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Articles 1 - 25 of 25

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Mobilizing Crop Biodiversity, Susan Mccouch, Zahra Katy Navabi, Michael Abberton, Noelle L. Anglin, Rosa Lia Barbieri, Michael Baum, Kirstin Bett, Helen Booker, Gerald L. Brown, Glenn J. Bryan, Luigi Cattivelli, David Charest, Kellye Eversole, Marcelo Freitas, Kioumars Ghamkhar, Dario Grattipaglia, Robert Henry, Maria Cleria Valadares Inglis, Tofazzal Islam, Zakaria Kehel, Paul J. Kersey, Graham J. King, Stephen Kresovich, Emily Marden, Sean Mayes, Marie Noelle Ndjiondjiop, Henry T. Nguyen, Samuel Rezende Paiva, Roberto Papa, Peter W.B. Phillips, Awais Rasheed Oct 2020

Mobilizing Crop Biodiversity, Susan Mccouch, Zahra Katy Navabi, Michael Abberton, Noelle L. Anglin, Rosa Lia Barbieri, Michael Baum, Kirstin Bett, Helen Booker, Gerald L. Brown, Glenn J. Bryan, Luigi Cattivelli, David Charest, Kellye Eversole, Marcelo Freitas, Kioumars Ghamkhar, Dario Grattipaglia, Robert Henry, Maria Cleria Valadares Inglis, Tofazzal Islam, Zakaria Kehel, Paul J. Kersey, Graham J. King, Stephen Kresovich, Emily Marden, Sean Mayes, Marie Noelle Ndjiondjiop, Henry T. Nguyen, Samuel Rezende Paiva, Roberto Papa, Peter W.B. Phillips, Awais Rasheed

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Land Use And Season Influence Event-Scale Nitrate And Soluble Reactive Phosphorus Exports And Export Stoichiometry From Headwater Catchments, Dustin W. Kincaid, Erin C. Seybold, E. Carol Adair, William B. Bowden, Julia N. Perdrial, Matthew C.H. Vaughan, Andrew W. Schroth Oct 2020

Land Use And Season Influence Event-Scale Nitrate And Soluble Reactive Phosphorus Exports And Export Stoichiometry From Headwater Catchments, Dustin W. Kincaid, Erin C. Seybold, E. Carol Adair, William B. Bowden, Julia N. Perdrial, Matthew C.H. Vaughan, Andrew W. Schroth

College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Publications

Catchment nutrient export, especially during high flow events, can influence ecological processes in receiving waters by altering nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations and relative amounts (stoichiometry). Event-scale N and P export dynamics may be significantly altered by land use/land cover (LULC) and season. Consequently, to manage water resources, it is important to understand how LULC and season interact to influence event N and P export. In situ, high-frequency spectrophotometers allowed us to continuously and concurrently monitor nitrate (NO3−) and soluble reactive P (SRP) concentrations and therefore examine event-scale NO3− and SRP export dynamics. Here we analyzed event NO3− and …


Land Use And Season Influence Event-Scale Nitrate And Soluble Reactive Phosphorus Exports And Export Stoichiometry From Headwater Catchments, Dustin W. Kincaid, Erin C. Seybold, E. Carol Adair, William B. Bowden, Julia N. Perdrial, Matthew C.H. Vaughan, Andrew W. Schroth Oct 2020

Land Use And Season Influence Event-Scale Nitrate And Soluble Reactive Phosphorus Exports And Export Stoichiometry From Headwater Catchments, Dustin W. Kincaid, Erin C. Seybold, E. Carol Adair, William B. Bowden, Julia N. Perdrial, Matthew C.H. Vaughan, Andrew W. Schroth

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Catchment nutrient export, especially during high flow events, can influence ecological processes in receiving waters by altering nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations and relative amounts (stoichiometry). Event-scale N and P export dynamics may be significantly altered by land use/land cover (LULC) and season. Consequently, to manage water resources, it is important to understand how LULC and season interact to influence event N and P export. In situ, high-frequency spectrophotometers allowed us to continuously and concurrently monitor nitrate (NO3−) and soluble reactive P (SRP) concentrations and therefore examine event-scale NO3− and SRP export dynamics. Here we analyzed event NO3− and …


Genome-Wide Association Study In Accessions Of The Mini-Core Collection Of Mungbean (Vigna Radiata) From The World Vegetable Gene Bank (Taiwan), Alena Sokolkova, Marina Burlyaeva, Tatjana Valiannikova, Margarita Vishnyakova, Roland Schafleitner, Cheng Ruei Lee, Chau Ti Ting, Ramakrishnan Madhavan Nair, Sergey Nuzhdin, Maria Samsonova, Eric Von Wettberg Oct 2020

Genome-Wide Association Study In Accessions Of The Mini-Core Collection Of Mungbean (Vigna Radiata) From The World Vegetable Gene Bank (Taiwan), Alena Sokolkova, Marina Burlyaeva, Tatjana Valiannikova, Margarita Vishnyakova, Roland Schafleitner, Cheng Ruei Lee, Chau Ti Ting, Ramakrishnan Madhavan Nair, Sergey Nuzhdin, Maria Samsonova, Eric Von Wettberg

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek, or green gram) is important tropical and sub-tropical legume and a rich source of dietary protein and micronutrients. In this study we employ GWAS to examine the genetic basis of variation in several important traits in mungbean, using the mini-core collection established by the World Vegetable Center, which includes 296 accessions that represent the major market classes. This collection has been grown in a common field plot in southern European part of Russia in 2018. Results: We used 5041 SNPs in 293 accessions that passed strict filtering for genetic diversity, linkage disequilibrium, population …


Dynamical Climatic Model For Time To Flowering In Vigna Radiata, Konstantin Kozlov, Alena Sokolkova, Cheng Ruei Lee, Chau Ti Ting, Roland Schafleitner, Eric Bishop-Von Wettberg, Sergey Nuzhdin, Maria Samsonova Oct 2020

Dynamical Climatic Model For Time To Flowering In Vigna Radiata, Konstantin Kozlov, Alena Sokolkova, Cheng Ruei Lee, Chau Ti Ting, Roland Schafleitner, Eric Bishop-Von Wettberg, Sergey Nuzhdin, Maria Samsonova

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Phenology data collected recently for about 300 accessions of Vigna radiata (mungbean) is an invaluable resource for investigation of impacts of climatic factors on plant development. Results: We developed a new mathematical model that describes the dynamic control of time to flowering by daily values of maximal and minimal temperature, precipitation, day length and solar radiation. We obtained model parameters by adaptation to the available experimental data. The models were validated by cross-validation and used to demonstrate that the phenology of adaptive traits, like flowering time, is strongly predicted not only by local environmental factors but also by plant …


Editorial: Wild Plants As Source Of New Crops, Eric Von Wettberg, Thomas M. Davis, Petr Smýkal Sep 2020

Editorial: Wild Plants As Source Of New Crops, Eric Von Wettberg, Thomas M. Davis, Petr Smýkal

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Perspective Article: Actions To Reconfigure Food Systems, Ana Maria Loboguerrero, Philip Thornton, Jonathan Wadsworth, Bruce M. Campbell, Mario Herrero, Daniel Mason-D'Croz, Dhanush Dinesh, Sophia Huyer, Andy Jarvis, Alberto Millan, Eva Wollenberg, Stephen Zebiak Sep 2020

Perspective Article: Actions To Reconfigure Food Systems, Ana Maria Loboguerrero, Philip Thornton, Jonathan Wadsworth, Bruce M. Campbell, Mario Herrero, Daniel Mason-D'Croz, Dhanush Dinesh, Sophia Huyer, Andy Jarvis, Alberto Millan, Eva Wollenberg, Stephen Zebiak

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

There is broad agreement that current food systems are not on a sustainable trajectory that will enable us to reach the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, particularly in the face of anthropogenic climate change. Guided by a consideration of some food system reconfigurations in the past, we outline an agenda of work around four action areas: rerouting old systems into new trajectories; reducing risks; minimising the environmental footprint of food systems; and realigning the enablers of change needed to make new food systems function. Here we highlight food systems levers that, along with activities within these four action areas, may …


Benefits And Tradeoffs Of Reduced Tillage And Manure Application Methods In A Zea Mays Silage System, Kyle M. Dittmer, Heather M. Darby, Tyler R. Goeschel, E. Carol Adair Sep 2020

Benefits And Tradeoffs Of Reduced Tillage And Manure Application Methods In A Zea Mays Silage System, Kyle M. Dittmer, Heather M. Darby, Tyler R. Goeschel, E. Carol Adair

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

A critical question is whether there are agricultural management practices that can attain the multiple management goals of increasing yields, preventing nutrient losses, and suppressing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. No-till and manure application methods, such as manure injection, can enhance nutrient retention, but both may also enhance emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a powerful GHG. We assessed differences in soil N2O and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, nitrate and ammonium retention, and crop yield and protein content under combinations of vertical-till, no-till, manure injection, and manure broadcast without incorporation in a corn (Zea mays L.) silage system. During the growing seasons …


Making Hemp Choices: Evidence From Vermont, Jane Kolodinsky, Hannah Lacasse, Katherine Gallagher Aug 2020

Making Hemp Choices: Evidence From Vermont, Jane Kolodinsky, Hannah Lacasse, Katherine Gallagher

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Hemp's reemergence in the United States' economy presents an opportunity for a new category of sustainable product choice for consumers. This study fills a gap in knowledge about which consumers are currently aware of or choosing hemp products using the theory of choice alternatives and a statistically representative survey from a top ten hemp producing US state. Findings reveal high levels of consumer awareness and consideration of hemp products in general and a smaller evoked/choice set. Cannabidiol products appear most often in our sample's choice set; we examined these specifically. Other hemp products also appear, including clothing and textile, personal …


Evaluation Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus Removal From A Denitrifyingwoodchip Bioreactor Treatment System Receiving Silage Bunker Runoff, Jillian C. Sarazen, Joshua W. Faulkner, Stephanie E. Hurley Jul 2020

Evaluation Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus Removal From A Denitrifyingwoodchip Bioreactor Treatment System Receiving Silage Bunker Runoff, Jillian C. Sarazen, Joshua W. Faulkner, Stephanie E. Hurley

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Leachate and storm-driven runoff from silage storage bunkers can degrade receiving water bodies if left untreated. This study evaluated a novel treatment system consisting of three treatment tanks with a moving-bed biofilm reactor and paired side-by-side denitrifying woodchip bioreactors for the ability to reduce influent nutrient mass loads. Flow-based samples were taken at four locations throughout the system, at the inflow to the first tank, outflow from the tanks prior to entering the woodchip bioreactors, and from the outflows of both bioreactors. Samples were analyzed for concentrations of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) species. Inflow concentrations were reduced from the …


Legume Genetics And Biology: From Mendel’S Pea To Legume Genomics, Petr Smýkal, Eric J.B. Von Wettberg, Kevin Mcphee May 2020

Legume Genetics And Biology: From Mendel’S Pea To Legume Genomics, Petr Smýkal, Eric J.B. Von Wettberg, Kevin Mcphee

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Legumes have played an important part in cropping systems since the dawn of agriculture, both as human food and as animal feed. The legume family is arguably one of the most abundantly domesticated crop plant families. Their ability to symbiotically fix nitrogen and improve soil fertility has been rewarded since antiquity and makes them a key protein source. The pea was the original model organism used in Mendel’s discovery of the laws of inheritance, making it the foundation of modern plant genetics. This Special Issue provides up-to-date information on legume biology, genetic advances, and the legacy of Mendel.


Growing Specialty Coffee: Economic Security And Environmental Sustainability In Global Coffee Systems, Stephen Posner, Janica Anderzen, Alejandra Guzman Luna, Ernesto Mendez Apr 2020

Growing Specialty Coffee: Economic Security And Environmental Sustainability In Global Coffee Systems, Stephen Posner, Janica Anderzen, Alejandra Guzman Luna, Ernesto Mendez

Reports and Policy Briefs

The Gund Institute has partnered with the Agroecology & Livelihoods Collaborative to create a more sustainable and just global coffee sector. Gund Fellows used this research brief to leverage our networks and engage NGOs such as The Specialty Coffee Association, funders, and companies in early discussions about how to address systemic inequity across the coffee value chain.


Green And Animal Manure Use In Organic Field Crop Systems, Patrick M. Carr, Michel A. Cavigelli, Heather Darby, Kathleen Delate, Jed O. Eberly, Heather K. Fryer, Greta G. Gramig, Joseph R. Heckman, Ellen B. Mallory, Jennifer R. Reeve, Erin M. Silva, David H. Suchoff, Alex L. Woodley Mar 2020

Green And Animal Manure Use In Organic Field Crop Systems, Patrick M. Carr, Michel A. Cavigelli, Heather Darby, Kathleen Delate, Jed O. Eberly, Heather K. Fryer, Greta G. Gramig, Joseph R. Heckman, Ellen B. Mallory, Jennifer R. Reeve, Erin M. Silva, David H. Suchoff, Alex L. Woodley

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Dual-use cover/green manure (CGM) crops and animal manure are used to supply nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to organically grown field crops. A comprehensive review of previous research was conducted to identify how CGM crops and animal manure have been used to meet N and P needs of organic field crops, and to identify knowledge gaps to direct future research efforts. Results indicate that: (a) CGM crops are used to provide N to subsequent cash crops in rotations; (b) CGM-supplied N generally can meet field crop needs in warm, humid regions but is insufficient for organic grain crops grown in …


Agricultural Biosecurity: Reducing Risks And Impacts Of Livestock Diseases, Stephen Posner, Scott Merrill, Julie Smith Feb 2020

Agricultural Biosecurity: Reducing Risks And Impacts Of Livestock Diseases, Stephen Posner, Scott Merrill, Julie Smith

Reports and Policy Briefs

Gund Fellows co-developed timely, innovative research to reduce the risk of animal diseases like coronaviruses spreading among farms. This policy brief helped to inform decision makers at the US Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service, Department of State Biosecurity Engagement Program, and private sector stakeholders.


Upcycling Phosphorus Recovered From Anaerobically Digested Dairy Manure To Support Production Of Vegetables And Flowers, Katherine K. Porterfield, Robert Joblin, Deborah A. Neher, Michael Curtis, Steve Dvorak, Donna M. Rizzo, Joshua W. Faulkner, Eric D. Roy Feb 2020

Upcycling Phosphorus Recovered From Anaerobically Digested Dairy Manure To Support Production Of Vegetables And Flowers, Katherine K. Porterfield, Robert Joblin, Deborah A. Neher, Michael Curtis, Steve Dvorak, Donna M. Rizzo, Joshua W. Faulkner, Eric D. Roy

College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Faculty Publications

Dissolved air flotation (DAF) separates phosphorus (P)-rich fine solids from anaerobically digested dairy manure, creating opportunities to export surplus P to the marketplace as a bagged plant food product. Seedlings of tomato and marigold were amended at various volume per volume (v/v) ratios with plant foods consisting of fine solids upcycled (i.e., transformed into a higher quality product) by drying and blending with other organic residuals. A plate competition assay was conducted to assess the fine solids' potential to suppress the plant pathogen Rhizoctonia solani. Plant foods were comprised of 2.0-2.1% N, 0.8-0.9% P and 0.6-0.8% K. Extractions indicated that …


Agricultural Development Addresses Food Loss And Waste While Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Gillian L. Galford, Olivia Peña, Amanda K. Sullivan, Julie Nash, Noel Gurwick, Gillian Pirolli, Meryl Richards, Julianna White, Eva Wollenberg Jan 2020

Agricultural Development Addresses Food Loss And Waste While Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Gillian L. Galford, Olivia Peña, Amanda K. Sullivan, Julie Nash, Noel Gurwick, Gillian Pirolli, Meryl Richards, Julianna White, Eva Wollenberg

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Food loss and waste (FLW) reduce food available for consumption and increase the environmental burden of production. Reducing FLW increases agricultural and value-chain productivity and may reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with feeding the global population. Although studies of interventions that reduce FLW exist, almost no research systematically investigates FLW interventions across multiple value chains or countries, most likely due to challenges in collecting and synthesizing data and estimates, let alone estimating greenhouse gas emissions. Our research team investigated changes in FLW in projects supported by the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) global hunger and food security initiative, …


How To Measure, Report And Verify Soil Carbon Change To Realize The Potential Of Soil Carbon Sequestration For Atmospheric Greenhouse Gas Removal, Pete Smith, Jean Francois Soussana, Denis Angers, Louis Schipper, Claire Chenu, Daniel P. Rasse, Niels H. Batjes, Fenny Van Egmond, Stephen Mcneill, Matthias Kuhnert, Cristina Arias-Navarro, Jorgen E. Olesen, Ngonidzashe Chirinda, Dario Fornara, Eva Wollenberg, Jorge Álvaro-Fuentes, Alberto Sanz-Cobena, Katja Klumpp Jan 2020

How To Measure, Report And Verify Soil Carbon Change To Realize The Potential Of Soil Carbon Sequestration For Atmospheric Greenhouse Gas Removal, Pete Smith, Jean Francois Soussana, Denis Angers, Louis Schipper, Claire Chenu, Daniel P. Rasse, Niels H. Batjes, Fenny Van Egmond, Stephen Mcneill, Matthias Kuhnert, Cristina Arias-Navarro, Jorgen E. Olesen, Ngonidzashe Chirinda, Dario Fornara, Eva Wollenberg, Jorge Álvaro-Fuentes, Alberto Sanz-Cobena, Katja Klumpp

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Global Change Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd There is growing international interest in better managing soils to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) content to contribute to climate change mitigation, to enhance resilience to climate change and to underpin food security, through initiatives such as international ‘4p1000’ initiative and the FAO's Global assessment of SOC sequestration potential (GSOCseq) programme. Since SOC content of soils cannot be easily measured, a key barrier to implementing programmes to increase SOC at large scale, is the need for credible and reliable measurement/monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) platforms, both for national reporting and …


Correction To: He ʻIke ʻAna Ia I Ka Pono (It Is A Recognizing Of The Right Thing): How One Indigenous Worldview Informs Relational Values And Social Values (Sustainability Science, (2019), 14, 5, (1213-1232), 10.1007/S11625-019-00721-9), Rachelle K. Gould, Māhealani Pai, Barbara Muraca, Kai M.A. Chan Jan 2020

Correction To: He ʻIke ʻAna Ia I Ka Pono (It Is A Recognizing Of The Right Thing): How One Indigenous Worldview Informs Relational Values And Social Values (Sustainability Science, (2019), 14, 5, (1213-1232), 10.1007/S11625-019-00721-9), Rachelle K. Gould, Māhealani Pai, Barbara Muraca, Kai M.A. Chan

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

In the original publication of the article, under the section “Indigenous and local knowledge”, on the 4th page, the following sentence “… Megan Bang, a scholar of Native American (Menominee) descent, and her team…” was published incorrectly. The correct sentence should read as “… Megan Bang, a scholar of Native American (Ojibwe) and Italian descent, and her team…”.


Visualizing Climate Change Adaptation: An Effective Tool For Agricultural Outreach?, Rachel E. Schattman, Stephanie E. Hurley, Holly L. Greenleaf, Meredith T. Niles, Martha Caswell Jan 2020

Visualizing Climate Change Adaptation: An Effective Tool For Agricultural Outreach?, Rachel E. Schattman, Stephanie E. Hurley, Holly L. Greenleaf, Meredith T. Niles, Martha Caswell

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Landscape photovisualizations (PVZs) are digitally altered photographs that show existing landscapes altered to include a simulated future scenario. They are commonly used to support dialogue and decision-making in multistakeholder contexts. In agricultural sectors, stakeholders increasingly must contend with pressures to adapt to climatic changes and shifts in weather patterns. This study examines the potential of PVZs to engage agricultural stakeholders about climate change adaptation, specifically around best management practices (BMPs). In 2015, survey data were collected (n 5 133) at six agricultural confer-ences Vermont. Participants were asked about their climate change knowledge, perceptions of adaptation, and their intentions to adopt …


Evaluating Water Quality Regulation As A Driver Of Farmer Behavior: A Social-Ecological Systems Approach, Courtney R.Hammond Wagner, Suzie Greenhalgh, Meredith T. Niles, Asim Zia, William B. Bowden Jan 2020

Evaluating Water Quality Regulation As A Driver Of Farmer Behavior: A Social-Ecological Systems Approach, Courtney R.Hammond Wagner, Suzie Greenhalgh, Meredith T. Niles, Asim Zia, William B. Bowden

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Water quality policy for agricultural lands seeks to improve water quality by changing farmer behavior. We investigate farmer behavior in three water quality regimes that differ by rule structure to examine the fit and interplay of each policy within its social-ecological context, important aspects for improving water quality. Vermont, USA’s practice-based policy requires the adoption of specific practices, whereas New Zealand’s Lake Taupo and Lake Rotorua performance-based policies require farmers to meet a numeric limit for nutrient loss on their farm. Across the three regions we interviewed 38 farmers to elicit mental models of nutrient management changes. We utilized the …


From Tap To Table: Consumer Values, Producer Attitudes, And Vermont Maple Syrup In A Dynamic Landscape, Aidan Conor Mccracken Jan 2020

From Tap To Table: Consumer Values, Producer Attitudes, And Vermont Maple Syrup In A Dynamic Landscape, Aidan Conor Mccracken

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Harvesting the sap of maple trees [Acer saccharum] for use in the production of syrups and sugars has a storied history stretching back to the pre-Columbian practices of North America’s indigenous peoples. Since its adaptation by European settlers in the late seventeenth century and into the present day, the production of maple syrup has become especially integral to the livelihoods and cultural identities of farmers in Vermont. While oftentimes esteemed as a timeless agrarian tradition, market forces and environmental changes have led maple syrup producers (or sugarmakers) to adopt new production practices that scarcely resemble the taps, buckets, and draft …


Factors Affecting The Adoption Of Automated Wood Pellet Heating Systems In The Northeastern Us And Implications For The Transition To Renewable Energy, Laura Edling Jan 2020

Factors Affecting The Adoption Of Automated Wood Pellet Heating Systems In The Northeastern Us And Implications For The Transition To Renewable Energy, Laura Edling

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Public and private incentive programs have encouraged conversions to high efficiency, low emissions wood heating systems as a strategy to promote renewable energy and support local economies in the Northeastern US. Despite these efforts, the adoption of these systems remains slow. The study that is the subject of this dissertation examines several social, economic, policy and environmental factors that affect the decisions of individuals and small-scale institutions (local business and community facilities) to transition to automated wood pellet boilers and furnaces (AWPH) utilizing local fuel sources. Due to the complexity and risk associated with conversion, the transition to these systems …


Complex Systems Analysis In Selected Domains: Animal Biosecurity & Genetic Expression, Luke Trinity Jan 2020

Complex Systems Analysis In Selected Domains: Animal Biosecurity & Genetic Expression, Luke Trinity

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

I first broadly define the study of complex systems, identifying language to describe and characterize mechanisms of such systems which is applicable across disciplines. An overview of methods is provided, including the description of a software development methodology which defines how a combination of computer science, statistics, and mathematics are applied to specified domains. This work describes strategies to facilitate timely completion of robust and adaptable projects which vary in complexity and scope. A biosecurity informatics pipeline is outlined, which is an abstraction useful in organizing the analysis of biological data from cells. This is followed by specific applications of …


Consumption Of Microplastics Impacts The Growth And Fecal Properties Of The Marine Copepod, Acartia Tonsa, Emily Ann Shore Jan 2020

Consumption Of Microplastics Impacts The Growth And Fecal Properties Of The Marine Copepod, Acartia Tonsa, Emily Ann Shore

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Microplastics (mm) are ubiquitous in the global environment and are increasingly recognized as a biological hazard, particularly in the oceans. Due to the small and pervasive nature of these particles, zooplankton have been known to consume and egest microplastics. Though zooplankton play critical roles in marine food webs and in carbon storage through carbon rich fecal pellets, we know little about the effects of microplastics on early life stage growth, reproductive output, and carbon storage. Here, I investigated the effects of ingestion of low-density Polystyrene beads (5 µm) by the copepod Acartia tonsa on (1) early life stage (naupliar) growth, …


The Environmental Microbiome In A Changing World: Microbial Processes And Biogeochemistry, Stephanie Juice Jan 2020

The Environmental Microbiome In A Changing World: Microbial Processes And Biogeochemistry, Stephanie Juice

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Climate change can alter ecosystem processes and organismal phenology through both long-term, gradual changes and alteration of disturbance regimes. Because microbes mediate decomposition, and therefore the initial stages of nutrient cycling, soil biogeochemical responses to climate change will be driven by microbial responses to changes in temperature, precipitation, and pulsed climatic events. Improving projections of soil ecological and biogeochemical responses to climate change effects therefore requires greater knowledge of microbial contributions to decomposition. This dissertation examines soil microbial and biogeochemical responses to the long-term and punctuated effects of climate change, as well as improvement to decomposition models following addition of …