Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Effects Of Soil Amendments On Water Quality And Hydrologic Properties In Low Impact Development Systems, Lily Wetterlin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Low impact development (LID) systems are practices that use natural elements, such as soils and vegetation, to absorb and filter stormwater to protect water quality and aquatic habitats. Many LID designs use native soils; however, urban soils typically have a limited potential for infiltrating and treating stormwater. Incorporation of soil amendments, such as compost and biochar, into LID soils can improve the physical properties of soil. However, soil amendments may increase or decrease pollutants in the water leaving the site. A comparison of the effects of different types and application rates of amendments on water quality is necessary to determine …

Food Waste Storage Gaseous Emissions Detection And Quantification Using Infrared Spectroscopy, Ryley A. Burton-Tauzer

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

A growing interest in sustainable waste management and the implementation of new policies have prompted a shift towards alternative resource recovery methods for organic waste, including food waste. To effectively assess alternative food waste treatment scenarios, it is important to evaluate the life cycle impacts associated with each scenario. The storage phase of food waste, encompassing its accumulation in kitchens, and storage in bins for collection and transportation, has been overlooked as a source of greenhouse gases in previous studies. This investigation aimed to identify the greenhouse gases emitted during the initial five-day period of low-oxygen storage. An open dynamic …

Vermicompost Versus Traditional Compost Amendments Leads To Different Soil Health Outcomes In A Mediterranean Vineyard, Elizabeth L. Luck

Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Management Projects

Compost application has become a common practice in vineyard management to increase soil and crop health, however, the environmental externalities such as greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from cropping systems that utilize organic fertilizers, such as compost, is uncertain. Vermicompost, which is compost created through the digestion of organic matter by earthworms, and its related ‘extract’ are commonly thought to provide more benefits for soil and crop health compared to standard compost. However, organic fertilizers such as vermicompost, vermicompost extract, and compost have not been compared in their effects on soil health in Mediterranean vineyards. In this two-year study, I assessed …

Soil Mesofauna And Microbial Community Response To Mixed Biochar And Compost Application In A Skagit Silt Loam, Jameson Goff

WWU Graduate School Collection

I sampled Skagit silt loam soils from a field trial at the WSU NWREC where biochar and compost were added to potato crops in late spring pre-planting. Soil mesofauna were sampled at mid and late-summer, while soil microbes were sampled at late summer exclusively. Soil treatments included mixed biochar and compost, compost-only, and an unamended control. Mesofauna were extracted with Berlese funnels and sorted to functional groups. F:B ratios and total microbial C were determined using microbiometer test kits. To test whether biochar and compost induced changes to soil mesofauna communities, I used permutational ANOVA. Differences in F:B ratios and …

Plastic Recycling Is Inefficient And Expensive, Clark S. Adomaitis

Capstones

Plastics production and incineration contributes more than 850 million metric tons to the emissions that are causing climate change. Emissions are growing at a moment when scientists and world leaders are in agreement that they need to dramatically decrease. Environmentalists say that plastic production makes up 4.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. New plastic plants opening in the U.S. do not line up with emission reduction goals.

At the end of plastics’ lives, a lot of what we’re putting into our recycling bins isn’t getting recycled. In fact, only 18% of trash from New York City homes is actually recycled. …

Life Cycle Assessment Of Bioplastics And Food Waste Disposal Methods, Shakira R. Hobbs, Tyler M. Harris, William J. Barr, Amy E. Landis

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

The environmental impacts of five waste management scenarios for polylactic acid (PLA)-based bioplastics and food waste were quantified using life cycle assessment. Laboratory experiments have demonstrated the potential for a pretreatment process to accelerate the degradation of bioplastics and were modeled in two of the five scenarios assessed. The five scenarios analyzed in this study were: (1a) Anaerobic digestion (1b) Anaerobic digestion with pretreatment; (2a) Compost; (2a) Compost with pretreatment; (3) Landfill. Results suggested that food waste and pretreated bioplastics disposed of with an anaerobic digester offers life cycle and environmental net total benefits (environmental advantages/offsets) in several areas: ecotoxicity …

Fy 2021 Umass Amherst Waste Management Report, Ezra Small

Campus Data

Each year the Office of Waste Management publishes this report which totals recycling and refuse data for the campus.

Compost And Biochar To Promote Soil Biological Activities Under Sweet Potatoes Cultivation In A Subtropical Semiarid Region, Josabeth Navarro, Jahdiel Salazar, James Jihoon Kang, Jason Parsons, Chu-Lin Cheng, Alexandria Castillo, Engil Isadora Pujol Pereira

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

South Texas is located in a subtropical semiarid climate, and due to high temperature and irregular precipitation, farmers opt to leave their fields fallow during the summer months jeopardizing overall soil health. We evaluated whether sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) cultivation coupled with drip irrigation could restore soil biological activities compared with bare fallow. Additionally, because sweet potatoes have high demand of soil nutrients, especially potassium (K), we evaluated the nutrient supply of locally sourced soil amendments. Sweet potato was cultivated during summer 2018 in McAllen, Texas, under control (no fertilizer), NPK (synthetic fertilizer), RC (yard-waste compost), and AC (compost produced …

Effects Of Integrated Application Of Plant-Based Compost And Urea On Soil Food Web, Soil Properties, And Yield And Quality Of A Processing Carrot Cultivar, A. Habteweld, D. Brainard, A. Kravchencko, Parwinder Grewal, H. Melakeberhan

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soil nutrient management system characterized by reduced input of inorganic fertilizers integrated with organic amendments is one of the alternatives for reducing deleterious environmental impact of synthetic fertilizers, suppressing soil-borne pests and diseases, and improving soil health and crop yield. A hypothesis of the present study was that lower rates of urea mixed with higher rates of plant compost (PC) would improve nematode community structure, soil food web condition, soil biological, and physiochemical properties, and yield and quality of a processing carrot (Daucus carota) cultivar. Urea and PC were each applied at 135kg nitrogen (N)/ha alone or at 3:1, 1:1, …

An Exploration Of Zero Waste Policies And Recommendations For Missoula, Sarah Blyth Lundquist

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

“Zero Waste” is a concept and community goal that has arisen to challenge the current consumerist economic system and offer solutions for a number of environmental issues. In adopting this goal, individuals and communities pledge to reduce and divert at least 90% of their waste in a certain number of years. These goals can be reached by employing policies, programs, and other intervention tactics which establish Zero Waste infrastructure, ensure equitable and widespread access to Zero Waste services, and provide educational outreach and resources to the community. Missoula adopted a Zero Waste goal in 2016 and created a Zero Waste …

Utilizing Compost For Carbon Sequestration: A Strategy For Climate Goals And Land Use Management, Sarah R. Koplowicz

Master's Projects and Capstones

In recent years, research has been developed for the use of compost combined with managed grazing (and manure) on grasslands (DeLonge et al, 2013) or rangelands, resulting in carbon sequestration from the atmosphere back into soil at a relatively high rate . The Marin Carbon Project (MCP) was established as a collaborative effort to analyze the potential effects of this technique for greenhouse gas mitigation. The MCP established that combining compost applications with managed livestock grazing benefits the soil health and native plant community, while simultaneously enabling carbon sequestration through the mechanisms of plant production and microbial activity. Additional recent …

Gvsu Sustainable Agriculture Project: Composting, Jillian Ashton, Eric Vaitkevicius, Nicholas Keller, Benjamin Walling

Environmental and Sustainability Studies Undergraduate Projects

Currently, the S.A.P. (Sustainable Agricultural Project) has a working composting pile that isn’t reaching its full optimization potential, due to a lack in systems planning. Our group has worked toward analyzing the S.A.P.’s current processes to eliminate the inefficiencies and to maximize the quality of the composting process and product. This final product will be used to inoculate the S.A.P.’s nursery and planting beds to produce higher quality produce for the community.

Effectiveness Of Windrow Composting Methodology In Killing A Thermo-Tolerant Species Of Salmonella During Mortality Composting, Spencer Gabriel Myers

Master's Theses

In a large agricultural operation, such as the one at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, disposal of deceased animals is an immense issue. The cost of transporting and rendering every dead animal is inhibitory to the general function of the agricultural operations and their thin budget. Therefore, we propose that composting mortalities could be an economical alternative. Composting is a recognized method for taking animal waste products along with carbon waste and turning it into a pathogen-free, nutrient-rich topsoil. Carcass composting is in fact performed in other countries and states to varying degrees of success. However, the California EPA limits …

An Evaluation Of Extended Producer Responsibility (Epr) As A Policy Option For Compostable Plastics In California, Amy Franz

Master's Projects and Capstones

This research project evaluates Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in California as a viable option to address the end-of-life management challenges identified for compostable plastics. The evaluation is done in three ways (1) review the main challenges identified for managing compostable plastics against the existing California EPR laws for mercury thermostats, agricultural pesticide containers, carpet, paint and mattresses to look for overlap in issues EPR has been used to address, (2) review compostable plastics in the context of the Product Selection Criteria used by California, (3) Look at the California Framework for setting up an EPR program to lay out what …

The Viability Of Community Composting At The Melbourne Food Hub, Bailey Mcneill

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My research assessed the viability of a community compost site at the Melbourne Food Hub modeled after other successful compost hubs and based on local demand. I surveyed 72 people at the Alphington Farmer’s Market, located at the Food Hub site, and 31 people answered the survey online for a total of 103 responses. In addition, I interviewed ten people working with existing community compost hubs around Melbourne to find out what compost systems they use, how community members engage with the site, what their biggest problems have been, and their motivations for composting.

My survey found that the majority …

Agriculture In The Classroom Farm Day Lesson Plan, Tessa Nicole Thompson

Agricultural Education and Communication

Nontraditional educational programs have been proclaimed desirable by many teachers, and proven effective through data collection and feedback (Coombs and Ahmed, 1974). Of the more popular unconventional educational programs, outside learning activities are commonly implemented as they are not only advantageous to students, but to teachers as well (Cengelci, 2013; Knoblock, 2008). Though nontraditional, much thought must be put into creating lesson plans for these educational programs.

El Dorado County’s Agriculture in the Classroom program utilizes nontraditional outdoor learning activities to conduct “Farm Day.” This lesson plan, created for Farm Day, is to teach third graders the importance of composting …

A Comparison Of On-Line And Off-Line Bioaerosol Measurements At A Biowaste Site, Patrick Feeney, Santiago Fernández Rodríguez, Rafael Molina, Eoin Mcgillicuddy, Stig Hellebust, Michael Quirke, Shane Daly, David O'Connor, John Sodeau

Articles

An air measurement campaign was carried out at a green-waste composting site in the South of Ireland during Spring 2016. The aim was to quantify and identify the levels of Primary Biological Aerosol Particles (PBAP) that were present using the traditional off-line, impaction/optical microscopy method alongside an on-line, spectroscopic approach termed WIBS (Wideband Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor), which can provide number concentrations, sizes and “shapes” of airborne PBAP in real-time by use of Light Induced Fluorescence (LIF). The results from the two techniques were compared in order to validate the use of the spectroscopic method for determining the releases of the …

An Autothermal, Representative Scale Test Of Compost Heat Potential Using Geostatistical Analysis, William J. Mccune-Sanders

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Composting has been practiced for thousands of years as a way of stabilizing and recycling organic matter into useful soil amendments. Thermophilic compost releases significant amounts of heat at temperatures (~140 °F) that are useful for environmental heating or process water. This heat has been taken advantage of in various ways throughout history, but development of a widely adopted technology remains elusive.

The biggest barrier to adoption of compost heat recovery (CHR) systems is projecting accurate, attractive economic returns. The cost of transfer equipment is significant, and with variability in composting substrates and methods, it is difficult to predict the …

Automated Calibration Of Electrochemical Oxygen Sensors For Use In Compost Bedded Pack Barns, John T. Evans, Michael P. Sama, Joseph L. Taraba, George B. Day

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to develop an automated calibration process for a galvanic cell type oxygen sensor. The manufacturer recommended a two-point calibration at room temperature; however, testing revealed that the response was not linear when both the temperature and oxygen concentrations varied. Thus, additional points were needed to generate a representative calibration equation and to reduce the sensor prediction interval. The calibration process needed to be capable of automatically recording sensor response (voltage) at an array of temperatures and oxygen concentrations. Calibration gases were used to precisely control the oxygen concentration inside a small manifold, and an …

Bioretention In A Mixed-Use Agricultural Landscape: Lessons Learned From The Application Of Low-Phosphorus Compost And Panicum Virgatum, Jason M. Kokkinos

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Bioretention cells are a stormwater treatment technology that uses soil and vegetation to remove pollutants from runoff and improve downstream water quality. While bioretention has been shown to be effective at removing certain stormwater pollutants such as sediment and heavy metals, removal of nutrients has been more variable. Design components of bioretention such as vegetation and soil media amendments can influence pollutant removal performance. In my experiment, I isolate the effects of low-phosphorus compost and a Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) monoculture on bioretention performance. In fall 2016, three bioretention cells were installed at the University of Vermont Miller Research Complex, a …

Compost Land Management And Soil Carbon Sequestration, Kylene A. Hohman

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Extensive fossil fuel burning has released carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Under proper ecological conditions plants convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into stable soil organic matter, a natural and efficient means of mitigating climate change. In the symbiotic relationship between mycorrhizae and plants, mycorrhizae provide plants with essential nutrients in exchange for carbon sugars leaked from the plants. Mycorrhizae convert carbon sugars to an exudate called glomalin, a protein that assists in developing soil aggregates composed of sand, silt, and clay. These aggregates, called humus, store carbon for hundreds of years under healthy ecological conditions. Compost prompts soil microbes to aerobically …

North D Compost Pilot Semester Report, Kevin J. Hollerbach, Jordan Chan

Student Showcase

Following the completion of a 14-week-long residential compost pilot program in North Apartment D at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, this review summarizes the proposition, implementation, and operation of the project. The success of this pilot provides the framework for the expansion of residential composting at UMass Amherst, resulting in higher trash diversion rates from residence halls, and encouraging students to reduce their environmental footprint both on and off campus. The demonstrated success for this pilot program and upcoming expanded pilot provides further justification for expansion across residential life, other University departments, or other institutions to participate in waste-reduction initiatives. …

Turning Waste Into Compost In Napa, California, Liana D. Solis

Pomona Senior Theses

Two significant pieces of legislation in California have mandated that cities and counties must reduce their waste streams. Assembly Bill 341 establishes that California must divert 75% of its waste from landfills by the year 2020. The first bill that included composting, Assembly Bill 1826, was passed in 2014 and requires that commercial users enact composting beginning in 2016. These initiatives have led cities and counties to seek ways of implementing composting programs. Using the City of Napa as a case study, this thesis argues that a composting program can be integrated into any existing waste hauling service. Although there …

Effects Of Compost On Prairie Seedling Establishment And Seed Production, Thomas R. Rosburg, Emiy Sibigtroth, Adam Palmer

The Prairie Naturalist

Compost is a commonly used soil amendment in horticultural and agricultural practices that is generally known to improve soil conditions and plant growth. We conducted a field experiment to investigate the application of compost to prairie production plots as a method to improve seedling establishment and growth and the seed production of established plants. We evaluated the effect of compost depth and tillage on the survivorship, growth, reproduction and ecophysiology of several prairie plant species commonly used in restoration. Results were mixed; for some species, transplants in compost–amended plots incurred lower survivorship and reduced growth compared to control plots. When …

Interview With Candace Russo, Linus Pauling Institute, 2013 (Audio), Candace Russo

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Candace Russo by Kevin Foster in Corvallis, Oregon on May 31st, 2013.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Carter Latendresse, Catlin Gabel School, 2013 (Audio), Carter Latendresse

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Carter Latendresse by Carmen Vigil at Catlin Gabel School on May 30th, 2013.

The interview index is available for download.

Household Compost In Rock Island, Scott J. Fick

Tredway Library Prize for First-Year Research

No abstract provided.

Impacts Of A Manure Composting Program On Stream Water Quality, A. Bekele, A. M.S. Mcfarland, A. J. Whisenant

Faculty Publications

In February 2001, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) adopted a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) along the North Bosque River. Within this TMDL, dairy waste application fields were identified as the major nonpoint-source contribution of nutrients. In September 2000, a manure composting program was initiated that resulted in about 500,000 metric tons of dairy manure being hauled to composting facilities and exported from the watershed through December 2004. To evaluate the impact of the manure composting program on stream water quality, storm event mean concentrations of nutrients and total suspended solids were compared …