Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
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Item Measuring methane emissions from American bison (Bison bison L.) using eddy covariance(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2019) Cook, Adam Anderson; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Paul C. StoyAmerican bison (Bison bison L.) have recovered from the brink of extinction over the past century. Bison offer potential environmental benefits as they re-occupy their native range, but many specific impacts of bison reintroduction are not well understood. Methane emissions are known to be a major climate impact of ruminants, but few measurements for bison exist due to challenges caused by their mobile grazing habits and safety issues associated with direct measurements. Here, we measure the methane and carbon dioxide fluxes from a bison herd on winter range using the eddy covariance technique. Methane emissions were negligible (mean = 0.0024 micromole m -2 s -1, SD = 0.0102 micromole m -2 s -1) before and after bison grazed in the area sampled by the eddy covariance flux footprint with the exception of a single spike possibly attributable to thawing soil or the presence of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Z.). Methane fluxes when bison were present in the study area averaged 0.041 micromole m -2 s -1 (SD = 0.046 micromole m -2 s -1), similar to previous measurements over sheep and cattle pastures, but with little diurnal pattern due to a lack of consistent bison movement habits over the course of each day. An eddy covariance flux footprint analysis coupled to bison location estimates from automated camera images calculated methane flux with a median of 56.5 micromole s -1 per animal and a mean of 91.6 micromole s-1 per animal, approximately 50 and 75% of established emission rates for range cattle, respectively. Eddy covariance measurements are a promising way to measure methane and carbon dioxide flux from large ruminants on native range and we recommend comparisons amongst alternate grazing systems to help identify management strategies that are cognizant of climate.Item Radiocesium in Montana soils and applications for soil erosion measurement(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 1984) Arnalds, Olafur Gestur; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Gerald A. NielsenRadiocesium levels in soils were measured at eleven sites throughout Montana. Cesium was mostly confined to the top of the soil profile. Both lateral and vertical displacement of cesium was attributed to mechanical movement of soil particles. The areal activity of cesium was strongly correlated to annual precipitation (R^2 = 0.92). An equation is given to predict cesium activity from annual rainfall. Methods of calculating soil erosion and deposition are discussed and performed for a wind erosion study site in Pondera County and a small watershed in Teton County. The results indicate that deposition at the wind erosion study site can be quantified. Soil deposition of 70 to 1290 m^3 ha^-1 was measured on the leeward sides of a fence and tree windbreaks while an average of 450 m^3 was lost from the windward sides. An average of 740 m^3 ha^-1 was lost since 1962 from an adjacent wind eroded field. This amounts to 34.8 Mg ha^-1 yr^-1. Soil loss since about 1962 ranged from 300 to 820 m^3 ha^-1 within the upper areas of the watershed studied. A pond at the outlet of the watershed and deposition areas at the toeslope accounted for a relatively small fraction of the soil loss within the watershed. Most of the losses are likely to be from wind erosion. Length of slopes or position within the field were more related to erosion than was steepness of slopes, Estimates of erosion rates based on 137Cs ranged from 16.5 Mg ha^-1 yr^-1 at the summit of the watershed to 45.1 Mg ha^-1 yr^-1 at the midslope. Predictions by conventional methods (wind erosion equation and the Universal Soil Loss Equation) agreed rather closely with the estimates from 137Cs.Item Estimating soil solute transport under transient water flow conditions using time domain reflectometry(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 1994) Risler, Patricia DawnItem Comparative evaluation of solute transport using suction lysimeters, ion-exchange resin capsules and soil cores(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 1994) Mulcahy, James MichaelItem Verification of resin capsule method for monitoring bromide transport in soils(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 1992) Li, ChengmingItem Models and calibration approaches for soil solution electrical conductivity using time domain reflectometry(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2000) Mullin, Michael ChristopherItem Variability in soil CO2 production and surface CO2 efflux across riparian-hillslope transitions(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2007) Pacific, Vincent Jerald; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Bryan L. McGlynn.The spatial and temporal controls on soil CO2 production and surface CO2 efflux have been identified as an outstanding gap in our understanding of carbon cycling. I investigated both the spatial and temporal variability of soil CO2 concentrations and surface CO2 efflux across eight topographically distinct riparian-hillslope transitions in the ~300 ha subalpine upper-Stringer Creek Watershed in the Little Belt Mountains, Montana. Riparian-hillslope transitions provide ideal locations for investigating the spatial and temporal controls on soil CO2 concentrations and surface CO2 efflux due to strong gradients in respiration driving factors, including soil water content, soil temperature, and soil organic matter. I collected high frequency measurements of soil temperature, soil water content, soil air CO2 concentrations (20 cm and 50 cm), surface CO2 efflux, and soil C and N concentrations (once) at 32 locations along four transects. Soil CO2 concentrations were more variable in riparian landscape positions, as compared to hillslope positions, as well as along transects with greater upslope accumulated area. This can be attributed to a greater range of soil water content and higher soil organic matter availability.Item Diversity, productivity, and physiology of microorganisms in the stream-moat-lake transition of Lake Bonney, Antarctica(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2007) Moore, Joel Grant; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: John C. Priscu.Air temperatures exceeding 0°C in Taylor Valley, Antarctica 17-25 degree days each summer and constant solar irradiance melt glacial and lake ice to from liquid water moats at the edges of permanently ice-covered lakes. Moats are fed by glacial streams and interact with comparatively large volumes of ice-covered lake water. This study investigated stream influence on moat chemistry and microbial biomass, productivity and diversity in the moat of East Lake Bonney (ELB) and compared the moat to the ice-covered portion of ELB. Stream inflow was a source of dissolved ions, inorganic carbon (DIC) inorganic nitrogen (DIN), and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) to the moat. SRP was rapidly removed in the moat near the stream inflow. Melted ELB ice and biological uptake reduced concentrations of DIN and DIC, resulting in a negative relationship to the inflow. Stream nutrients were correlated with high chlorophyll a and bacterial biomass near the inflow, were positively correlated with bacterial diversity, and negatively correlated with phytoplankton diversity. Correlations between nutrient availability and microbial biomass suggest resource limitation with respect to DIN and SRP, and infer dependence of heterotrophic bacterioplankton on primary productivity.