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An Interdisciplinary Approach For Increasing Yield And Improving Quality Of Forages, J R. Wilson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The contribution of some basic plant disciplines, principally physiology and histology, to the improvement of pasture yield and quality is discussed. Studies of temperate pasture grasses have identified several sources of loss of potential yield and have provided selection criteria for increasing yield. Integration of this physiological research with studies of forage consumption on the same pastures is proving a valuable inter- disciplinary approach to defining management options for maximising pasture and/or animal productivity. In tropical grasses, research towards increasing total dry matter yield is perhaps unwarranted but there is need for more co-operative studies involving plant and animal scientists …

Contribution Of Grassland Science To The Development Of Forage Production And Future Perspectives For Grassland Farming In Japan, H Oizumi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The utilization of grassland in Japan dates to fairy old times, but its real improvement in terms of industry did not start until the termination of the World War II. As the climatic conditions in Japan differ very much from those of European coutries, the style of grassland farming in Japan is somewhat different from that of Europe. The improvement of grassland farming in Japan after the World War II was divided into four stages, according to the tendency of the number of cattle and the acreage of forage crops. The Japanese Society of Grassland Science was established in 1954. …

Prospects For Increasing Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation In Temperate Grasslands, P/ Roger Ball, J R. Crush

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The contribution of some basic plant disciplines, principally physiology and histology, to the improvement of pasture yield and quality is discussed. Studies of temperate pasture grasses have identified several sources of loss of potential yield and have provided selection criteria for increasing yield. Integration of this physiological research with studies of forage consumption on the same pastures is proving a valuable inter- disciplinary approach to defining management options for maximising pasture and/or animal productivity. In tropical grasses, research towards increasing total dry matter yield is perhaps unwarranted but there is need for more co-operative studies involving plant and animal scientists …

Turning Waste Into Fertilizer: Aloe Vera Leaf Shavings Improve Plant Growth And Support Soil Fertility In Organic Systems, Isaiah Edward Jaramillo, Carine Cocco, James Jihoon Kang, Chu-Lin Cheng, Engil Pereira

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Aloe vera industry discards large amounts of outer leaf tissue (“shavings”), creating an opportunity to repurpose this byproduct as a sustainable fertilizer. This study evaluated whether aloe shavings can serve as a plant-based alternative to compost in organic Aloe vera production. A field trial in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas tested three treatments: aloe shavings (applied to supply 39 kg N ha−1), organic compost (39 kg N ha−1), and a non-fertilized control. Laboratory incubations further assessed nitrogen mineralization and microbial respiration. Aloe shavings significantly enhanced vegetative growth: leaf number increased from 5.7 to 12.3 leaves per plant …

Microclimatic Conditions In Shulgan-Tash Cave (Southern Ural, Russia): Implications For The Preservation Of Eastern Europe’S Largest Paleolithic Art Collection, Olga Chervyatsova, Rayan Akhmedyanovb, Nailya Saifullina, Ludmila Kuzmina, Mihael Kotov, Yuri Dublyansky

International Journal of Speleology

This study presents the results of a long-term investigation of the microclimatic conditions in Shulgan-Tash Cave (Southern Urals, Russia), which hosts the largest assemblage of Upper Paleolithic paintings (ca. 16.3–19.6 ka) in Eastern Europe. The cave exhibits two distinct seasonal ventilation regimes – winter and summer – differentially influence its two levels of galleries. In the Lower Level, which contains 83% of the images, near-atmospheric CO₂ concentrations persist year-round, and temperature variations associated with seasonal infiltration events are minimal (1.0–1.3°C). By contrast, the Upper Level, including the decorated Hall of Paintings, is affected by downdrafts of CO₂-rich …

Factors Influencing Plant Community Structure And Composition Of Restored Tamaulipan Thornscrub Forests, Jerald T. Garrett, Audrey J. Hicks, Christopher A. Gabler

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of Texas is a biodiversity hotspot due to its high alpha, beta, and gamma diversity and high regional endemism, which are at high risk of degradation. The region has lost 95% of its native thornforest habitat primarily due to agricultural and urban expansion. This study aims to evaluate the current vegetative structure and composition of restored thornforest sites located in the LRGV to identify restoration methods and site characteristics that affect forest restoration outcomes. Twelve restored thornforest sites were selected for this study that varied in time since restoration, patch size, degree of isolation, …

Extremely Poleward Shift Of Antarctic Circumpolar Current By Eccentricity During The Last Interglacial, Lijuan Lu, Xufeng Zheng, Michael E. Weber, Victoria Peck, Brendan T. Reilly, Zhong Chen, Wen Yan, Tianyu Chen, Hong Yan, Xun Gong, Shuzhuang Wu, Liwei Zheng, Shiming Wan, Yan Du, Lisa Tauxe, Qinghua Yang, Stefanie Brachfeld, Trevor Williams, Yasmina M. Martos, Zhiheng Du, Marga García, Lara F. Pérez, Hu Yang, Bingyue Huang, Jonathan Warnock, Shuh-Ji Kao

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) exerts substantial control on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the Southern Ocean, playing a key role in modulating the global carbon cycle and climate. However, the orbital-scale forcing and future changes in the strength and position of the ACC remain elusive. Here, we reconstruct the history of ACC extending back to the Last Interglacial (LIG; 128-113 ka) using sediment cores from the Scotia Sea. Based on high-resolution measurements of sortable silt mean grain size, we find that bottom current speed is synchronized with eccentricity, superimposed by precession. During the LIG when both eccentricity …

The Taxonomy And Origins Of Folia: A Brief Review, Donald G. Davis, Louise D. Hose, Harvey R. Duchene

International Journal of Speleology

All folia demonstrate a few common elements: folia (singular, folium) are planar or sub-planar speleothems, slanting downward and away from cave walls and ceilings, and genetically associated with fluctuating environmental interfaces. They were first identified and named from examples in western USA hypogenic caves but have since been identified elsewhere in the world. Folia shelves are typically composed of calcite and interweave smoothly along sub-horizontal contours. Calcite accretion, both chemical and mechanical from suspended particles, follows water-surface fluctuations to form protrusions in arrays along walls and ceilings where new accretion tends to follow the water-surface downward during descending phases, gradually …

Vulnerability Of Blue Carbon In Coastal Freshwater Ecosystems To Sea-Level Rise, Suvrajit Ghosh, Jonathan Obrist-Farner, Jeffery R. Stone, Marta Wojewodka-Przybyt, Ryan Smith, Mark Brenner, Jason H. Curtis, Susan R. H. Zimmerman, Alex Correa-Metrio, Paula Gabriela Echeverrio Galinda, Madeline J. Brosky, Liseth Perez

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Coastal freshwater ecosystems are economically and ecologically important and provide multiple environmental services worldwide. They sequester carbon at rates ten times faster, and store five times more carbon per unit area than do mature tropical forests. Vulnerability of these carbon sinks to marine inundation, however, is expected to increase in response to global sea-level rise (GSLR). To better understand the implications of future GSLR, we investigated the geochemical and biological consequences of episodic Holocene marine incursions into Lake Izabal, a large coastal freshwater ecosystem on the Caribbean coast of Central America. About 8300 cal yr BP, marine incursion transformed Lake …

47th Biennial Convention Of Sigma Gamma Epsilon, Western Illinois University, April 11–13, 2025, Richard L. Ford, Lee S. Potter

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The Society of Sigma Gamma Epsilon (SGE), the national honorary society for the Earth sciences, held its 47th biennial convention (April 11–13, 2025) at the Quad Cities campus, located in Moline, Illinois, of Western Illinois University (WIU). The convention was hosted by SGE’s Delta Psi Chapter and the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Geographic Information Sciences at WIU. Ten (10) of SGE’s approximately 57 active collegiate chapters sent delegates to the convention. The traditional convention field trip, an exploration of the Paleozoic stratigraphy and economic geology of the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa, made stops at the Fryxell …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Bridge Grate And Pipe Cattle Guard Designed To Mitigate Ocelot Road Mortality On Texas State Highway, Rupesh Maharjan, John H. Young Jr., Kevin W. Ryer, Md. Saydur Rahman, Richard J. Kline

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The mitigated and fenced section of State Highway 100, extending from Laguna Vista to Los Fresnos, includes five wildlife crossing structures and 16 modified cattle guards (also called wildlife guards) installed to mitigate ocelot road mortality. Bridge grate and pipe wildlife guards were deployed at vehicle entries, and we evaluated their effectiveness in preventing meso-carnivores and ungulates from entering the roadway through the fence gaps from April 2020 to 2024. Wildlife guards collectively were >82% effective in repelling ungulate attempts to enter the roadway, while only 16.64% of meso-carnivore attempts were repelled. The pipe wildlife guard (PWG) design repelled 86.79% …

Effect Of Coniferous Trees And Water Availability On Soil Acidification, Jessica A. Cheever

Journal of the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression

Project Mentor(s): Mary Poulson, PhD

Water availability and coniferous tree species can cause acidification and a change in soil fertility. Previous research in European forests found that rainfall, soil acidity, and conifer prevalence influenced soil quality and biodiversity. However, not much is known about these effects in the Pacific Northwest’s forests. Three forests were chosen based on a gradient of annual precipitation. The Hoh Rain Forest, the Tiger Mountain State Forest, and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest were used for wet, mesic, and dry conditions, respectively. Each location had a three-by-six grid spaced 50 meters between each plot. The location was …

Refining The Geochronologic Framework Of The Early Cretaceous Nonmarine Western Interior Basin, Usa, Jack Fekete

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Early to mid-Cretaceous marks a period of dynamic shifts in tectonism, depositional environments, climate, and biota across the mid-North American continent. However, despite their importance for understanding crucial biotic and geologic transitions during this period, nonmarine Early Cretaceous strata of the Western Interior Basin (WIB) remain poorly constrained geochronologically. Radiometric dating of syndepositional detrital minerals, such as ash-fall zircon, offers a solution to refining geochronologic frameworks. However, a magmatic lull in the Cordilleran magmatic arc during the Early Cretaceous limited the delivery of syndepositional zircon to the WIB, impeding such refinement. In this dissertation, I developed and tested new …

Fungal Palynomorphs From The Lower Cretaceous (Berriasian–Albian) Of Jangareddygudem Area Of The Chintalapudi Subbasin, Andhra Pradesh, South Part Of India, Harinam Joshi, Neerja Jha, Sarah Gonçalves Duarte, Sari̇ye Duygu Durak, Haytham Elatfy

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

A diverse array of thalli, fruiting bodies, spores, and other fungal structures has been observed in palynological samples collected from the sedimentary sequence MJR-11, drilled in the Jangareddygudem area of the Chintalapudi subbasin, Andhra Pradesh, southern India. The sedimentary sequence is dated to the Kimmeridgian–early Albian, based on palynology. However, the focus of the present work is on the Early Cretaceous (Berriasian–early Albian). A well-developed and diverse fungal assemblage consistently occurred throughout most of the succession, together with predominant conifer pollen grains and highly diversified pteridophytic and bryophytic spores. Furthermore, the recorded palynomorphs suggest deposition under both continental and marine …

Dental Microwear And Diets Of Late Miocene Primates From Rudabánya, Hungary, Peter S. Ungar, Anna K. Wilcox, David R. Begun

School of Dentistry Faculty Publications

Objectives: This study focuses on a dental microwear texture analysis of European pliopithecids and dryopithecins from the Miocene primate site of Rudabánya, Hungary. The goal is to determine whether these taxa, found in part together in the same deposits, differed in their food preferences, or at least consumed, on a daily basis, in a manner that might have facilitated sympatry. Materials and Methods: Here we report on a molar surface texture analysis of all available fossil primates from Rudabánya that preserve antemortem microwear. This includes both Anapithecus hernyaki (n = 14) and Rudapithecus hungaricus (n = 5, including one from …

Stream Temperature Responses To Summer Urban Rain Events Along The Savannah River, Joseph E. Wermter, Vivian L. Turner, Max K. Appelbaum, James M. Shepherd, Jacob Z. Lott

Journal of South Carolina Water Resources

The hydrological urban heat island (HUHI) is a recent facet of the urban heat island (UHI), describing thermal enhancement of bodies of water in response to urbanization. Although the forefront of this work has been studied for large Metropolitan areas, this effect on developing cities is currently unknown. To locally measure and quantify HUHI effects in a developing city, we utilized Multi-Radar Multi Sensor (MRMS) radar-derived rainfall data to estimate rainfall in the Augusta Metropolitan Area (AMA) and the Savannah Metropolitan Area (SMA), two developing communities adjacent to the Savannah River. We analyzed mean temperature trends of two stream gauges …

Warming Induces Unexpectedly High Soil Respiration In A Wet Tropical Forest, Tana E. Wood, Colin Tucker, Aura M. Alonso-Rodríguez, M. Isabel Loza, Iana F. Grullón-Penkova, Molly A. Cavaleri, Christine S. O'Connell, Sasha C. Reed

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Tropical forests are a dominant regulator of the global carbon cycle, exchanging more carbon dioxide with the atmosphere than any other terrestrial biome. Climate models predict unprecedented climatic warming in tropical regions in the coming decades; however, in situ field warming studies are severely lacking in tropical forests. Here we present results from an in situ warming experiment in Puerto Rico, where soil respiration responses to ⁺4 ^oC warming were assessed half-hourly for a year. Soil respiration rates were 42-204% higher in warmed relative to ambient plots, representing some of the highest soil respiration rates reported for any …

Mcl1 And Hexokinase 2 Form A Glucose Metabolic Regulatory Axis, Robert Lee

All ETDs from UAB

Hexokinase 2 (HK2) initiates glucose metabolism by catalyzing the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate providing the starting substrate for a vast array of metabolic pathways such as glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), amino acid biosynthesis and others. While HK2’s metabolic role in normal physiologic function (such as in cardiomyocytes) and cancers (through driving the Warburg Effect) are well established, there is emerging evidence that supports HK2 is also a critical mediator of protein-protein interactions that regulate cell survival. Through comprehensive review, we explore how HK2 contributes to cell survival through metabolic and protein scaffolding roles. We also investigate a novel …

Miscanthus × Giganteus Increases Soil Maximum Water Holding Capacity Compared To Maize, Jessica T. Nelson, Maoz Dor, Andy D. Vanloocke, Jacob E. Studt, Perla K. Schrock, Marshall D. Mcdaniel

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Soil ecosystem services, like the ability to store water, have been depleted after a century of conventional, annual cropping, and perennial crops offer a solution to this and other agricultural environmental issues. We assessed the impact of Miscanthus × giganteus (miscanthus), a perennial biomass crop, on soil water holding capacity and structure compared to continuous maize (Zea mays L.) at two sites in Iowa. After three growing seasons, we measured the following: (1) maximum water holding capacity (MWHC) with and without soil structure, and (2) total porosity and pore size distribution (PSD) via micro-computed tomography (microCT). Miscanthus increased MWHC …

Compound-Specific Isotope Records Of Dust Provenance And Hydroclimate In The North Pacific And Marginal Seas Of East Asia: Integrating N-Alkane Δ13c And Δd With Standardized Analytical Frameworks, Julian W. Traphagan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents advancements in compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) through methodological innovation and paleoclimate reconstruction in Central and East Asia. Utilizing plant wax n-alkanes from International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) and Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) sediment cores, this research reconstructs atmospheric circulation shifts responding to tectonic evolution and climate transitions since the Late Miocene.

Chapter 1 investigates hydrogen isotope compositions (δD_wax) from IODP U1430 (Sea of Japan), ODP 886, and ODP 1208 (North Pacific) to trace dust provenance and hydroclimate changes since ~13 Ma. Results reveal persistently segmented source-to-sink systems: the Sea of Japan dominated by westerly …

Effect Of Seasonal Variability In Methane Emissions And Iron Redox Chemistry At Terrestrial-Aquatic Interfaces, Hermes C. Ruiz

Master's Theses

Methane (CH₄) emissions at terrestrial–aquatic interfaces (TAIs) are significant contributors to the global carbon budget, yet the mechanisms driving methanogenesis remain poorly understood. Limited data exist on how seasonal variations and redox processes influence CH₄ fluxes in these dynamic ecosystems. This study addressed two questions: (1) How are CH₄ fluxes in riverine floodplains and adjacent hillslopes impacted by seasonal variations? (2) What roles do metal redox processes (e.g., iron (Fe)) play in regulating methanogenesis?

In-situ CH₄ flux and solid-phase Fe speciation were quantified in East River, CO, under flooded and drained conditions. Groundwater chemistry, gas flux, and soil physical properties …

Geol 64: Planetary Geology - Syllabus, Dara Laczniak

Open Educational Resources

This Open Educational Resources (OER) syllabus is for an introductory planetary geology course that utilizes results from space missions to expose students to the surface features, composition, geological activity, and probable history of the planets, moons, asteroids, and comets of the solar system. It also places space exploration into the context of larger societal issues such as global warming and natural resource availability and addresses topics such as the ethics of space exploration and hazards of space travel. This OER syllabus aims to foster student-centered learning, critical thinking, data analysis and communication skills, and creativity. Assigned readings are compiled into …

Geochemical Characteristics And Genesis Of Element Enrichment Of Niobium-Rich-Rare Earth Metal Layer In Longtan Formation Of Zhina Coalfield, Ding Yunlong, Wang Fangfa, Li Bi, Tang Lifang, Yang Yi, Li Shangyuan, Wang Xiaofang, Zou Yinhong, Wang Yang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background With the increasing demand for strategic metals and the gradual depletion of traditional metal deposit resources, coal and coal-bearing rock series are considered to be potential sources of rare metals, and coal series associated has become one of the main directions of current mineral exploration. A set of coal measure strata rich in niobium (Nb) and rare earth elements (REE) has been found in Zhina coalfield, western Guizhou and the contents of Nb and REE are as high as 334.89 μg/g and 1014.51 μg/g, respectively. This discovery is of great significance to the theoretical study of coal measure metal …

Advances In Research On The Activation And Recovery Of Strategic And Critical Valuable Metals From Coal Fly Ash, Wang Yuhao, Dong Zhongbing

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Coal fly ash, a bulk solid waste byproduct from coal-fired power generation, has a global annual output exceeding 0.75 billion tons. Its disordered piling poses severe environmental risks, such as the generation of heavy metal leachate and PM_2.5 emissions. However, coal fly ash is rich in aluminum (Al 100‒200 mg/g), gallium (Ga 10‒300 μg/g), lithium (Li 1 300‒3 700 μg/g), and rare earth elements (REEs 200‒800 μg/g), establishing it as a potential alternative resource of strategic metals. Methods By analyzing the current domestic and international technologies for metal recovery from coal fly ash, this study expatiates on the …

Collaborative Research: Bocp-Implementation: Us-China: Multi-Scale, Multi- Proxy, Integrative Investigation Of Functional Biodiversity On A Changing Proterozoic Planet, Carol Dehler

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

New Precipitation Is Scarce In Deep Soils: Findings From 47 Forest Plots Spanning Switzerland, Emily I. Burt, Scott T. Allen, Sabine Braun, Simon Tresch, James W. Kirchner, Gregory R. Goldsmith

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

As precipitation infiltrates into soils, it can recharge them, displace previously stored waters, or bypass already-filled pores. Using 3,697 δ2H and δ18O measurements of water collected nearly monthly over >3 years in 47 forest plots across Switzerland, we present a systematic investigation of the controls on mobile soil water transport. We quantified the lags and damping of water as it percolates downward using young water fraction analysis (Fyw), and the fractions of soil water composed by precipitation that fell within the previous month (new water fractions, Fnew). The Fnew of water sampled in surface soils ranged …

Mechanisms Of Gold Enrichment In Seafloor Massive Sulfide Deposits: A Study On The Higashi-Aogashima Hydrothermal Field, Claudia Martinez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The study of Seafloor Massive Sulfides (SMS) deposit formation is vital for assessing both the economic potential and environmental risks posed by future marine mining projects. Metal-rich SMS deposits form in hydrothermal vent systems within tectonically active regions, such as back-arc basins, where faults enhance crustal permeability, enabling fluid migration driven by magmatic heat sources at depth in the crust. Currently our understanding of SMS formation processes is based on bulk-rock geochemical and isotopic data, lacking the necessary spatial and temporal resolution to understand ore forming processes. As a result, critical gaps remain in understanding the exact mechanisms responsible for …

Ocean And Coastal Acidification Monitoring Priorities For The Northeast Us And Eastern Canada, Christopher Hunt, Austin Pugh, Jake Kritzer, Samantha Siedlecki, Kumiko Azetsu-Scott, Parker Gassett, Diane Lavoie, Adam Pimenta, Amy Trice, Elizabeth Turner

Faculty Publications

The Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification Monitoring Prioritization Plan 2024 calls for Coastal Acidification Networks to identify the ocean and coastal acidification (OCA) monitoring needs most important for their regions. The Northeast Coastal Acidification Network (NECAN) organized a webinar series to study regional needs, which culminated with a workshop in November 2023. This workshop led to the identification of six priority new Monitoring Needs in addition to the maintenance of current monitoring efforts:

• Improve spatial and temporal scale of monitoring co-located OCA variables and biological measurements to better resolve variability of acidification dynamics in concert with biological processes …

Enhancing Sustainable Rice Production Through Organic Plus Fertilizer In Irrigated Paddy Fields, Oviyanti Mulyani, Emma Trinurani Sofyan, Ania Citraresmini, Benny Joy, Anne Yuliana Husen

Jurnal Kultivasi

Sustainable rice farming is increasingly threatened by declining soil fertility, excessive reliance on chemical fertilizers, and environmental degradation from intensive agricultural practices. There is an urgent need for innovative organic fertilizer products that combine organic materials with macro and micronutrient enhancements to restore soil health effectively. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of organic plus fertilizer (OPF) as a sustainable soil amendment to improve soil nutrient status, increase paddy productivity, and enhance overall soil health. The experiment was conducted using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with nine treatments: one recommended OPF dose, six combinations of NPK (75 – 100%) …

Effect Of Eco-Enzyme Application On Soil Nutrient And Plant Productivity Of Green Mustard-Peanut In Inceptisol, Idris Abd Rachman, Buhari Umasugi, Krishna Aji, Nurul Fahira A Hakim, Adnan Sofyan, Asrul Dedy Ali Hasan

Jurnal Kultivasi

Appropriate land management has a long-term impact on soil performance and is believed to improve soil fertility. This study investigated the effect of eco-enzymes on soil nutrients and plant productivity of green mustard-peanut in inceptisol. The research was conducted from February to April 2025. The experiment used a randomized block design (RBD) consisting of 5 treatments and replicated 3 times, so that there were 15 units, including N0 = without Eco-enzyme, N1 = Eco-enzyme 2cc/L. N2= Eco-enzyme 4cc/L, N3= Eco-enzyme 6cc/L, and N4= Eco-enzyme 8cc/L. The commodities used were green mustard (Brassica juncea L) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea Linn). Soil …