Earth Sciences Commons^™

Population Demography Of A Glacial-Relict Stream Fish Mediated Via Anthropogenic Alteration, Joseph M. Spooner

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

Northern Pearl Dace Margariscus nachtriebi are a small-bodied glacial-relict fish species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) found throughout Canada and the northern United Sates. Their distribution within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion is isolated from the northern core distribution of the species following the last glaciation period approximately 18,000 years ago. Headwater streams within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion are predominately groundwater fed and provide the cool water temperatures needed to support Northern Pearl Dace and other glacial-relict SGCN. Headwater streams within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion have been geomorphically altered through anthropogenic processes such as channelization whereby habitat homogenization has occurred. Evidence …

Habitat Heterogeneity In Nebraska Streams And Distribution Prediction For Tier-1 Cyprinids Using Multi-Scale Modeling Of Fluvial And Landscape Features, Connor P. Hart

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

Multiscale environmental processes determine in-stream habitat conditions which drive species distributions. Habitat constitutes the physical template upon which ecological processes occur and species conduct life stage activities. Habitat heterogeneity promotes biodiversity of aquatic systems. Stream classification informs freshwater conservation by providing a useful framework to account for habitat heterogeneity, often based on landscape regions of similar environmental processes. A greater understanding of landscape-based classification frameworks as means to classify stream systems may improve understanding of drivers of biodiversity. Using Nebraska as a case study, on a statewide scale, objectives were 1) to characterize habitat availability for several at-risk fish species, …

Multi-Objective Water Management In Idaho's Henrys Fork Watershed: Leveraging Reservoir Operation And Groundwater Pathways To Benefit Aquatic Habitat, Christina N. Morrisett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Multi-user water management is a challenging arena further complicated by climate change. This research is based in the Henrys Fork, Snake River, Idaho—an agricultural watershed that exemplifies those throughout the semi-arid American West. This dissertation uses an integrated approach that considers groundwater-river relationships, farm-scale decisions and basin-scale outcomes, upstream reservoir operation for downstream aquatic habitat, water rights, and collaborative stakeholder management to identify drought adaptation strategies accordingly.

Chapter 2 uses an interdisciplinary approach to quantify how improvements to irrigation efficiency at the farm-scale (i.e., converting from flood to sprinkler irrigation) can add up to affect hydrology at the landscape-scale and …

Controls On Sediment Connectivity In Fluvial Networks Impacted By Wildfire Across Utah, Alec Arditti

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Flooding and sedimentation caused by wildfire are among the greatest threats to watersheds, fish populations and reservoirs in the western US. Burned landscapes are at risk for increased runoff and erosion and have the potential to transport sediment that may put downstream resources at risk. The ability of the channel to transport sediment downstream, known as the connectivity, is important for determining where impacts may occur. Sediment bottlenecks are locations within the watershed where local conditions produce a persistent decrease in downstream connectivity of sediment, resulting in increased sediment deposition and potentially a substantial modification of the local channel and …

Effects Of Elevated Temperature On 8-Ohdg Expression In The American Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica): Induction Of Oxidative Stress Biomarkers, Cellular Apoptosis, Dna Damage And Γh2ax Signaling Pathways, Md Faizur Rahman, Mohammad Maruf Billah, Richard Kline, Md Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Global temperature is increasing due to anthropogenic activities and the effects of elevated temperature on DNA lesions are not well documented in marine organisms. The American oyster (Crassostrea virginica, an edible and commercially important marine mollusk) is an ideal shellfish species to study oxidative DNA lesions during heat stress. In this study, we examined the effects of elevated temperatures (24, 28, and 32 °C for one-week exposure) on heat shock protein-70 (HSP70, a biomarker of heat stress), 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG, a biomarker of pro-mutagenic DNA lesion), double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), γ-histone family member X (γH2AX, a molecular biomarker of DNA damage), …

The Tidal Prism, Viable Eelgrass Habitat, And The Effects Of Sea Level Rise In Morro Bay, Kaden A. Caliendo

Master's Theses

The tidal prism, or the volume of water exchanged from the sea to an estuary from mean low to mean high tide, influences system hydrodynamics and ecological functioning. Since 1884, the tidal prism in Morro Bay, California has been estimated to be decreasing over time due to sedimentation from upstream practices. What is the current tidal prism in Morro Bay and how will that change with sea level rise? How will eelgrass respond to rising sea levels?

For this study, inexpensive tidal gauges were deployed at four locations in Morro Bay from March to August 2023 to measure spatially varying …

Post-Wildfire Effects On A Headwater Stream In The San Bernardino National Forest, Kelley Giron

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Southern California has experienced prolonged drought conditions that have supported frequent wildfires that adversely impact ecosystems, natural resources, and human development. A primary consequence of these events is the impact on water quality and quantity. Of equal concern is evaluating how diverse land use configurations within a watershed can alter the physio-chemical properties of headwater reaches where drought and wildfire conditions are prevalent. To better understand the extent to which wildfires impact water quality and quantity across a headwater watershed, this study investigates wildfire impacts from the 2021 South Fire to Lytle Creek, a headwater stream of the Santa Ana …

Interactions Between Sediment Mechanical Structure And Infaunal Community Structure Following Physical Disturbance, William Cyrus Roger Clemo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Shallow, river-influenced coastal sediments are important for global carbon storage and nutrient cycling and provide a habitat for diverse communities of invertebrates (infauna). Elevated bed shear stress from extreme storms can resuspend, transport, and deposit sediments, disrupting the cohesive structure of muds, and sorting and depositing sand eroded from beaches. These physical disruptions can also resuspend or smother infauna, decreasing abundances and changing community structure. Infaunal activities such as burrowing, tube construction, and feeding can impact sediment structure and stability. However, little is known about how physical disturbance impacts short and long-term sediment habitat suitability and whether disturbance-tolerant infauna influence …

Tree-Ring Reconstruction Of Ouachita River Streamflow, Keaton Cade Jenkins-Joyce

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Ouachita River drains the Ouachita Mountains and Upper Coastal Plain in Arkansas and Louisiana. The Ouachita River is used for navigation, power generation, recreation, water supply, and wastewater treatment. The river has been prone to low flows during drought and extreme flooding, which were principal justifications for the construction of three large multipurpose dams on the stream. It is likely that the use of the Ouachita River will be stressed by future population growth, economic expansion, and climate change. For this study, tree-ring chronologies from various locations in and near the Ouachita River drainage basin were used to reconstruct …

Globally-Distributed Microbial Eukaryotes Exhibit Endemism At Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents, Sarah K. Hu, Amy R. Smith, Rika E. Anderson, Sean P. Sylva, Michael Setzer, Maria Steadmon, Kiana L. Frank, Eric W. Chan, Darlene S. S. Lim, John A. Breier

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Single-celled microbial eukaryotes inhabit deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments and play critical ecological roles in the vent-associated microbial food web. 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing of diffuse venting fluids from four geographically- and geochemically-distinct hydrothermal vent fields was applied to investigate community diversity patterns among protistan assemblages. The four vent fields include Axial Seamount at the Juan de Fuca Ridge, Sea Cliff and Apollo at the Gorda Ridge, all in the NE Pacific Ocean, and Piccard and Von Damm at the Mid-Cayman Rise in the Caribbean Sea. We describe species diversity patterns with respect to hydrothermal vent field and sample type, identify …

Waste To Value: Global Perspective On The Impact Of Entomocomposting On Environmental Health, Greenhouse Gas Mitigation And Soil Bioremediation, Dennis Beesigamukama, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Subramanian Sevgan, Sunday Ekesi, Segenet Kelemu

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The innovative use of insects to recycle low-value organic waste into value-added products such as food, feed and other products with a low ecological footprint has attracted rapid attention globally. The insect frass (a combination unconsumed substrate, faeces, and exuviae) contains substantial amounts of nutrients and beneficial microbes that could utilised as fertilizer. We analyse research trends and report on the production, nutrient quality, maturity and hygiene status of insect-composted organic fertilizer (ICOF) generated from different organic wastes, and their influence on soil fertility, pest and pathogen suppression, and crop productivity. Lastly, we discuss the impact of entomocomposting on greenhouse …

Bridging The Gap: Analyzing The Relationship Between Environmental Justice Awareness On Twitter And Socio-Environmental Factors Using Remote Sensing And Big Data, Charles Knoble, Danlin Yu

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Mounting awareness of the discriminatory distribution of environmental factors has increasingly placed environmental justice at the forefront of discussions on sustainable development, but responses to these disparities are often too little, too late. Remote sensing has emerged as a potential solution to this problem, capitalizing on the ability to capture high-resolution, spatially explicit data in near-real time. However, a conventional reliance on physical measurements and surface-level analyses risks overlooking the experiences and perceptions of affected communities. It is against this backdrop that the potential integration of remote sensing imagery and socially sensed big data such as social media data assumes …

Modeling The Peak Ground Acceleration And Assessing The Economic Loss And Casualty Due To Potential Earthquakes Of Various Magnitudes In The New Madrid Seismic Zone, Mahmud Afroz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) is one of the active tectonic zones capable of producing big earthquakes in the southcentral USA. The objective of this study was to assess the economic losses and casualties that might be caused by various magnitudes of seismic events in the NMSZ. The manifestation is the estimation for each magnitude which is using the Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) that might occur during an earthquake. It is calculated using an attenuation function that correlates the intensity of local ground movement, the earthquake magnitude, and the distance from its epicenter. The assessment of casualties was conducted …

Effect Of Different Pre-Growth Temperatures On The Survival Kinetics Of Salmonella Enterica And Listeria Monocytogenes In Fresh-Cut Salad During Refrigerated Storage, Avninder Kaur, Veerachandra K. Yemmireddy

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The effect of the pre-growth temperature of bacterial cultures on their subsequent survival kinetics in fresh-cut produce during refrigerated storage was investigated in this study. Three-strain cocktails of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica, cultured at different growth temperatures (4, 21, and 37 °C) were inoculated on fresh-cut mixed salad and on individual produce in the mixed salad. The inoculated samples were stored at 4 °C and 80 ± 2% relative humidity (RH) for up to 72 h and the growth, survival, or death kinetics were determined at regular intervals. The results indicate that depending upon the type of pathogen …

Numerical Simulations Of Enhancing Permeability And Gas Extraction Of Thick Coal Seams Through Static Fracturing, Wang Xinfeng, Liu Wengang, Wang Long, Wei Youyu, Zhang Qiao

Coal Geology & Exploration

This study seeks to improve the underground operation efficiency and optimize the borehole arrangement parameters for static fracturing of coal seams. To this end, this study conducted tests in the belt roadway of the No. 12316 fully mechanized mining face in the Wangjialing Coal Mine, China Coal Huajin Group. By combining the equations for coal seams’ deformation and failure, gas diffusion and seepage, and coal seams’ permeability evolution, this study constructed a model of the damage and permeability evolution of coal seams. Based on the numerical simulations of the process of static fracturing and permeability enhancement of coals, as well …

Genetic Type And Gas-Generating Potential Of Coalbed Methane In The Bayanhua Sag, Erlian Basin, Meng Qin, Li Ling, Li Jie, Tian Wenguang, Lin Haitao, Li Heng

Coal Geology & Exploration

The Bayanhua Sag in the Erlian Basin is a critical experimental area for coalbed methane (CBM) development from low-rank coals in Inner Mongolia. However, the relatively low exploration level and the limited understanding of the CBM origin in the sag restrict the CBM exploration and development to some extent. This study tested the gas components, stable isotopes and hydrochemistry of the gas and water samples from CBM wells in the Bayanhua Sag. It also conducted radioisotopic dating for these samples. By combining the classic charts for the identification of natural gas origin, this study clarified the gas origins, further analyzed …

Dynamic Prediction Method Of Tunnel Water Inflow Based On Detailed Depiction Of Complex Geological Bodies, Du Yajun, Li Qingbo, Wan Weifeng, Yang Fengwei, Li Yazhe, Qian Hui

Coal Geology & Exploration

It is a challenge to accurately characterize the irregular geological bodies and underground structures such as inclined faults and inclined tunnels during the numerical simulation of tunnel water inflow prediction, and the prediction generally assumes that the tunnel excavation is completed instantaneously without considering the construction progress. A dynamic prediction method for tunnel water inflow based on precise characterization of complex geometric bodies was proposed by addressing the non-self-intersection and watertight issues required in the coupling process of three-dimensional (3D) geological models and 3D groundwater numerical models. Specifically, a sealed boundary interface of inclined tunnels, shafts, inclined faults and irregular …

Experimental Study On Proportioning Of Ultra-High Strength Similar Materials For Large Similarity Ratio Model Tests, Zhan Xinyu, Gao Lin, Zhao Fanghao, Wang Yongyin, Liu Ping, Han Sen

Coal Geology & Exploration

Similar simulation of physical material is a common research method in the field of geotechnical engineering. Selecting appropriate similar materials and determining their proportions is the key to successfully simulating the prototype project. Existing similar materials are mostly developed for similar simulation with small geometric similarity ratio (1∶250-1∶25). These materials generally have low strength (0.2-7.6 MPa), making it difficult to meet the requirements of large similarity ratio model. Therefore, in order to prepare an ultra-high strength similar material with a strength of more than 10 MPa suitable for large similarity ratio model, river sand, barite, gypsum, and cement with different …

On-Line Compensation For Geomagnetic Error While Drilling Based On Magnetic Inertial Slime Mould Algorithm, Yang Jinxian, Cai Jipeng

Coal Geology & Exploration

In response to the serious distortion of the azimuth angle of the drilling tool caused by the large measurement error of strap-down micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) magnetometer on the drilling tool in the measurement-while-drilling (MWD) environment, an online compensation method for the geomagnetic error of the drilling tool based on the magnetic-inertial slime mould algorithm (MISMA) was proposed. Firstly, the geomagnetic measurement error compensation model of the drilling tool was established through the analysis on the output error of the magnetometer, and the magnetometer error parameters were sorted into solution vectors. Then, the objective function of the ideal magnetic output data, the …

Obstacle-Avoidance Trajectory Planning Of Mine Drilling Robot During Drill Pipe Loading And Unloading, Yao Yafeng, Yao Ningping, Peng Tao, Liang Chunmiao, Peng Guangyu

Coal Geology & Exploration

The position of drill pipe loading and unloading by mine drilling robot will change with the attitude adjustment of the host machine, and obstacles are present in the loading and unloading path of drill pipe. Therefore, there is a problem of obstacle-avoidance trajectory planning with variable targets in the loading and unloading of drill pipe. For this reason, the DH parameter table was created according to the performance parameters of the explosion-proof 6-DOF manipulator, and the function relation of the change in loading and unloading position of drill pipe before and after the attitude adjustment of the 3-DOF host machine …

Stress Field Of High-Temperature Wellbore Under Spray Cooling For Underground Coal Gasification, Tang Yang, Xie Na, Xiong Haoyu, He Yin, Huang Shunxiao

Coal Geology & Exploration

As a supplement to traditional physical coal mining technology, underground coal gasification (UCG) is a new generation of chemical coal mining technology. During the gasification, the wellbore of UCG production wells is subjected to the combined action of high temperature and internal pressure loads. Targeting the structural characteristics of the wellbore of UCG production wells, this study, based on the heat transfer theory, established a calculation model for the transient temperature of the wellbore under the cooling through annular spray water injection. By combining the wellbore pressure model, as well as the elasticity theory and the wall cylinder theory, this …

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

A Simulation Study On The Suspension And Transport Patterns Of Proppants In Long Distance Pipelines For Integrated Well And Ground Fracturing, Li Haozhe, Jiang Zaibing, Sun Siqing, Zhu Chuanyong, Fan Yao, Guo Yong, Cheng Bin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Integrated well and ground fracturing is a developmental trend for the staged fracturing of underground long boreholes in coal mines. Using the integrated fracturing technology, the fracturing fluids, after being pressurized using a ground fracturing pump, enter long boreholes in underground coal mines through ground penetrating wells and long distance pipelines, aiming to achieve fracturing with high injection rates of fracturing fluids. The suspension and transport patterns of proppants in long distance pipelines hold critical significance for optimizing parameters related to proppant adding and avoiding sand plugging in pipelines. This study evaluated the rheological properties and proppant carrying capacity of …

Numerical Simulations Of The Effects Of Bedding Planes On Hydraulic Fracture Propagation Law In Oil Shale, Li Yanwei, Zhu Chaofan, Zeng Yijian, Shui Haoche, Fan Cunhan, Guo Wei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Hydraulic fracturing serves as a major technical means for the exploitation of oil shale reservoirs presently, and the hydraulic fracture morphology in oil shales is primarily affected by differences in the characteristics of bedding planes. However, current studies mostly focus on the influence of the developmental degree of bedding planes on fracture propagation, overlooking the effects of the bedding plane thickness itself on hydraulic fracture propagation. This study delves into the oil shale in the Xunyi area, Ordos Basin. Based on the theory of linear elastic fracture mechanics, this study developed a stress-damage-seepage model of hydraulic fracture propagation. Using the …

Vertical Variability Of Hydrogeological Characteristics Of Luohe Formation By Double Packer System Pumping Test, Li Chaofeng, Liu Yexian, Zhang Jinkui, Ren Dengjun, Hou Tao, Liu Zengping, Xu Xinqi, Ma Ji, Wang Qingzhen, Duan Xiliang, Xing Jiebo, Li Yang

Coal Geology & Exploration

To investigate the hydrogeological conditions of the thick Luohe Formation in Ordos Basin and quantitatively evaluate vertical variation characteristics of its aquifer’ s water-rich, proposes the method of using the coefficient of transmissibility to evaluate the water-rich of the aquifer, and give the seven level classification standard of water-rich by the method of determining coefficient of transmissibility. The double-packer system was used to carry out the pumping tests of 10 vertical sections of fixed thickness of the Luohe Formation in the DJ1 and DJ2 boreholes in the Gaojiabao mine field, shaanxi, and the hydrogeological parameters were calculated. Using the comprehensive …

Characteristics And Genetic Mechanism Of Low Sulfate In High-Salt Groundwater Of Permian Sandstone In Fudong Mining Area, Huainan, Jiang Chunlu, Huang Wendi, Fu Xianjie, Zheng Liugen, Cheng Shigui, Shan Chonglei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Hydrogeochemistry research of groundwater in coal mining areas is of great significance to the prevention and control of mine water and the comprehensive utilization of water resources. In terms of the low surfate of Permian sandstone water in Fudong mining area, Anhui Huainan Coalfield, the hydrochemical characteristics, water-rock interaction and low sulfate genesis of sandstone water were studied through water sampling and test by multivariate statistical method, in combination with the hydrogeological condition analysis and the sulfur and oxygen isotope technology. The results show that the Permian sandstone water in the study area is weakly alkaline, with an average TDS …

Evaluation Of Water Quality And Identification Of Pollution Factors In Mining Subsidence Area With High Phreatic Water Level, Hu Lin, Chen Yongchun, Xu Yanfei, Li Bing, Wang Jin, An Shikai, Chen Chen, Sun Hongjie, Miao Wei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Huainan mining area is characterized by a high phreatic water level, as well as a wide range and large area of coal mining subsidence areas, with the water quality monitoring data missing and prominent water environment. Therefore, the evaluation of water quality monitoring and identification of pollution factors in large subsidence area is of great significance to regional water environmental governance. Specifically, the water quality of the subsidence area was evaluated with the Nemerow pollution index method by testing the water samples collected from 175 sampling points in the study area. Meanwhile, the eutrophication state of water bodies was evaluated …

A Method For Evaluating Aquiclude Stability In The Water Conservation-Based Mining Of Shallowly Buried Coal Seams In Ecologically Vulnerable Areas In Northwest China, Li Heng, He Tao, Guo Bin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Water conservation and coal mining are both critical to Northwest China. Water conservation-based coal mining is an important technology for the coordinated development of coal and water resources in this region. In this technology, the evaluation of aquiclude stability is critical. Due to the shallow depth of coal seams, intense topographic cutting, and complex changes in near-surface aquifers in the ecologically vulnerable areas in Northwest China, there exist large errors between traditional methods for aquiclude evaluation and the actual hydrological observations in these areas. To address this challenge, this study develops using the 3D geological modelling combined with numerical simulation …

Micp Restoration Law Of Coal Mining Induced Ground Fissures And Its Influencing Factors, Li Tao, Gao Ying, Yan Jingwang, Zhang Jiarui, Kou Guigui, Ma Tengfei, Mei Aoran

Coal Geology & Exploration

The coal mining induced ground fissures in the loess covered area of northwest China cause shallow groundwater resource leakage and soil instability. Therefore, the experimental study was conducted on Microbial Induced Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) restoration of coal mining induced ground fissures in the loess covered area. Specifically, the characteristics of mining induced ground fissures were observed and their development characteristics were revealed based on Ningtiaota Coal Mine in northern Shaanxi. The coal mining induced ground fissures in loess were classified with consideration to the observed mine pressure. Based on the classification and characteristics of coal mining induced ground fractures, the …

Detection Of Small Objects In Open-Pit Coal Mine Stopes Using Uav Remote Sensing Images, Liu Mingrui, Che Ben, Dong Hongbo, Zhu Ruoli

Coal Geology & Exploration

Open-pit coal mine stopes witness frequent vehicle accidents due to their complex terrains. Therefore, accurately positioning vehicles in the stopes is critical to safe coal mining. To overcome the inaccurate positioning of small targets in the mining areas using Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing images, this study proposed an improved YOLOv7 model for object detection. First, to expedite the reasoning of the YOLOv7 network, the ELAN module in the original YOLOv7 model was improved by introducing partial convolution. Based on this, the eSE channel attention mechanism was combined to form the PConv-eSE convolution attention module. The purpose is to …