Earth Sciences Commons^™

Costs And Benefits Of Controlling Grasshoppers On Rangeland, E W. Huddleston, R Sanderson, L A. Torell, J H. Davis, J G. Watts

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Ultra low volume (ULV) aerial application of malathion at 0.58 I/ha is the common method of rangeland grasshopper control in the USA. Aircraft often are unavailable or too expensive for treating small infestations; therefore, air-assist ground equipment was adjusted 10 apply the ULV rate from a small truck. In winds of 2.2 m/sec or greater, control with the ground equipment was equivalent to that expected from aircraft. The low spray volume, low sprayer cost and use of a small truck have increased the benefit/cost ratio. Using results from this research and site-specific estimates of control costs and forage value, the …

The Rodent Pests Of Pasture And Their Control In China, Xixian Hou, Weihui Dong, Yanlin Zhou

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rodent damage is increasingly recognised as a major problem for grasslands of China rodents damage up to an estimated 33 million ha each year, There are two reasons for rodent damage in grassland: one is overgrazing, which causes degeneration of grassland and provides good habitats for rodents; another is the ecological characteristics of rodents. A rodent control programme has been followed for years in China, and includes: (1) studies on the ecology of major rodent pests in pasture, (2) prediction of population, (3) setting up control indexes paying attention to economic benefits, (4) tightening up grassland management and developing integrated …

Stylo Host Heterogeneity For Anthracnose Management, S Chakraborty, A N. Petitt, R M. Boland, S Low Choy, D F. Cameron, J A.G Irwin, R D. Davis

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Small plots of 3 different mixtures of Stylosallllles. scabra genotypes were established within background paddocks of either pure cv. Seca, or a mixture of 6 S. scabra genotypes including Seca, to study anthracnose development in the three mixtures under exogenous inoculum pressures arising from the two backgrounds. There was no difference in disease severity between the background paddocks after the first year. In the small plots, severity of nearest neighbours significantly influenced anthracnose severity on the partially resistant accession 55860 in the first year; this effect disappeared as the disease became more widespread throughout the plot in later years. Replacing …

Increased Resistance To Sclerotinia Crown And Stem Rot Of Alfalfa Through Recurrent Selection Of Surviving Plants In Inoculated Field Plots, M Kanbe, F Fujimoto, S Inami

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

ABSTRACT Breeding alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.) for resistance to Sclerotinia crown and stem rot (SCR; causal agent Sclerotitivia trifoliorum Eriks.), which is a serious disease in Japan, was started in 1983. Increased resistance to this disease has been examined after repeated selected of surviving plants from artificially inoculated field plots to the 5th generation. The strains selected for SCR resistance showed higher resistance than Tachiwakaba, which was the main breeding material. The effectiveness of selection judged by the survival rate of progenies was low in the early selection generations but high in the later ones, It is considered that …

Biological Control Of Alfalfa Aphids In Japan Using Coccinella Septempunctata Brucki, Keiichi Takashi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The oviposition, predation, and survival abilities of Coccinella septempuncrara bmcki Mulsanl (lady beetle), a natural enemy of alfalfa aphids (Acyrtllosyphon kondoi Shinji), increased as temperatures rose in laboratory tests. The second-instar larvae were released into cages in alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.) fields in spring 1991. One month later, alfalfa plants in the control cages without larvae showed much lower yield; however, no damage was observed in cages in which larvae had been released. There is a strong probability that alfalfa aphids can be controlled by the timely release of lady beetle larvae in the field.

Re-Evaluating Hypertragulid Diversity In The John Day Basin, Oregon, Usa, Nicholas A. Famoso, Lana K. Jewell

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite their relative abundance, members of the family Hypertragulidae (Artiodactyla, Mammalia) have proved a conundrum regarding species diversity in the Turtle Cove Member (Oligocene) of the John Day Formation, located in central and eastern Oregon. Three species and two separate genera are described in the area, but previous research lacks statistical support for this level of variation. We use coefficients of variation (V) on measurements of dentition and astragali of hypertragulid specimens designated Hypertragulus hesperius, Hypertragulus minutus, and Nanotragulus planiceps as a metric for determining whether there were multiple species present in the population. Asymptotic and modified signed-likelihood ratio V …

Estimating Methane Emissions From Orphaned Oil And Gas Wells In Kentucky: Results From The Initial Grant Program, T. Marty Parris, Deron W. Zierer, Stacy L. Woods, Steven E. Webb

Contract Reports--KGS

From February 2023 through August 2024, Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) scientists measured methane emissions on 119 orphaned oil and gas wells distributed among 26 counties in eastern, south-central, and western Kentucky. Early measurements were done in partnership with the Well Done Foundation using a Ventbuster flowmeter (n = 41), whereas later measurements (n = 78) were done by KGS scientists using a SEMTECH High-Flow 2 sampler or a static chamber designed and fabricated at the University of Kentucky. The measurements were done in support of the Kentucky Division of Oil and Gas plugging program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s …

A Multivariate Approach To Assessing Landscape Structure Effects On Wildlife Crossing Structure Use, Thomas J. Yamashita, Humberto L. Perotto-Baldivieso, David B. Wester, Kevin W. Ryer, Richard J. Kline, Michael E. Tewes, John H. Young Jr., Jason V. Lombardi

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Complexity in landscape structure is often assessed using individual metrics related to ecological processes. However, this rarely incorporates important relationships among metrics and may miss landscape structure effects. Multivariate statistics provide techniques for assessing overall landscape structure effects. We assessed how multivariate statistics could be used to connect landscape structure with an ecological process [bobcat (Lynx rufus) wildlife crossing structure (WCS) use]. We tested how landscape structure at WCS sites compared to the surrounding landscape and how structure affected detections at WCS sites. Our study was conducted in Cameron County, Texas, USA where WCSs are in various …

Optimizing The Physical Properties Of Biochar For Co2 Adsorption Using Resonant Vibrations, Amirhosein Riahi, Richard Ladouceur

Mining Engineering

Among various Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) technologies, significant emphasis has been placed on biochar as an effective post-combustion CO2 capture method. Biochar demonstrates potential as a technically effective method for stabilizing carbon. However, the efficacy of CCS based on adsorption phenomenon depends on factors such as the CO2 uptake of the adsorbent, kinetic rates, and cyclic adsorption. The study shows that Low-Frequency High Amplitude (LFHA) resonant vibratory mixing improves the physical characteristics and adsorption properties of hemp biochar. According to the results of an analysis of variance (ANOVA), increasing both the mass of biochar and the intensity of resonant …

Projected Loss Of Rock Glacier Habitat In The Contiguous Western United States With Warming, Abigail C. Lute, John T. Abatzoglou, Andrew G. Fountain, Timothy C. Bartholomaus

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Rock glaciers support alpine biodiversity and may respond more slowly to warming than snow or glaciers. While responses of snow and glaciers to climate change are relatively well understood, a robust assessment of rock glacier environmental niche, future distributions of rock glaciers and potential for development of rock glaciers from current glaciers is lacking. Using process-relevant, high-resolution environmental descriptors, we develop a species distribution model of the topographic, geologic and hydroclimatic niche of rock glaciers that provides novel estimates of potential rock glacier distributions for different climates. We identify mean annual air temperature and headwall area as the dominant controls …

Network Analysis Of Virginia’S Mineralogical Systems, Cadence M. Boucher, Ahmed M. Eleish, Robert M. Hazen, Shaunna M. Morrison

Virginia Journal of Science

The principal objective of this study was to use network analysis to identify spatial, geomorphic, physical, and chemical patterns in Virginia’s mineralogical systems. Mineralogical and locality data from mindat.org were visualized as a bipartite force- directed network of the minerals and the counties of Virginia in which they occur. Mineral nodes were sized to represent the number of counties the minerals are found in (i.e., frequency of occurrence) and county nodes were sized to represent the number of minerals found in that county (i.e., mineral diversity). Furthermore, the nodes were colored to display selected attributes of the mineral-county data. County …

A Community-Level Investigation Of Heavy Metal Pollution In Street Sediments From Terre Haute, Indiana, Kyra Copp '25, Kenneth Brown, Nora Bedwell '26, Camden Brown '25

Annual Student Research Poster Session

Urban environments contain environmental legacy issues that can have long-term negative public health consequences. Investigating these legacy issues can help constrain potential sources and their impact on communities. This study focuses on street sediment found in Terre Haute, Indiana, a city with an extensive history of coal-fired power production, high-traffic volumes, steel manufacturing, and Pb-based paint usage. This research specifically focuses on Terre Haute’s Sheridan Park community. Six bulk street sediment samples were analyzed by pXRF at DePauw University. This analysis revealed elevated concentrations of Pb (22-152 ppm), As (8-15 ppm), Cu (35-237 ppm), and Zn (149-634 ppm) in all …

A Comparative Study Of Cave System Calcium Isotope Ratios: Implications For Quantitative Reconstruction Of Paleorainfall From Speleothems, Cameron B. De Wet, Elizabeth M. Griffith, Andrea Erhardt, Jessica L. Oster

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

Variations in speleothem calcium isotope ratios (δ44Ca) are thought to be uniquely controlled by prior carbonate precipitation (PCP) above a drip site and, when calibrated with modern data, show promise as a semi‐quantitative proxy for paleorainfall. However, few monitoring studies have focused on δ44Ca in modern cave systems. We present a multi‐year comparative study of δ44Ca, carbon isotopes (δ13C), and trace elemental ratios from cave drip waters, modern calcite, and host rocks from two cave systems in California—White Moon Cave (WMC) and Lake Shasta Caverns (LSC). Drip water and calcite δ44Ca from both caves indicate PCP‐ driven enrichment, and we …

Comprehensive Lead Exposure Vulnerability For New Jersey: Insights From A Multi-Criteria Risk Assessment And Community Impact Analysis Framework, Gift Fabolude, Charles Knoble, Anvy Vu, Danlin Yu

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Lead contamination remains a persistent and insidious threat, particularly affecting young children and vulnerable communities. This study aims to develop a comprehensive sources-based lead exposure index map for New Jersey municipalities by integrating diverse lead contamination data, including lead-based paint, lead service lines, proximity to superfund and brownfield sites, road density, and gas stations, analyzing how municipality socioeconomic and land use factors impact lead exposure. The research employs Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to create two distinct multi-criteria lead exposure indices. The indices are mapped to understand the spatial distribution and magnitude of lead exposure risks …

Kentucky Geological Survey Landslide Inventory [2024], Matthew M. Crawford, Evelyn M. Bibbins, Hudson J. Koch

Research Data--KGS

The KGS landslide inventory provides the locations of known landslides and areas susceptible to debris flows. Various types of landslides are represented including slides, flows, rockfalls, and creep. The data are available as ArcGIS geodatabase feature classes. Landslide locations and associated attributes are compiled from Kentucky Geological Survey research, published maps, state and local government agencies, the public, and media reports. A confidence ranking system assigns a value to each feature. A description of the feature classes is here: https://kgs.uky.edu/kgsmap/helpfiles/landslide_help.shtm

The inventory viewed in a GIS with geology, soils, slope or other terrain-based data can serve as a basis for …

The Compass - Volume 93 Issue 2 - Complete Issue, Scott R. Beason

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

No abstract provided.

Festival Of Research Abstracts, Fall 2024, College Of Science And Mathematics, Wright State University

Festival of Research

The collection of abstracts accepted for the Fall 2024 Festival of Research hosted by the Wright State University College of Science and Mathematics.

Age And Provenance Relationships Between The Basal Great Valley Group And Its Underlying Basement: Implications For Initiation Of The Great Valley Forearc Basin, California, U.S.A., Mariah C. Romero, Devon A. Orme, Kathleen D. Surpless, Chance B. Ronemus, Zachary Morrow

Earth and Environmental Geosciences Faculty Research

The Great Valley forearc (GVf) basin, California, records deposition along the western margin of North America during active oceanic subduction from Jurassic through Paleogene time. Along the western GVf, its underlying basement, the Coast Range Ophiolite (CRO), is exposed as a narrow outcrop belt. CRO segments are overlain by the Great Valley Group (GVG), and locally, an ophiolitic breccia separates the CRO from basal GVG strata. New stratigraphic, petrographic, and geochronologic data (3865 detrital and 68 igneous zircon U-Pb ages) from the upper CRO, ophiolitic breccia, and basal GVG strata clarify temporal relationships among the three units, constrain maximum depositional …

Seismic Resilience Of Timber Homes, Melia R. Costa

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The vast majority of residential buildings in California are wood-frame structures. A home is typically a very large investment for families, and damage to the home can be detrimental to a family’s economic success. Thus, reducing the economic impacts of an earthquake on residential timber housing is crucial. A full scale, two-story section of a residential timber house is in construction in the Parson’s Geotechnical and Earthquake Engineering Laboratory on the Cal Poly campus in San Luis Obispo, California. Once built it will be put through earthquake simulation tests on a shake table with various magnitudes of seismic activity. Next, …

Low-Impact Geophysical Research Near Richardton, North Dakota, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet about a multi-year research project that explores a lower-cost, less invasive geophysical survey technique. Part of the Red Trail Energy carbon capture and storage research effort.

Feral Goat, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

The goat (Capra hircus) was one of the first animals to be domesticated, 8 to 10 thousand years ago. Archaeological work indicates the earliest attempts at domestication were in dry hills surrounding the Mediterranean basin. The ability of goats to utilise the coarse browse of mountainous areas made them suitable for domestication, in preference to sheep. With large-scale domestication of goats throughout the world, goats escaped and established feral goat herds on most continents. Overgrazing by goats has caused severe environmental damage, worldwide.

Goats arrived in Australia with the first fleet. They were introduced to many areas by early settlers …

Implications Of Persistent Micro-Bioplastics On Biogeochemical Properties Across Soil Types, Casandra R. Leach

Master's Theses

Terrestrial microplastics are increasing in abundance and are an emerging contaminant of concern, particularly in agriculture ecosystems where plastic use and subsequent soil contamination are prevalent. Plastic film mulches make up a significant portion of the plasticulture industry and are directly linked to soil microplastic pollution where negative effects to soil biotic and abiotic functions have been observed. In response to this issue, biodegradable film mulches have been promoted as a sustainable alternative to conventional polyethylene-based mulches. These biodegradable mulches, composed of various bioplastics, are designed to be tilled back into the soil where they are expected to decompose. However, …

Engaging Students In The Scientific Process: An Examination Of Active Learning Strategies In Introductory Geoscience Labs, Meryssa Piper

Theses and Dissertations

High-quality instruction of introductory geoscience courses entices students to major in geoscience fields and ensures undergraduate students have opportunities to learn and apply scientific information and practices. Prior studies indicate that active learning strategies in higher education settings can increase student knowledge and interest. This dissertation explores the integration of two active learning strategies in introductory geoscience laboratory courses: inquiry and gamification The first study housed in Chapter 2 investigates the level of inquiry used in introductory geoscience lab activities across the United States. Through a comprehensive analysis of these activities, this chapter assesses: (1) the degree to which instructor …

The Fifth Element In Three Dimensions: Boron Systematics Along And Across The Aleutian Volcanic Arc, Owen Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses abundances and isotope ratios of the fluid-mobile element boron (B) to better understand the role of fluids in volcanism at the Aleutian arc in Alaska. In volcanic rocks from the Aleutian volcanic front, patterns in B abundance and isotope ratios (δ11B) point to three endmembers: a sediment melt, a slab interior melt, and a slab-top melt. Most lavas from the eastern Aleutian Islands have δ11B of -2 to +5‰, similar to Aleutian sediment. Hence, sediment is likely to be the dominant B source in the Aleutian Island samples. In lavas from the western Aleutian seafloor, high δ11B …

Detection Of Seismic Microwave Radiation Anomalies In Snow-Covered Mountainous Terrain: Insights From Two Recent Earthquakes In The Pamir–Tien Shan Region, Feng Jing, Meng Jiang, Ramesh P. Singh

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

When earthquakes occur in high-mountain areas during the winter season, the epicentral region is often covered by a snow layer, which can be either thin or thick. The presence of snow and/or ice layers affects the detection of thermal anomalies associated with seismic signals. Taking into account the penetration capabilities of microwaves, microwave brightness temperature data were analyzed by using the index of microwave radiation anomaly to study the response of the epicentral region associated with two recent strong earthquakes in Central Asia, which occurred in snow-covered mountainous areas. Increased microwave radiation was observed within one week prior to the …

Stable Isotope Analysis Of Antipatharian Diets From The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Keir J. Macartney, Victoria Salinas, Zachary Rivera, David Hicks

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Antipatharians, or black corals, form a key component of the benthic fauna found throughout the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). In the northwestern GOM, they are a common member of the communities found on the natural relic coral—algal banks known as the South Texas Banks as well as on artificial reefs. They are known to provide important habitat for many ecologically and economically important species in the area but are relatively understudied. Here we present a study on their trophic ecology using stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen from 2 species, Antipathes atlantica and Stichopathes luetkeni from a mesophotic artificial …

Sigma Gamma Epsilon – Call To Convention: First Notice

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The National Council has accepted an invitation from the Delta Psi Chapter (Western Illinois University) to host the Society’s 47th Biennial Convention on WIU’s Quad Cities Campus – located in Moline, Illinois, on the east bank of the Mississippi River. The convention is scheduled for April 11–13, 2025, and planning is underway. The Friday afternoon through Sunday noon schedule is designed to minimize the number of class days that delegates would need to miss. The Quad Cities International Airport (MLI) serves the area. At this time, we encourage chapters to “save the date” and to start making plans for a …

Introduction To The Issue: University Of Tennessee At Martin Eta Alpha Chapter Volume, Michael A. Gibson

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

Welcome to the Eta Alpha Chapter volume of The Compass. The geosciences degree program at The University of Tennessee at Martin celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, just in time for the 46th Biennial Convention of Sigma Gamma Epsilon. The cover photo for this volume depicts the Joseph E. Johnson EPS (Engineering and Physical Sciences) Building that has been the home of the geosciences program since its construction in 1960. This volume is a series of papers that were initially compiled to be part of the 46th biennial convention volume that was to occur in 2019; however, the COVID-19 pandemic, …

Geoscience Student Organizations At The University Of Tennessee At Martin, Michael A. Gibson, Natalie Hudson

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

In celebration of 2022 Sigma Gamma Epsilon 46th National Convention being hosted by the University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin), Eta Alpha Chapter, this paper serves a synopsis that celebrates the history of student clubs and professional organizations in the geosciences program at UT Martin. The first geoscience student organization officially recognized by the University was devoted to geology, the GeoClub, and established in 1970 and still serves as the primary student organization for all of the geosciences. UT Martin established the Eta Alpha Chapter of Sigma Gamma Epsilon honor society in 1997. A Travel and Tourism club was …

A History Of The Geology Program At The University Of Tennessee At Martin, Michael A. Gibson

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The teaching of geology has as long a history as The University of Tennessee at Martin has itself, extending back to 1901 when the first geology class was offered at the campus’s original institution, Hall-Moody Institute, a small Baptist college. Geology, usually with geography, was offered as a service course to the primary programs of agriculture, education and, later, engineering. Faculty turnover during these formative years was frequent. When the school was acquired by the University of Tennessee in 1927 and became UT Junior College, geology remained a service course. Geology offerings had been expanding since 1947 and, in 1951, …