Digital Commons Network^™

Identifying Taphonomic Distribution Patterns At The Gray Fossil Site, Shawn Haugrud

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the early days of the discovery of the Gray Fossil Site (GFS), meticulous efforts to preserve the spatial data were a priority. Direct surveying of fossils prior to recovery, as well as grid mapping the site, provided relative spatial data within a square meter. Such efforts meant that even fragments and microfossils, recovered during the screening operations and eventual concentrate picking, maintained some spatial data. Available spatial data are used to identify smaller deposits within the greater system, as well as non-random distribution patterns among a number of GFS taxa. Patterns are particularly pronounced in the large-bodied taxa, Teleoceras …

Hydrothermal Fluid Transport Pathways Along Fractures And Veins At Brothers Volcano, Southern Kermadec Arc, Robert Atnip

Master's Theses

Hydrothermal fluid flow in fractures and veins is a key component in the mineralization of economic metals within calderas. But there are several methods by which fractures can form. Regional extension, episodic caldera collapse, and fluid overpressure all have the potential to create brittle features. Current studies focus on the formation of fractures and veins by these methods, but do not focus on the preferred movement of hydrothermal fluids through brittle features, nor which features are more dominant in active hydrothermal systems. This thesis introduces multiple studies to better understand which method of fracture creation dominates Brothers volcano. Data from …

Experimental Methodologies In Assessing Ceramic Shrinkage In Residual Fingerprints For Archaeological Application, Luke Aaron Burnor

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research evaluates the extent of ceramic shrinkage using a natural clay source that was locally available and known to be used by native populations in the American Southwest. The experiment took into account variables of temper mixture and firing temperature to assess the extent and potential need for shrinkage calibration in archaeological biometric research (specifically fingerprints). An experimental design was employed to test shrinkage rates while accounting for natural temper materials found frequently in the archaeological record including sand, grog, and quartz. The experiment evaluated whether shrinkage rates may have skewed data collected in previous studies regarding sex and …

Impacts Of Preferential Flow On Tc-99and Np-237 Vadose Transport In Soils At The Savannah River Site, Josh Parris

All Theses

Since the 1950s, the United States has produced approximately 90,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) (Office of Nuclear Energy, 2022); however, no long-term storage solutions are available. Technecium-99 and neptunium-237, two fission products found in SNF, readily form highly mobile species in oxidizing conditions (Hu, 2008; Bondietti, 1979) and have respective half-lives of 2.13 x 10⁵ and 2.14 x10⁶ years (Hu, 2010). Considering these characteristics, ⁹⁹Tc and ²³⁷Np are two risk-driving isotopes found in SNF storage. The process of macropore-facilitated preferential flow, transport through cracks within a soil matrix, has been recognized to increase …

New Reports Of Smilodon And Panthera From North American Cave Sites With Reviews Of Taxonomy, Biogeography, And History, Matthew Bushell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study, three new reports of large felids from the Pleistocene are presented and discussed. A single partial left dentary from Jawbone Cave represents the first confirmed presence of S. fatalis in east Tennessee and was sampled for radiocarbon dating. Wind Tunnel and Chilly Bowl Cave are among the first records of P. onca to be identified confidently from Arkansas. Chilly Bowl Cave also produced two trackways attributable to Panthera sp., one set potentially belonging to P. atrox. In addition to the description of these remains and the caves they were found in, taxonomic histories for both S. fatalis …

Late Holocene Slip History Of The Central Garlock Fault, Mojave Desert, California, James Eric Burns

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study investigates the late Holocene slip history of the central Garlock Fault, using measurements of left-lateral offsets of alluvial features from airborne and hand-held LiDAR imagery, drone photogrammetry, and field measurements. IRSL dating of the offset late Holocene alluvial deposits was compared to published paleoseismic records to estimate the number of earthquakes that contributed to the offsets. Focus was given to geomorphic features offset in the past 1-4 earthquakes. Results indicate the average slip per earthquake was about 5.75 m (range: 4.75 to 6.25 m) in the past four events in the El Paso Mountains (EPM) and was 4.3-7.3 …

Differentiating Biotic Vs. Abiotic Co2 In The Formation Of Pedogenic Carbonate In Agriculture And Natural Dryland Soils, Valeria Isabel Molina

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Drylands, characterized by low and sporadic precipitation, require irrigation for crop growth. However, irrigation practices can lead to salt accumulation in soil due to high evaporation rates and reduced leaching. In addition to loading salts to soil, irrigation promotes the accumulation of secondary calcite. In natural systems, the formation of pedogenic carbonate (secondary calcite, CaCO3) is critical, impacting the soil properties hydrologically and biogeochemically, and modifying the global carbon cycle over geological time, albeit at a lower rate. In agricultural sites, irrigation water supplies HCO3- and Ca2+, accelerating the rates of CaCO3 formation and releasing abiotic CO2. This study investigated …

Dissolved Copper Distributions In The Western Mississippi Sound: Characterizing An Unrecognized Endmember, Megan Hansen

Honors Theses

This study examined the distribution of dissolved copper (Cu) in the western Mississippi Sound, as the element can be beneficial or harmful to organisms depending on its concentration and its chemical form. A mixing experiment eliminated flocculation as a control on Cu distributions during estuarine mixing in both dissolved and colloidal fractions. Field sampling of the western Mississippi Sound occurred during a low river discharge period, and distributions of Cu indicated conservative mixing between fresh ([Cu] ≈ 17 nM) and saline ([Cu] ≈ 2 nM) sources in mid-to-high salinities. Storm outfalls were sampled after rain events to evaluate the impact …

Linking Decomposition Reactions In Arctic Soils To Microbial Enzyme Production, Jane Karen Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Microbial processes such as soil enzyme production are a major driver of decomposition and a current topic of interest in arctic soils due to the effects of climate warming. Despite the advances in understanding soil enzymes, there are still knowledge gaps regarding the role of enzymes in decomposition. In this dissertation, I addressed three of those gaps in the following chapters: (Ch.2) to explore the location of enzymes within the soil matrix, (Ch.3) to identify peptides matched to soil enzymes produced by microorganisms for organic matter decomposition, and (Ch.4) understand the longevity of enzymes in the soil after microbial production. …

Characterizing Spatial Variability In Soil Co2 Fluxes In The Chihuahuan Desert Using Geostatistical Techniques, Viridiana Orona

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Spatial variability in soil CO2 efflux across landscapes is an important feature of the â??Critical Zoneâ?? within dryland ecosystems. In dryland critical zones, resources are often distributed in patches or resource islands. Although this is particularly true in natural settings, the significance of spatial variability in CO2 efflux and its patterns also extends to dryland agriculture. In both irrigated and unirrigated systems, human management practices can significantly impact both organic and inorganic carbon cycling processes, highlighting the importance of studying CO2 efflux in these systems. We examined the spatial patterns of soil CO2 efflux and quantified the magnitude and scale …

Temporal Trends In Dryland Soil Carbon Fluxes In Response To Artificial And Natural Pulsed Moisture Events, Briana Alyce Salcido

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Critical zone processes in drylands play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle, and one of the most important processes is soil CO2 efflux at the interface between soils and the atmosphere, which represents a main pathway for loss of carbon. Predicting the carbon dynamics at this interface is challenging due to the complexity of belowground processes, which include both biotic (soil respiration) and abiotic (calcite precipitation) production of CO2, as well as transport processes that include both diffusive and advective components. In this study, we aimed to investigate the contribution of soil air displacement to soil CO2 efflux …

Enhancing Basic Geology Skills With Artificial Intelligence: An Exploration Of Automated Reasoning In Field Geology, Perry Ivan Quinto Houser

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the use of Artificial Intelligence, specifically semantics, ontologies, and reasoner techniques, to improve field geology mapping. The thesis focuses on two use cases: 1) identifying a geologic formation based on observed characteristics; and 2) predicting the geologic formation that might be expected next based upon known stratigraphic sequence. The results show that the ontology was able to correctly identify the geologic formation for the majority of rock descriptions, with higher search results for descriptions that provided more detail. Similarly, the units expected next were correctly given and if incorrect, would provide a flag to the field geologist …

Performance Classification Of Ornstein-Uhlenbeck-Type Models Using Fractal Analysis Of Time Series Data., Peter Kwadwo Asante

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation aims to assess the performance of Ornstein-Uhlenbeck-type models by examining the fractal characteristics of time series data from various sources, including finance, volcanic and earthquake events, US COVID-19 reported cases and deaths, and two simulated time series with differing properties. The time series data is categorized as either a Gaussian or a Lévy process (Lévy walk or Lévy flight) by using three scaling methods: Rescaled range analysis, Detrended fluctuation analysis, and Diffusion entropy analysis. The outcomes of this analysis indicate that the financial indices are classified as Lévy walks, while the volcanic, earthquake, and COVID-19 data are classified …

Daytime Versus Nighttime Sprinkler Irrigation Of Two Urban Crops In A Semi-Arid Climate At High-Elevation, Samikshya Pyakurel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nighttime irrigation scheduling is a longstanding water conservation approach to reduce evaporative losses in Utah's semi-arid, urban landscapes. However, residential demand now exceeds system capacity, and the efficiency of the practice has come under question. Therefore, the objectives of this study include: 1) quantify whether a water savings exists between day and night irrigation with a water balance and energy balance approach, and 2) analyze microclimate and crop quality effects to determine any changes to evaporative demand or plant stress by irrigation timing. In 2019, we established 12 field plots in North Logan, UT (41.77° N, -111.81° W, 1380 m …

Effects Of Land Use On Soil Microbial Communities In Tropical Montane Forests Of Malaysian Borneo, Yang Kai Tang

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Land use, such as logging and forest conversion to agriculture, can modify soil physicochemical and biological properties, and affect soil health. To understand how land use change can impact soil properties and canopy structure, we used a land use gradient in Malaysian Borneo consisting of six sites, including old growth forests, mixed forests, and agriculture fields. Specifically, we aimed to answer the following questions: (1) How do soil physicochemical properties vary across land use types? (2) Does bacterial diversity and composition vary across different land use types? (3) Does fungal diversity and composition vary across different land use types? We …

Predictive Ecology And Management Of Phyllosphere Microbial Communities Through Cross-Scale Synthesis, David W. Armitage, Morgan E. Carter, Robin A. Choudhury, Mitja Remus-Emsermann, Cindy E. Morris, Johan H. Leveau, Linda L. Kinkel, José Pablo Dundore-Arias

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Here we summarize the main takeaways from a symposium and hybrid virtual and in-person participatory discussion focused on the challenges of scale in understanding the ecology and management of phyllosphere microbial communities. We provide an overview of the confounding effects of spatial scale on inference in microbial ecology, the spatial organization of microbial interactions in the phyllosphere, advances and remaining gaps in measuring phyllosphere colonization across scales, and the epidemiology in the phyllosphere. We hope to motivate further discussion and the development and adoption of creative approaches to solving the challenges of scale to enhance fundamental understanding and practical management …

Ecological Natural Restoration And Its Artificial Promotion Mode In Coal Mining Area, Liu Wei, Yin Qinrui, Liu Xianghong

Coal Geology & Exploration

The natural ecological restoration is an important direction of the national ecological restoration policy. Taking limited artificial measures to promote the natural ecological restoration in coal mining areas is in line with the actual engineering requirements under the context of "double carbon" goal and thus has a better prospect in market application. Herein, the research results in terms of natural ecological restoration were sorted out systematically for the three main types of damaged land in the coal mining areas. Meanwhile, the concept connotation of artificial promotion of natural restoration was studied and analyzed. Besides, the governance mode by zone and …

Automated Classification Of Pectinodon Bakkeri Teeth Images Using Machine Learning, Jacob A. Bahn

MS in Computer Science Project Reports

Microfossil dinosaur teeth are studied by paleontologists in order to better under- stand dinosaurs. Currently, tooth classification is a long, manual, error-ridden process. Deep learning offers a solution that allows for an automated way of classifying images of these microfossil teeth. In this thesis, we aimed to use deep learning in order to develop an automated approach for classifying images of Pectinodon bakkeri teeth. The proposed model was trained using a custom topology and it classified the images based on clusters created via K-Means. The model had an accuracy of 71%, a precision of 71%, a recall of 70.5%, and …

Actualistic Testing Of The Influence Of Groundwater Chemistry On Degradation Of Collagen I In Bone, Paul Ullmann, Kristyn K. Voegele, Kenneth Lacovara

School of Earth & Environment Departmental Research

Recent experiments have heightened our understanding of reactions which can stabilize biomolecules during early diagenesis, yet little remains known about how groundwater chemistry can aid or hinder molecular preservation within a bone through geologic time. To elucidate this issue, we conducted actualistic experiments of bone decay employing varied fluid compositions to simulate a suite of groundwaters. Modern domestic chicken (Gallus gallus) femora were placed in a matrix of compositionally- and texturally-mature, fluvially-deposited sand. To simulate groundwater flow, deionized water or solutions enriched in calcium carbonate, phosphate, or iron were percolated through separate trials for a period of 90 days. After …

The Bellarmine Bee Bed: Organizing A Native Plant Garden Using Feedback From The Local Community, Kate Moran

Undergraduate Theses

Animal pollinators are the cornerstone of healthy ecosystems. Their survival is essential for the persistence of entire food chains: from the flowers they cross-pollinate directly, to the animals who depend on those plants for nutrition. The establishment of pollinator gardens—particularly ones that consist of native plants—is an effective way to enhance their biodiversity, abundance, and well-being.

The main goal of this thesis is to construct a pollinator garden that maximizes the benefits for animal pollinators using feedback from local gardeners. A survey was used to gather information about the popularity and preferences of 40 flowering plants, and after analyzing the …

Climate-Controlled Submarine Landslides On The Antarctic Continental Margin, Jenny A. Gales, Robert M. Mckay, Laura De Santis, Michele Rebesco, Jan Sverre Laberg, Amelia E. Shevenell, David M. Harwood, R. Mark Leckie, Denise K. Kulhanek, Maxine King, Molly Patterson, Renata G. Lucchi, Sookwan Kim, Sunghan Kim, Justin Dodd, Julia Seidenstein, Catherine Prunella, Giulia M. Ferrante, Iodp Expedition

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Antarctica’s continental margins pose an unknown submarine landslidegenerated tsunami risk to Southern Hemisphere populations and infrastructure. Understanding the factors driving slope failure is essential to assessing future geohazards. Here, we present a multidisciplinary study of a major submarine landslide complex along the eastern Ross Sea continental slope (Antarctica) that identifies preconditioning factors and failure mechanisms. Weak layers, identified beneath three submarine landslides, consist of distinct packages of interbedded Miocene- to Pliocene-age diatom oozes and glaciomarine diamicts. The observed lithological differences, which arise from glacial to interglacial variations in biological productivity, ice proximity, and ocean circulation, caused changes in sediment deposition …

Effect Of Foliar Application Of Dse Fungal Solution On Growth Of Morus Alba And Its Prospects Of Ecological Restoration Application, Bi Yinli, Wang Zhuoyou, Ke Zengming

Coal Geology & Exploration

Microbial reclamation technology has been widely used in the ecological restoration of western arid and semi-arid coal mining areas. Convenient application of microbial agent has important significance for improving the efficiency of ecological management in coal-mining subsidence. Herein, this study tested with Morus alba as the study object, and the dark septate endophyte (DSE) as the test fungus. using a greenhouse pot experiment with three treatments, which including the root inoculation of DSE fungus (GXZR), foliar application of DSE fungus (YMTM) and control Morus alba (CK), this study investigated the effects of different inoculation methods on the growth of Morus …

The Toxicology Of Particulate Matter Emitted From Coal Combustion And The Geological Origin Of Lung Cancer Epidemic In Xuanwei City, Yunan Province, China, Shao Longyi, Zhang Mengyuan, Feng Xiaolei, Jiao Jiewei, Wang Wenhua, Zhou Yiping

Coal Geology & Exploration

Xuanwei City in Yunnan Province is the area struck by the most severe lung cancer in China, with the incidence and mortality of lung cancer ranking first in the world. The study of genomics of lung cancer patients has shown that lung cancer in Xuanwei City has distinctive genetic characteristics and a unique incidence mode related to the environment. This study reviewed the epidemiological characteristics of the lung cancer epidemic in Xuanwei, as well as the level of pollution and toxicological characteristics of emissions from coal combustion. Moreover, this study discussed the geological origins of the lung cancer epidemic in …

Differential Behaviour Of Guineagrass (Panicum Maximum Jacq.) Hybrids, With Different Al+3 Reactions, As To Major Nutrient Translocations To The Leaves, R. S. Paterniani, J. A. Usberti Jr., J. C. Werner

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Most of the Brazilian cultivated pasture fields presents soils with high Al⁺³ levels and liming is economically unfeasible. So, there is an urgent need for grasses with good forage yielding potentials that can withstand Al⁺³ deleterious effects (abnormal root development: short, thick and poorly branched roots, which are unable to effectively translocate water and essential nutrients to the leaves) (Foy, 1984); as a consequence, susceptible genetic materials have their field persistences greatly affected, mainly during drought periods. Researches on Al⁺³ reaction are usually compare supposedly resistant/tolerant genotypes with a resistant control check; doing so, the genotypic effect …

Animal Performance And Productivity Of New Ecotypes Of Brachiaria Brizantha In Brazil, Valéria P. B. Euclides, Manuel C. M. Macedo, Cacilda B. Do Valle, R. Flores, M. P. Oliveira

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Brazil has the competitive advantage of a very dynamic and cost effective animal production system on pastures over other countries. The pursuit for more productive forages that will result in higher quality beef at a lower cost is then justified. Brachiaria is the most important forage genus utilised in Brazil, thus an intense search for new cultivars amongst collected and introduced ecotypes from Africa is underway. Following agronomic evaluation of this material in plots, 8 pre-selected Brachiaria ecotypes were tested under intermittent grazing in paddocks (Euclides et al., 2001). Continuing on the process of cultivar development, two out of …

Development Of A Bahiagrass Paspalum Notatum Flugge With Increased Short-Day Biomass, P. Mislevy, Ann R. Blount, T. R. Sinclair

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Low herbage productivity of subtropical grasses during the short-day winter months of October through to March can place a severe burden on livestock producers in Southeastern U.S. Researchers at the University of Florida (Sinclair et al., 2001) hypothesised that the decrease in forage production might result from physiological dormancy induced by short day length. A study using artificial lights to extend the day length demonstrated that maintaining the day length at 15 hr during the short-day length period increased 'Pensacola' bahiagrass P. notatum Flugge saure Parodi forage yield 122% when compared with normal photoperiod (Mislevy et al., 2001). …

Genetic And Molecular Characterization Of Temperate And Tropical Forage Maize Inbred Lines, B. Alarcón-Zúñiga, E. Valadez-Moctezuma, T. Cervantes-Martinez, T. Cervantes-Santana, M. Mendoza‐Rodriguez

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The livestock feeding in the Central highland of Mexico is based on harvest, grazing and annual forage conservation, being forage maize the most important silage crop (Alarcón, 1995). Even though forage maize is extensively bred in Europe, USA and Asia since 1900's, this started in Mexico in the 1960's, and little is known about the genetic diversity in both agronomic and nutritive value traits. Our breeding program goals are to analyze combining ability of biomass and quality predictors and to study the genetic relationship of inbred lines between lowland tropical and temperate races from Mesa Central, by genetic and molecular …

Preliminary Performance Of Panicum Maximum Accessions And Hybrids In Brazil, Liana Jank, Rosangela M. S. Resende, S. Calixto, M. M. Gontijo Neto, V. A. Laura, Manuel C. M. Macedo, Cacilda B. Do Valle

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Due to the lack of high quality forages adapted to the distinct ecosystems in Brazil, a national network to evaluate 14 accessions, 4 hybrids and 5 commercial standards of Panicum maximum was established in 2002, in 5 regions of Brazil (states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Acre, Rondônia, Minas Gerais and in the Federal District). Staff of the Embrapa Beef Cattle group co-ordinated the network and pre-selected the accessions and hybrids (Jank, 1995; Jank et al., 2001; Resende et al., 2004). We present their performance as to leaf dry matter yield (LDMY) and leaf percentage (LP) obtained from …

Effect Of Applied Biosolids To Bahiagrass Pastures On Copper Status Of Cattle, M. E. Tiffany, L. R. Mcdowell, G. A. O'Connor, N. S. Wilkinson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

When grazing ruminants consume forages high in Mo but adequate in S, there is a risk of molybdenosis (a Mo-induced Cu deficiency). This occurs when Mo, S, and Cu join to form Cu-thiomolybdate complexes in the rumen that are not readily absorbed (Suttle, 1991). High dietary S reduces Cu absorption, possibly due to unabsorbable Cu sulphide formation, independent from its part in thiomolybdate complexes. The use of municipal sludge (biosolids) as a pasture fertiliser is of interest since some contain high Mo which may induce Cu deficiency. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and Cu status …

An In Vitro Investigation Of Forage Factors Which Affect The Production Of Conjugated Linoleic Acid And Trans Vaccenic Acid In The Rumen. Ii. Wilting & Cell Damage, Michael R. F. Lee, J. K. S. Tweed, Nigel D. Scollan, R. J. Dewhurst

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Previous studies have shown that cis 9 trans 11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) concentrations are higher for summer milk produced from cows grazing fresh pastures than for winter milk when conserved forages are fed (Jahreis et al., 1997). Furthermore, Offer (2003) showed that a similar depression in milk fat CLA occurred if grass was simply cut and fed after a short wilt. This experiment investigated the effect of wilting on the production of CLA and trans vaccenic acid (TVA) in an in vitro rumen simulation, and whether any differences could be related to changes in plant structure. It was …