Environmental Monitoring Commons^™

Effect Of Macrograzers (Campostoma Spp. And Faxonius Spp.) On Periphyton In Ozark Streams With Considerations Given To Macrograzer Biomass, Phosphorus, And Season: Mensurative And Manipulative Studies, Kayla R. Sayre

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient and benthic algal biomass relationships can guide numeric nutrient criteria development in lotic systems. However, herbivorous macrograzers may confound this relationship by reducing the slope of the positive relationship between nutrients and periphyton biomass in streams. I conducted a mensurative field study to determine if stoneroller and crayfish abundance related to algal biomass at varying nutrient concentrations and manipulated macrograzer presence with electrical exclosures in streams to examine macrograzer effects on algal biomass and understand whether these effects on periphyton varied with total phosphorus (TP) or season. Macrograzer density was quantified across a TP gradient (n=15 streams; range = …

Keeping Pace With Relative Sea Level Rise: Marsh Platform Monitoring Shows Minimal Sediment Deficit Along The Louisiana Coast, Kelly Marie Sanks

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent reports estimate that the marshes of the Mississippi Delta receive just 30% of the sediment necessary to sustain current land area1. An extensive monitoring campaign by the USGS and LCPRA provides direct measurements of sediment accumulation, subsidence rates, and deposit characteristics along the coast over the past 10 years2, allowing us to directly evaluate this sediment balance. By interpolating bulk density, organic fraction, and vertical accretion rates from 273 sites, a direct measurement of organic and inorganic sediment accumulation can be made. Results show that a total of 82 MT/year of sediment is delivered to the coast. Using a …

Assessment Of Soil Properties And Vegetation In A Mounded Native Tallgrass Prairie With An Aquic And Udic Soil Moisture Regime In The Ozark Highlands Region Of Northwest Arkansas, Tyler Joseph Durre

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Native tallgrass prairies were once considered to be the dominant pre-settlement vegetation type in the eastern third of the Great Plains, but are now designated as America’s most endangered ecosystem due to conversion to agricultural land. Prairie mounds are unique soil features still present in remnant native tallgrass prairies across the United States. The main objective was to determine the effects of soil moisture regime (i.e., aquic and udic), mound position, (i.e., mound summit, backslope, toeslope, inter-mound), soil depth (i.e., 10-cm intervals from 0 to 90 cm), and their interactions on soil physical, chemical, and hydraulic properties in a mounded …

Evaluating Climate Change Policy Through The Endangered Species Act, Richie Donahou

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research sets out to address a growing knowledge gap of climate change science in regards to the state of Arkansas. Within the coming chapters, the goal of this research is to examine climate data and to identify if any evidence of climate change can be detected and what are the policies in place to adapt to these potential changes. Furthermore, the scope of this research will be narrowed to a few counties over the southwest Arkansas, and a specific endangered species, the Leopard Darter. Upon examination of previous environmental and ecological climate change related research it became clear that …

Performance Assessment Of Solid State Anaerobic Digestion Of Poultry Litter, Mason Puckett

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The disposal of poultry litter can exert an economic and environmental burden to the agriculture community. As a result, it is desirable to reduce the amount of waste and recover resources from the waste. This study focuses on the construction and preliminary testing of a laboratory scale (20 L) solid state anaerobic digester (AD) fed with dry poultry litter. Glucose was added in addition to the poultry litter to achieve the appropriate C:N ratio to support the growth of anaerobic microorganisms. The AD was first fed every 4 days at 4 g VS/L/feeding for 24 days, rested (no feeding) for …

Soil Organic Carbon And Mineralization Rates At The Woolsey Wet Prairie Mitigation Site In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Zachary Tipton, Lisa S. Wood, Mary Savin, Benjamin R. Runkle

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels are rapidly increasing, surpassing 400 ppm in 2013 from a pre-industrial revolution level of around 280 ppm. Researchers have been looking at methods to reduce CO₂ levels in the atmosphere, including promoting carbon sequestration in soils. Carbon sequestration is the process where CO₂ is naturally or artificially transferred out of the atmosphere and stored in the ocean, plant biomass, soils, and geologic formations. Seemingly contradictory to the notion of carbon sequestration is the use of fire as a management treatment for the restoration of native prairie grass ecosystems. Fire combusts plant …

An Investigation Of Biological Carbon Sequestration At The Pea Ridge National Military Park, Dorine Reed Bower

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The direct correlation between increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 and global temperatures is now irrefutable. A 50% increase in atmospheric CO2 levels from a pre-industrial level of 270 ppm to a present-day level of 405 ppm, has resulted in documented record temperatures and a concomitant rising of sea levels from melting ice caps.

The ability of biological/terrestrial ecological systems to store atmospheric carbon is a viable option in the effort to mitigate the climate impacts of rising anthropogenically-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Components of the vegetation and soils in the Pea Ridge National Military Park (the Park) were examined for carbon …

A Risk-Based Method For Estimating The Carbon Sequestration Budget For A Mixed Hardwood Forest, Erin Cooper

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) levels in the atmosphere have risen from approximately 310 ppm in the 1950’s to over 400 ppm as of 2015. This rise in CO₂ has likely resulted in the observed warming trend of the earth’s atmosphere in the same time frame, causing significant concern in the scientific community. Several mitigation strategies have arisen to combat the upward trend of CO₂ emissions in recent decades, among them being carbon sequestration- the process of capturing CO₂ from the atmosphere and holding it for an extended period of time. This study used the U.S. Forest …

The Potential For Phosphorus Release From Floodplain Soils: Temporal Variability And Management Strategies, Megan Amanda Reavis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soils may contain large amounts of legacy phosphorus (P) due to past application of excess fertilizers, releasing P during runoff and flood events. As the level of P in soils increases, the release of P from the soils increases, but the temporal fluctuations of this release are not well known. Experiments were conducted to examine 1) the variability of soluble reactive P (SRP) release from the soil throughout a year and 2) the effect of repeated flooding and drying cycles on release rates. Soil cores were collected 7 times throughout a year from 2 sites within the Watershed Research and …

Effects Of Northern Bobwhite Management On Raccoon Abundance, Habitat Selection, And Home Range In Southwest Missouri, Jacob Cody Mcclain

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Habitat management has become vital for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) conservation. In Missouri, efforts to conserve remaining populations on public lands have included the use of two management models. The Intensive Management Model (IMM) promotes hard edges, by creating a juxtaposition of different habitat types, while the Extensive Management Model (EMM) maintains a grassland-dominated landscape through the processes of fire and grazing. Preliminary results suggest that bobwhite success is significantly higher on EMM sites than IMM sites. Management efforts through IMM may be hindered by unintentionally managing for nest predators like raccoons (Procyon lotor). Nest predators may forage more often …

Eucalyptus In Kenya; Impacts On Environment And Society, Brandy M. Garrett Kluthe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eucalyptus trees were introduced to Kenya a little over a century ago. European colonization along with the development of a railway system increased the demand for a fast growing wood source. The expansion of the tree across the fertile lands in Kenya raises concerns about the environmental impact on ecosystems where it has been introduced. These concerns include degraded soils, loss of water resources, co-introduction of ectomycorrhizal species, and allelopathy. Economic benefits to local landowners were also explored as well as the potential for large Eucalyptus woodlots to maximize the sequestration of CO₂ from the atmosphere. This was examined through …

Field Observations And Computer Modeling Of Tornado-Terrain Interaction And Its Effects On Tornado Damage And Path, Nawfal Shihab Ahmed

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tornado forces on structures have been a research focus for the past decades, and some comparisons have been made to distinguish between straight boundary layer (SBL) wind and tornado wind forces on specific structures. However, very little attention has been paid to terrain effects on tornado damage and path. Available damage investigation data for four tornado locations (Joplin-2011, Tuscaloosa-2011, Parish-2011 and Mayflower-2014) is utilized to explore terrain effects on tornado damage and path. Google Earth, site visits and aerial images are employed to study the influence of terrain on an extent of damage and path variation. Additionally, a three dimensional …

Relationships Between Nutrients, Periphyton Abundance, And Benthic Macroinvertebrate Scrapers In Ozark Highland Streams, Harrison Smith

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

We collected samples from seven Arkansas streams during the months of August 2014 and February 2015 with the objective of determining possible relationships between nutrients, periphyton abundance and benthic macroinvertebrates. We hypothesized that periphyton would be positively associated with nutrients, and that increases in periphyton biomass would increase the abundance and diversity of benthic scraper families. Samples were collected from three transects at each site. The periphyton was analyzed for carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and ash free dry mass and Chl-a content. Macroinvertebrates families belonging to the feeding group of grazers/scrapers were compared with water column and periphyton nutrient concentrations, as …

Plain Facts About Anthropogenic Global Climate Change And Warming: A Review, M. K. Cleaveland

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Anthropogenic global climate change (AGC) is proceeding rapidly. The proximate cause is the greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases (GHG), which have rapidly accumulated in the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels and other human activities. Measurements of incoming and outgoing radiation have verified the warming imbalance. Effects manifest themselves in accelerating sea level rise and diminishment of the cryosphere. This has already created climatic refugees and water stress, and will destroy coastal infrastructure. It also impacts ecosystems and biodiversity in many ways. To avoid catastrophic effects, fossil fuel use must cease and carbon sinks must be …

Water-Quality Effects On Phytoplankton Species And Density And Trophic State Indices At Big Base And Little Base Lakes, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, June Through August, 2015, L. J. Driver, B. G. Justus

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Big Base and Little Base Lakes are located on Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, and their close proximity to a dense residential population and an active military/aircraft installation make the lakes vulnerable to water-quality degradation. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a study from June through August 2015 to investigate the effects of water quality on phytoplankton species and density and trophic state in Big Base and Little Base Lakes, with particular regard to nutrient concentrations. Nutrient concentrations, trophic-state indices, and the large part of the phytoplankton biovolume composed of cyanobacteria, indicate eutrophic conditions were prevalent for Big Base …

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Switchgrass And Cottonwood Grown As Bioenergy Crops In The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Michele Lea Helton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Marginal land of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) has the potential to be utilized for the production of bioenergy feedstocks. Soil respiration is the gaseous emission of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from microbes and plant roots in the soil, and these emissions play an important role in the global cycling of carbon. Soil respiration can act as a positive feedback affecting climate change, and has been shown to vary depending on soil moisture, temperature, and vegetation. The objectives of this study where to evaluate the effects of land use [switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), cottonwood (Populus deltoides …

Long-Term Effects Of Broiler Litter Application Rate On Runoff, Leaching, And Soil Respiration From A Captina Silt Loam, Richard Mcmullen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Producers in regions with intense broiler (Gallus gallus) production take advantage of the plant nutrients contained in broiler litter (BL) to enhance yields of forage grasses. However, application of BL to pasture lands in karst regions, like the Ozark Highlands, can potentially reduce water quality if BL-derived contaminants enter surface or groundwater via runoff or drainage. Additionally, BL applications stimulate carbon dioxide (CO2) release from the soil to the atmosphere and may contribute to global warming. The objectives of this study were to determine long-term trends in runoff and soil leachate water quality and to evaluate soil respiration …

Estimating Nitrogen Fixation Rates, Importance, And Short-Term Efficiency In Small, Temperate Reservoirs Using Delta15n Techniques, Bryant Christopher Baker

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen (N2) fixation can give certain species of cyanobacteria a competitive advantage in lake and reservoir phytoplankton. These species of cyanobacteria, along with others that cannot fix N2, can form toxic compounds that impair water quality when present in high concentrations. N2 fixation rates may be substantial in small (< 1.0 km2), temperate reservoirs since these systems experience thermal stratification and often nitrogen (N) limitation throughout a substantial proportion of the year. However, the effects of N2 fixation on N cycling, alleviation of short-term N limitation, and water quality are not well-understood. A mesocosm experiment and ecosystem-scale observational study were conducted to 1) determine the efficiency of N2 fixation under varying N relative to phosphorus (P) supply, 2) examine the effects of N2 fixation on autotrophic biomass accumulation and microcystin production, and 3) measure N2 fixation rates and importance to autotrophic N demand and zooplankton N assimilation. Results of the mesocosm experiment indicated that N2 fixation was increased at low N:P supply under high P. However, N2 fixation was inefficient at alleviating N limitation when fixed N was the primary source of N. Additionally, microcystin production occurred only at high N:P supply when N2 fixation was low, indicating that reducing external N inputs may have a positive effect on water quality. Results of whole-reservoir determination of N2 fixation using seston δ15N natural abundances indicated that N2 fixation rates throughout the warm season were substantial and influenced by water temperature. Annual N2 fixation rates ranged from 2.2 - 6.6 g N m-2 yr-1, and contributed up to 19% of the annual autotrophic N demand. Zooplankton were assimilating fixed N in most of the study reservoirs, representing a possible mechanism of ecosystem fixed N retention. Collectively, these results suggest that N2 fixation plays a substantial role in N cycling in small, temperate reservoirs, but likely cannot alleviate short-term N limitation.

Student Motivation For Pursuing A Minor In Environmental Sustainability, Luanne Woods Lewis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Environmental sustainability dominates the global conversation seeking to increase awareness and change the culture of thinking concerning the relationship between humans and the Earth. Because many universities offer programs relative to environmental sustainability, a need exists to understand why students pursue these programs. This study examined student motivation for pursuing an environmental sustainability minor in one institution of higher education. Career, learning, monetary, and Social responsibility were the motivational factors considered in this study. The results of this study indicated significant differences among the motivational factors for pursuing a minor in sustainability among those students surveyed. Significant differences existed for …

Characterization Of Secondary Organic Aerosol (Soa) Formed By The Reaction Of Β-Caryophyllene, Soot And Ozone: Climate Impact, A. Sarkar, N. A. Marley, J. S. Gaffney

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Diesel soot (black carbon, BC) is an important light absorbing aerosol component in atmosphere that can cause tropospheric heating. Laboratory studies have found it to be unreactive to ozone at ambient temperature. The low uptake coefficient i.e., γ 300 K = 2× 10-7 , of the soot-O3 reaction indicates a low probability of irreversible O3 loss from gas phase to surface-adsorbed product (Particle phase). This shows clearly that at low temperature soot is not reactive with atmospheric oxidants. In contrast, sesquiterpenes (SQT) such as β-caryophyllene (C15H24), which are produced primarily by plants, are extremely reactive with ozone. For example, the …

2003 Pollutant Loads Kings River Near Berryville, Arkansas, Marc A. Nelson, L. Wade Cash

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

An automatic sampler and a USGS gauging station were established in 1998 and water quality sampling was begun in 1999 on the Kings River near Berryville, Arkansas. Continuous stage and discharge measurements and frequent water quality sampling have been used to determine pollutant concentrations and loads in the river. This report presents the results from the sampling and analysis for January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2003.

Bioassessment Of The West Fork Of The White River, Northwest Arkansas, Arthur V. Brown, Andrea J. Radwell, Robin A. Reese

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

The West Fork-White River has been and continues to be an important water resource for northwest Arkansas. It is used recreationally for fishing and swimming, agriculturally as a source of water for livestock and irrigation of crops, it is mined for gravel, used as a receiving stream for municipal wastewater effluent, and contributes to Beaver Lake which provides water for treatment and distribution to most of northwest Arkansas. While these uses have benefited a large segment of the Arkansas population, they have also contributed to the decline in environmental quality of the river. To facilitate the development of appropriate management …

Protection Of Cave Spring Cave Biota And Groundwater Basin, G. O. Graening, A. V. Brown

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

This is the fourth in a series of reports on the status of endangered biota and of environmental quality in Cave Springs Cave (CSC), Benton County, Arkansas (Brown et al., 1998; Graening and Brown, 1999, 2000), funded by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission (ANHC). As a result of these studies, Cave Springs Cave is now one of the most thoroughly studied cave ecosystems in Arkansas. This series of studies has spawned a renewed interest in cave ecosystems and their vulnerable condition. There are now many projects focusing upon the documentation of subterranean biodiversity and its protection. Partners include the Arkansas …

Trophic Dynamics And Pollution Effects In Cave Springs Cave, Arkansas, G. O. Graening, Arthur V. Brown

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Status Survey Of Aquatic Cave Fauna In Arkansas, G. O. Graening, Arthur V. Brown

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Pesticide Ground Water Monitoring Project - Phase Vii, Terry Nichols

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Water Resources Issues In The Arkansas Delta, Kenneth F. Steele

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Despite its location in Northwest Arkansas, the Arkansas Water Resources Center (AWRC) is active state-wide. This fact is underscored by the focus of the Center’s session on "Water Resource Issues in the Arkansas Delta" during its recent joint Conference. Water issues in the Delta include declining water tables, salt water intrusion, and water quality (especially suspended sediment, nitrate and pesticides). Presented papers focused on best management practices for cotton production, economics of on-farm reservoirs, chloride content of irrigation water, and landowner education. The AWRC short course was an excellent one on chemical transport in the vadose zone by Dr. Glenn …

Cavefish Population Status And Environmental Quality In Cave Springs Cave, Arkansas - Final Report Submitted To Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, G. O. Graening, Arthur V. Brown

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

This report summarizes the continuing effort to monitor environmental quality in the Cave Springs Cave Natural Area and to implement the Ozark Cavefish Recovery Plan. Last year’s report (Brown et al., 1998) identified certain environmental stressors, including a trend over 15 years of increasing nutrient pollution, a low cavefish population count of only 106, and the presence of heavy metals in the cave water and one semi-volatile organic compound (the phthalate DEHP at 500 ppb) in resident crayfish tissue. This year’s monitoring effort demonstrates that fecal coliforms continue to exceed Arkansas State Water Quality Standards (Regulation 2), sometimes by a …

Completion Report: Arkansas State Plant Board Pesticide Ground Water Monitoring Project - Phase Vi, T. Nichols, P. Vendrell, K. Steele, H. D. Scott, C. Armstrong

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Monitoring Cavefish Populations And Environmental Quality In Cave Springs Cave, Arkansas, Arthur V. Brown, G. O. Graening, Paul Vendrell

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Cave Springs Cave, Benton County, Arkansas, was monitored from October 1997 to June 1998 to determine the chemical and physical environmental quality and the status of the population of threatened Ozark cavefish, Amblyopsis rosae. The majority of the chemical parameters measured were indicative of adequate environmental quality in the Cave Springs Cave ecosystem. However, several significant problems were revealed. A trend analysis of known water quality studies of this cave complex suggests that many organic and inorganic chemicals have increased in concentration in the last 14 years. This ecologically sensitive water body did not meet Arkansas water quality regulations for …