambler, Edo Bar-Zeev, Margaret R. Mulholland Mar 2013

Uncoupling Between Dinitrogen Fixation And Primary Productivity In The Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Eyal Rahav, Barak Herut, Noga Stambler, Edo Bar-Zeev, Margaret R. Mulholland

OES Faculty Publications

In the nitrogen (N)-impoverished photic zones of many oceanic regions, prokaryotic organisms fixing atmospheric dinitrogen (N2; diazotrophs) supply an essential source of new nitrogen and fuel primary production. We measured dinitrogen fixation and primary productivity (PP) during the thermally stratified summer period in different water regimes of the oligotrophic eastern Mediterranean Sea, including the Cyprus Eddy and the Rhodes Gyre. Low N2 fixation rates were measured (0.8-3.2μmol N m-2 d-1) excluding 10-fold higher rates in the Rhodes Gyre and Cyprus Eddy (~20μmol N m-2 d-1). The corresponding PP increased from east to west (200-2500μmol …

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Effects Of Flow Rates And Composition Of The Filter, And Decay/Ingrowth Correction Factors Involved With The Determination Of In Situ Particulate 210Po And 210Pb In Seawater, Mark Baskaran, Thomas Church, Gi Hong, Anupam Kumar, Ma Qiang, Hui Choi, Sylvain Rigaud, Kanchan Maiti Mar 2013

Effects Of Flow Rates And Composition Of The Filter, And Decay/Ingrowth Correction Factors Involved With The Determination Of In Situ Particulate 210Po And 210Pb In Seawater, Mark Baskaran, Thomas Church, Gi Hong, Anupam Kumar, Ma Qiang, Hui Choi, Sylvain Rigaud, Kanchan Maiti

Environmental Science and Geology Faculty Research Publications

Accurate measurements of particulate 210Po (210Pop) and 210Pb (210Pbp) are required in the investigation of (i) partitioning of Po and Pb between particulate and dissolved phases and (ii) export estimates of carbon and other key trace metals from the euphotic zone via sinking particulate matter. Based on the intercomparison of different composition of the filter material (QMA, Supor, Millipore, and Pall GN6) and flow rates (2 to 8 L min), we show how these factors affect the measured concentrations of 210Pop and 210Pbp and their activity …

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Arsenic In The Soils Of Northwest Oregon, Tracy Ryan Ricker Feb 2013

Arsenic In The Soils Of Northwest Oregon, Tracy Ryan Ricker

Dissertations and Theses

One hundred and eighty-six soil samples from Northwest Oregon were tested for arsenic content. The highest values measured were 13.9 ppm in the A horizon (site C4) and 20.4 ppm in the B horizon (Site P4). Arsenic was not detected in 28 A horizon samples and 23 B horizon samples. Data are grouped based on the age and rock type of underlying bedrock. Lithologic groups with six or more data points were compared statistically to ascertain if groups are distinct. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) multiple comparison tests indicate that the arsenic content of the Marine Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks group …

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Mammoth Cave National Park Backcountry Trail And Stream Monitoring, 2009-2012, Larry Johnson, Student Conservation Association Conservation Feb 2013

Mammoth Cave National Park Backcountry Trail And Stream Monitoring, 2009-2012, Larry Johnson, Student Conservation Association Conservation

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

This project conducted an assessment of backcountry trail conditions on the north side of the Green River in Mammoth Cave National Park during summers of 2009-2012. The project included assessing physical parameters of trails, (width, depth, etc.) and conducting an assessment of water quality of streams in proximity of backcountry trails. The project was conducted by Student Conservation Association resource assistants (12 weeks each) supervised by a natural resource specialist from the Mammoth Cave Division of Science and Resources Management. Trail assessment procedures were based on techniques developed by Jeff ery L. Marion, Ph.D, USGS, Virginia Tech (et al.) and …

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Use Of Sorption Isotherms To Improve The Efficacy Of The Storm-Water Filters, Hung-Wai Ho, Rick Toomey Feb 2013

Use Of Sorption Isotherms To Improve The Efficacy Of The Storm-Water Filters, Hung-Wai Ho, Rick Toomey

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Sorption has been widely used as an inexpensive and environmental friendly water treatment technology. A large variety of adsorbents with different adsorption mechanisms have drawn interests, and combinations of adsorbents will enhance sorption of mixed solutions. However, current sorption research tends to focus on single material. The objective of this study was to develop sorption isotherms for ZPG®, (Zeolite, Perlite, Granular Activated Carbon), used in a stormwater filter cartridge. Contaminants of concern include Cu2+ and quaternary ammonia compounds (QAC). Adsorption isotherms were established for Cu2+ and QAC, and the best fit for the isotherm data was a Langmuir isotherm for …

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Potential Effects Of Hydrogen Sulfide And Hydrocarbon Seeps On Mammoth Cave Ecosystems, Rick Olson Feb 2013

Potential Effects Of Hydrogen Sulfide And Hydrocarbon Seeps On Mammoth Cave Ecosystems, Rick Olson

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Recently, Mammoth Cave Guide Bruce Hatcher reported what appeared to be contaminated water seeping into Marianne’s Pass. I visited the site and concluded that it was not likely due to pollution, and that it was a natural phenomenon. To be sure, I sampled the water for fecal coliform and E. coli analyses since sewer lines are in the area. The results were <1 mpn/100ml in both cases. A sulfur spring is mentioned at this site in Rambles in the Mammoth Cave, which was published in 1845, and this predates any well drilling that could lead to hydrocarbon and sulfide pollution. Another line of evidence that the seeps are natural is that they are all deeply weathered into the bedrock, which takes a long time. The seeps support thousands of springtails, which feed on the microbial mats, and crickets are common as well. A possible effect on biodiversity will be discussed.

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Antibiotic Resistance And Substrate Utilization By Bacteria Affi Liated With Cave Streams At Diff Erent Levels Of Mammoth Cave, Petra Byl, Shannon R. Trimboli, Rick Toomey, Jacob Byl, David Solomon, Tom Byl Feb 2013

Antibiotic Resistance And Substrate Utilization By Bacteria Affi Liated With Cave Streams At Diff Erent Levels Of Mammoth Cave, Petra Byl, Shannon R. Trimboli, Rick Toomey, Jacob Byl, David Solomon, Tom Byl

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Located in south-central Kentucky, Mammoth Cave is one of the most unique National Parks in the United States. The surface landscape includes complex relationships between the flora and fauna along with human influences. However, the primary ecological focus is concealed below ground. Over four-hundred miles of cave passages, created by fl owing groundwater over millions of years, host a variety of macro and micro organisms. The Green River has cut into the limestone formation over geologic time, creating a complex network of passages that are stacked, one below the other, with the newer levels of cave lying near the bottom. …

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History Of Crawling Tours At Mammoth Cave, Janet Bass Smith Feb 2013

History Of Crawling Tours At Mammoth Cave, Janet Bass Smith

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Currently three crawling tours are offered at Mammoth Cave: Wild Cave (six hours) for visitors ages sixteen and older, Introduction to Caving (three hours and 15 minutes) for visitors ages 10 and older (under 18 must be with an adult), and Trog (two hours and 30 minutes) for children only, ages eight through twelve. These tours are discussed in detail below. Maps for each tour are included at the end of the paper. This history relates the beginnings of each tour.

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Evaluation Of Stormwater Filters At Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, 2011-12, Sean Mcmillian, Ashley West, David Solomon, Roger Diehl, Victor Roland, Irucka Embry, Rick Toomey Feb 2013

Evaluation Of Stormwater Filters At Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, 2011-12, Sean Mcmillian, Ashley West, David Solomon, Roger Diehl, Victor Roland, Irucka Embry, Rick Toomey

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Studies in the 1970s found potentially toxic levels of metals entering Mammoth Cave’s underground streams through storm recharge. Additional studies confirmed that stormwater from parking lots and buildings fl owed rapidly into critical cave habitats. The Park’s management responded to these findings by installing storm runoff filter systems on the most heavily used parking lots in 2001. The Park entered an agreement (2010-12) with Tennessee State University, the USGS, and WKU-Mammoth Cave International Center for Science and Learning to evaluate the filter systems to determine if they were removing hazardous compounds from stormwater runoff . The objective of this study …

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Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Mammoth Cave National Park’S Oak-Hickory Vegetation, Jesse A. Burton Feb 2013

Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Mammoth Cave National Park’S Oak-Hickory Vegetation, Jesse A. Burton

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Mammoth Cave National Park contains a spectacular suite of plant communities; many of which are dependent on wildland fire as a disturbance process for their preservation. Over a third of the park is dominated by oak-hickory forests and woodlands. Fire is a fundamental process in the development and maintenance of this important community type. Since the park’s first prescribed fire in 2002, 16,700 acres of forest, woodlands, and barrens have been treated with prescribed fire. Initial goals for the prescribed fires were to reduce the density of tree saplings in the understory and increase the cover of herbaceous herbs in …

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Archaeological Evidence Of Historic Mining At Forestville Saltpeter Cave (15ht94), Hart County, Kentucky, Darlene Applegate, Emily L. Duke Feb 2013

Archaeological Evidence Of Historic Mining At Forestville Saltpeter Cave (15ht94), Hart County, Kentucky, Darlene Applegate, Emily L. Duke

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Forestville Saltpeter Cave is 1.5 km east of Mammoth Cave National Park on the WKU Green River Preserve. Historically, miners removed sediment from the cave to extract saltpeter for the production of gunpowder. Though dozens of peter-mining sites are known in western Kentucky, Forestville Saltpeter Cave is only the third site investigated by archaeologists. Intensive surface survey documented evidence of mining activity in the cave: working bays, rock piles, tally and other marks, tool marks, inscriptions, and lighting material. The mining likely occurred during the early nineteenth century. The operations were extensive throughout all passages and extracted 856 cu m …

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