School of Natural Resources Undergraduate Papers and Presentations (MU)
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Item Differences in atmospheric phosphorus deposition amongst rural and urban land use locations in Missouri(University of Missouri--Columbia., 2022) Rein, Crystal; Arellano, Sarahi V.; Friesen-Hughes, Karl; King, Ashley; Marten, Alexia; Sanderson, Corey; Venkiteswaran, Jason J.; Baulch, Helen; Casson, Nora J.; Whitfield, Colin J.; North, Rebecca L.Atmospheric phosphorus (AP) produced by both anthropogenic and natural processes influences phytoplankton productivity and alters carbon processing in water bodies, resulting in potential impairment and toxic phytoplankton blooms. The production of AP, which is oftentimes transported vast distances by wind dispersal in the form of enriched mineral dust, can be re-deposited by wet (precipitation based) or dry (continual) deposition. Both rural and urban locations in Missouri experience varying anthropogenic activities; therefore, distinguishing between varying land use locations at these sites provides insight as to why AP may differ. The objective of this study is to determine if AP deposition differs among rural and urban land use locations in Missouri. When soil has been recently agitated and readily exposed, we hypothesize this additional P in the atmosphere will result in higher bulk deposition flux totals (BD) in rural locations. AP was collected from three rural locations and three urban locations, using a standard sized utility bucket, altered to reduce debris. After each two-week sampling period, a total sample water volume for each site is collected, total P is analyzed (TP), which determines the BD flux of each site by factoring the time it took to collect each sample (4 samples over approximately 70 days). Rural locations had the highest BD. Rural locations were not significantly different than urban locations (F5,18 = 1.667, p = 0.194). Further analysis of AP and the implication on water bodies is needed, as AP analysis is exceedingly rare. A multitude of differing land use practices results in variables that contribute significantly to the production of AP.Item Load, not loading: External nutrient loading impact on cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2021) Gallagher, Owen; North, Rebecca L.Eutrophication is the process in which excessive nutrients enter a body of water resulting in a rapid growth in population and density of phytoplankton. One type of phytoplankton made more concentrated during eutrophication is cyanobacteria. Some cyanobacteria can produce cyanotoxins. Cyanotoxins have many negative impacts on both aquatic ecosystems and human health. The objective of this research is to determine the effects chronic and episodic nutrient loading have on cyanobacteria and the resultant cyanotoxin concentrations. We simulated chronic loading by adding small amounts of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) over a six-day period in a nutrient simulation experiment. Episodic loading was simulated by adding a large spike of nutrients to lake water on only the first day of the nine-day experiment. At the end of the experiment, we analyzed sample water for pH, microcystin and cylindrospermopsin concentrations, chlorophyll-a and phycocyanin as proxies for phytoplankton and cyanobacteria respectively, N and P concentrations, and suspended solids. Our experiment showed that there was no significant differences found between treatments testing episodic and chronic loading in the production of cyanobacteria or cyanotoxins for any of the test sites. Additions of N and P increased the nutrient load causing cyanobacteria and cyanotoxin production, however the form of nutrient loading was not significant. This research is relevant to better understand how cyanobacteria respond to different nutrient loading mechanisms and the possible effects climate change and the associated increases in episodic nutrient loading could have on bodies of freshwater.Item Quantifying greenhouse gas ebullition rates across varying land uses, sediment types, and water temperatures in wetland systems(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2021) Bragg, Jaylen; North, Rebecca L.Around the world, wetlands and other aquatic ecosystems release greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere. GHGs escape from these systems through the process of ebullition -- or bubbles being released from the aquatic sediments. Ebullition can account for a major portion of GHG release, but it is often underestimated in global GHG budgets. This experiment aims to determine the factors that influence the ebullition of GHGs such as methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide by quantifying the gas fluxes that are released in wetland ecosystems from varying land uses, sediment types, and water temperatures. We included wetland sites with varying land uses such as urban, agricultural, pasture, and forested areas. It was found that the relationship between gas volumes and water temperatures were positive, whereas the relationship between gas volumes and sediment organic matter had a negative correlation. As global temperatures increase due to climate change, understanding the rates at which ebullition occur will give us a larger understanding of how this process contributes to the global GHG budget.Item Stagnate summers : climate induced changes in physical mixing parameters in Missouri reservoirs(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2017) Kimbell, Cody; Jones, John R. (John Richard), 1947-; Obrecht, Daniel; North, Rebecca L.Lakes and reservoirs are important environmental sentinels for climate change. As air temperatures rise so do the temperatures of these water bodies affecting their physical, chemical, and biological properties. Being used for drinking water supplies, fisheries, and human recreation, these long term potential changes can be an important factor for their use. Climate change has been associated with altering physical reservoir parameters, such as mixing depth, water temperatures, and water chemistry. Using a historical dataset to find both break points and monotonic trends that may indicate climate having influenced our reservoirs we found little in terms of monotonic trends. However, we did witness changes in all systems in regards to break points for almost every parameter. Our systems cannot directly correlate to having had climate change based effects, as we can neither support or refute its evidence in our reservoirs as changes relating to climate do not only impact physical parameters but also animal and plant communities, and social factors such as use (influenced by cyanobacteria blooms). It is even plausible that increased in reservoir production and turbidity could lead to shifts in physical trends that would otherwise be different in non-affected reservoirs. Over all more information is needed to create a better picture of exactly how climate change is impacting the physical mixing parameters in Missouri reservoirs as they are complex and varied systems.Item Burping wetlands : quantifying greenhouse gas ebullition rates across a range of sediment types and characteristics, water quality variables, and land use(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2018) Newson, Jannice; Bragg, Jaylen; Amjad, Hamza; Dyck, Lauren; Komarevich, Selena; Whitfield, Colin; Baulch, Helen; Venkiteswaran, Jason; Casson, Nora; Helmle, Richard; North, Rebecca L.Aquatic ecosystems are a source of greenhouse gases (GHG) to the atmosphere. One pathway of this GHG release is ebullition, or bubbling, from aquatic sediments. The contribution of ebullition is often underestimated in global GHG budgets, as it is rarely included in GHG emission measurements. The ebullition pathway can account for up to 67 percent of methane emissions from water bodies. We aim to determine the factors that influence ebullition of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrous oxide (N2O), including sediment characteristics, water quality characteristics, and land use. Our study ponds are in urban, agricultural, and woodland areas. We found that N2O flux rates are significantly lower than CH4 and CO2 flux rates across all study ponds. We also found that urban areas have higher GHG flux rates, which is correlated with low organic matter content. Understanding the factors influencing GHG ebullition from aquatic ecosystems will give us a broader understanding of the significance of their contribution to global GHG budgets in a changing climate.