Mineral Physics Commons^™

Impact Of Young Biocrust On Dryland Surface Albedo, Rhynhardt Mudde, Rebekah Magness, Raul Roman, Nicole Pietrasiak

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

More than 40% of the Earth’s surface is covered by drylands. Due to limited availability of water, less surface area is covered by vascular plants. Instead, this space is occupied by microbial communities that exist in close contact with mineral soil, creating a living aggregate on the upper soil layer and are known collectively as biological soil crusts or “biocrusts”. Biocrusts play a vital role in ecosystem functioning in drylands specifically through their influence on hydrological processes (e.g., water retention, infiltration). However, the impact of biocrusts on evaporation is not well understood. Biocrusts have been reported to either increase or …

Foliar Application Of Low Concentrations Of Titanium Dioxide And Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles To The Common Sunflower Under Field Conditions, Marek Kolenčík, Dávid Ernst, Martin Urík, Ľuba Ďurišová, Marek Bujdoš, Martin Šebesta, Edmund Dobročka, Samuel Kšiňan, Ramakanth Illa, Qian Yu, Huan Feng, Ivan Černý, Veronika Holišová, Gabriela Kratošová

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Nano-fertilisers have only recently been introduced to intensify plant production, and there still remains inadequate scientific knowledge on their plant-related effects. This paper therefore compares the effects of two nano-fertilisers on common sunflower production under field conditions. The benefits arising from the foliar application of micronutrient-based zinc oxide fertiliser were compared with those from the titanium dioxide plant-growth enhancer. Both the zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) were delivered by foliar application in nano-size at a concentration of 2.6 mg·L⁻¹. The foliar-applied nanoparticles (NPs) had good crystallinity and a mean size distribution under 30 nm. …

Statistical Analysis Of Nutrient Loads From The Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin (Marb) To The Gulf Of Mexico, Phyllis Okwan, Yi Zhen, Huan Feng, Shinjae Yoo, Murty S. Kambhampati, Abreione Walker, Shayne Boykin, Joe Omojola, Noel Blackburn

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study investigated the annual and seasonal variations in nutrient loads (NO₂⁻ + NO₃⁻ and orthophosphate) delivered to the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) and examined the water quality variations. The results indicate that (1) annually, the mean NO₂⁻ + NO₃⁻ and orthophosphate loads showed a steady increase during 1996–1999, a persistent level during 2000–2007, and a moderate increase during 2008–2016; (2) seasonally, NO₂⁻ + NO₃⁻ and orthophosphate in MARB in spring and summer were higher than those in autumn and winter. Analysis of …

Effect Of Foliar Spray Application Of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles On Quantitative, Nutritional, And Physiological Parameters Of Foxtail Millet (Setaria Italica L.) Under Field Conditions, Marek Kolenčík, Dávid Ernst, Matej Komár, Martin Šebesta, Martin Urík, Edmund Dobročka, Ivan Černý, Ramakanth Illa, Raghavendra Kanike, Qian Yu, Huan Feng, Denisa Orlová, Gabriela Kratošová

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

It has been shown that the foliar application of inorganic nano-materials on cereal plants during their growth cycle enhances the rate of plant productivity by providing a micro-nutrient source. We therefore studied the effects of foliarly applied ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on Setaria italica L. foxtail millet’s quantitative, nutritional, and physiological parameters. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the ZnO NPs have an average particle size under 20 nm and dominant spherically shaped morphology. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry then confirmed ZnO NP homogeneity, and X-ray diffraction verified their high crystalline and wurtzite-structure symmetry. Although plant height, thousand grain weight, and grain …

Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of Geographical Criteria For Loblolly Pine Management For Bioenergy Production In Virginia, Meghann Smith, Gia Nguyen, Taylor Wieczerak, Bernabas Wolde, Pankaj Lal, John Munsell

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study analyzed the perceptions of four stakeholder groups (forest landowners, private forest consultants, forest management researchers or educators, and federal or state agency foresters), regarding their management practices and preferred geographic growing conditions of loblolly pine in Virginia by combining AHP (analytical hierarchy process) and regression modeling. By ranking the importance of different geographical conditions for managing loblolly pine, we aimed to identify ways to support loblolly growth as a potential feedstock for biofuel generation. We achieved this through collecting survey responses from 43 stakeholders during the 2019 Virginia Forestry Summit. The results showed that the landowner, researcher/educator, and …

Radical Social Ecology As Deep Pragmatism: A Call To The Abolition Of Systemic Dissonance And The Minimization Of Entropic Chaos, Arielle Brender

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper aims to shed light on the dissonance caused by the superimposition of Dominant Human Systems on Natural Systems. I highlight the synthetic nature of Dominant Human Systems as egoic and linguistic phenomenon manufactured by a mere portion of the human population, which renders them inherently oppressive unto peoples and landscapes whose wisdom were barred from the design process. In pursuing a radical pragmatic approach to mending the simultaneous oppression and destruction of the human being and the earth, I highlight the necessity of minimizing entropic chaos caused by excess energy expenditure, an essential feature of systems that aim …

Speleothems As Proxy For The Carbon Isotope Composition Of Atmospheric Co2, M. Baskaran, R. V. Krishnamurthy

Environmental Science and Geology Faculty Research Publications

We have measured the stable isotope ratios of carbon in a suite of recent cave deposits (<200 >years) from the San Saba County, Texas, USA. The methodology for dating these deposits using excess ²¹⁰Pb was recently established [Baskaran and Iliffe, 1993]. The carbon isotope ratios of these samples, spanning the time period ∼1800–1990 AD, reflect the carbon isotope ratio of atmospheric CO₂ for the same period. The pathways by which the δ¹³C of atmospheric CO₂ is imprinted on these speleothems can be explained using a model developed by Cerling (1984). The results suggest that the …

Age Determination Of Recent Cave Deposits Using Excess 210Pb - A New Technique, M. Baskaran, Thomas M. Iliffe

Environmental Science and Geology Faculty Research Publications

Cave deposits have been widely used as proxy recorders in deciphering palaeoclimate during the last glacial/interglacial maxima (∼ 120 ka) [Harmon et al., 1975; Atkinson et al., 1978; Goede and Harmon, 1983; Ayliffe and Veeh, 1989]. Palaeoclimatic studies of cave deposits for the past 1–1000 yr time scale require a precise dating technique, that until now has been lacking. Due to the multiple sources of carbon in speleothems, ¹⁴C dates obtained for recently deposited calcite are highly variable and thus, ¹⁴C dating techniques are not suitable to obtain speleothem ages for the past 1–1000 years.

Here, we show …

Rock Phosphates : Fertilisers For Sandy Soils?, J S. Yeates, D. M. Deeley, G. T.B. Cockerton, M. F. Clarke

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Rock phosphates, from which water solubls phosphorus fertilisers such as superphosphate are manufactured, sometimes appear attractive to farmers because of their relatively low cost. But redearch has shown t6hat on most western australian soils they are not economical fertilisers. However, some deep sandy soils of the State's high rainfall area are exeptions. On these soils, rock phosphates compare favourably with superphosphate for plant growth. But how can these deep sands be identified.

This article describes research to define the soil characteristics necessary for rock phosphates and fertilisers containing rock phosphate, such as Coastal superphosphate, to be effective substitutes for superphosphate.

Landform, Natural Drainage And Salinity, Eric Bettenay

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

An understanding of salt movement in streams and groundwater may lead to better methods of control and prevention of salinity.

Western Australian Soils Store Large Quantities Of Salt, C V. Malcolm, R. A. Nulsen, C. Henschke

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Enormous quantities of salt are stored in the soil in the agricultural areas of Western Australia. Small movements in this salt can produce large effects on farms.

The Dryland Salinity Problem In North America, P R. George

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

North america also has a dryland salinity problem although the source is different.

Soil Structure Changes Under Wheatbelt Farming Systems, T C. Stoneman

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A review of 14 years of Department of Agriculture research into the effects of wheatbelt fanning practices on soil structure reaches the general conclusion that cultivation and grazing practices influence soil structure, and that structure can be improved by soil amendments and pasture growth.

Little data has been obtained to relate plant growth to improved soil structure, as measured.

Molybdenum Deficiency On Lighter Soils, Edgar Noel Fitzpatrick

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

WIDESPREAD occurrences of molybdenum deficiency of subterranean clover have been observed on sandy and gfravelly surfaced soils in recent years, and present indications are that molybdenum will join copper and zinc as a major trace element deficiency of many of these soils.

Trace Elements For Cereal Crops And Pastures, Edgar Noel Fitzpatrick

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

TRACE element deficiencies are widespread in Western Australia and application of copper, zinc, molybdenum and cobalt have played a major part in land development in this State.

Research Officer E. N. Fitzpatrick, M.Sc. (Agric.) reviews recent Department of Agriculture research on the use of Trace elements for crop and pasture growth on deficient soils in Western Australia.

Potassium Deficiency In Medium Rainfall Areas, William John Toms

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IT is well known that potassic fertilisers must be used for the successful growth of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) on many soils in the higher rainfall districts of Western Australia.

Recent investigations have shown that some soils in medium rainfall districts are also too low in potassium to grow healthy subterranean clover pastures.

The Use Of Lime In Market Gardens, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE term "lime" when used in relation to agriculture means any calcium containing material that is capable of correcting soil acidity.

While generally used for this purpose, lime has many other equally important functions in the soil.