SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
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Students working in Paper Mill
No full textFour unknown male students standing at a machine working in the paper mill
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Students working in the basement of Walters Hall under Paper Mill
No full textThree unknown male students working in the basement of Walters Hall
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Effects of Oxalate Oxidase Transgene Expression on Mycorrhizal Colonization in American Chestnuts
Get PDFAmerican chestnuts have been genetically engineered to express an oxalate oxidase gene isolated from wheat, which allows the plants to degrade oxalic acid, the virulence factor produced by Cryphonectria parasitica, the pathogenic fungus that causes the chestnut blight. In this study, we investigated the effect of oxalate oxidase gene expression on rate of mycorrhizal colonization of American chestnut root tips. Six-month-old transgenic and wildtype plantlets were placed in a soil inoculant and cultured in a greenhouse for 7 months, then root tips were visually assessed to estimate how many were colonized (expressed as a percentage). Three genotypes were used: ELLIS 1 trees were a cloned wildtype, and Darling 54 and Darling 58 were ELLIS 1 genotypes transformed with the oxalate oxidase gene, differing only in where the gene construct was inserted into the genome. Of surviving trees, 100% of both ELLIS 1 and Darling 58 trees were \u3e95% colonized. Ninety percent of Darling 54 were \u3e95% colonized, and 10% were 90-95% colonized. A Fisher’s exact test of independence was used to reach the conclusion that expression of the oxalate oxidase gene has no effect on mycorrhizal colonization, a result consistent with similar studies
Site Performance : Exploring Site-life Expectancy of Berlin’s Post-railyard Parks
Get PDFThis comprehensive study examines the impact of natural processes plus time on a site’s post construction period within the urban construct observing its relative impact on site performance. Looking further into site performance will discover durability, function, aesthetics, and management within urban spaces. Berlin, Germany served as the test location from 8.23–11.21.2017
Nutrient Effect on Fall Leaf Abscission in Northern Hardwood Forests
Get PDFExcess nutrients in ecosystems may be altering deciduous tree phenological events. By having delayed autumn leaf abscission, the length of the growing season may be extended, which could increase forest productivity. Nitrogen (N) availability due to nitrogen deposition from anthropogenic pollution, in turn making phosphorus (P) limitation more likely. This study examines the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on leaf retention at a community-level in hardwood forests and a species-level (American beech, sugar maple, red maple, paper birch, yellow birch, and pin cherry) located in 12 stands of different ages located in New Hampshire, USA. These stands were part of Multiple Element Limitation in Northern Hardwood Ecosystems (MELNHE), which contains plots that are either unfertilized or treated with N, P, or both N + P. Multiple leaf litter collections occurred four times in the fall of 2016 and once more in June of 2017. At a community-level, P-fertilized trees increased leaf retention by 16% (p = 0.01). Some species also experienced increased leaf retention due to P-additions: yellow birch trees increased leaf retention by 58% (p = 0.05) and pin cherry trees retained 24% more leaves (p = 0.05). N fertilization also increased leaf retention by 7% at community-level (p = 0.04), but promoted early leaf drop in American beech trees by 3% (p = 0.04). Both N and P fertilization caused sugar maple to retain less leaves than when fertilized by a single nutrient. Conversely, red maple trees fertilized with both N and P retained more leaves than a single nutrient addition. Increased nutrient availability from fertilization reduces the need for the trees to resorbed the foliar nutrients, as well as availability leads to longer leaf retention which may increase the length of the growing season and the total gain of carbon. This will have an impact on any forests experiencing nutrient influxes, which could alter their productivity
A Waterbird Inventory of the Darkhad Depression, Kbovsgol, Mongolia
Get PDFThe Darkhad Depression, Khövsgöl aimag, Mongolia has an abundance of rivers, lakes, and pothole wetlands, providing one of the most extensive concentrations of waterbird habitat in Mongolia. Waterbirds use the wetlands of the Darkhad Depression for breeding, molting, and as stopover sites during migration. As far as we are aware, our survey of waterbirds in this region is the first to provide broad wetland coverage of the Darkhad Depression. We conducted a survey of waterbirds in the Darkhad Depression in Tsagaannuur and Renchinlhumbe soums and compared densities of waterbirds between two lakes with subsistence fishing and those without. We surveyed 60 lakes (5867.26 ha) and a 5.4 ha portion of a river for waterbirds. We observed 39 species and calculated their frequency of occurrence among lakes and densities among occupied lakes (birds/ha). Common goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) and tufted ducks (Aythya fuligula) had the greatest estimated densities for the Darkhad Depression (0.3 birds/ha), whereas common greenshank (Tringa nebularia), Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata), smew (Mergellus albellus), and black stork (Ciconia nigra) had the least (\u3c 0.0001 birds/ha). Tufted ducks had the highest mean density on used lakes (6.66 ± 5.69 birds/ha), and common goldeneye used the highest percentage of wetlands (57.38% of surveyed wetlands). We detected that piscivorous waterbird densities on two lakes that were historically overfished were 79% less than those on lakes of similar size, suggesting that overfishing could be a threat to these birds in the Darkhad Depression. We recommend that future studies conduct more extensive surveys of waterbirds over a longer surveying period and earlier in the breeding season, so that more species can be counted with their young and a more complete inventory of waterbirds can be created
NITROGEN FERTILIZER EFFECTS ON BLACK CHERRY (PRUNUS SEROTINA EHRH) REGENERATION IN ALLEGHENY HARDWOOD FORESTS
Get PDFDeclining nitrogen inputs in the soil profile from the Clean Air Act Amendment (CAAA) may be responsible for the decrease in black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh) vigor in Allegheny Hardwood Forests. A low rate of 3.39N kg/ ha fertilizer was applied to five treatment plots to replicate the amount of nitrogen missing in the soil profile and a high rate of N and P-fertilizer was applied to three additional plots. The treated plots were compared to control plots and pre-treatment plots in 2015 and 2016. For both fertilizer rates, new red maple seedlings significantly increased in control and fertilized plots in 2016. In the high N-fertilized sites, black cherry seedlings (0.3 to 0.9m) significantly increased and new birch seedlings significantly decreased. Sites with black cherry advanced regeneration can keep black cherry in the mix by adding relatively higher levels of fertilizer which reduces birch seedling establishment and favors other species
Sense and Sensibility: Scientists and Environmental Advocacy in China
No full textScientists have always been part of the environmental movement in Western countries, and a wave of professionalization of environmental organizations took place in in the 1970s in the US. By contrast, scientists used to be silent in China’s environmental movement. After more than two decades of development of the environmental movement in China, escalating environmental health issues became the new challenge for environmental advocates as they are scientifically complex and uncertain. Also with the prevailing use of social media, experts started to actively engage in discussion and advocacy of environmental health issues. This interdisciplinary study draws on scholarship from Science and Technology Studies, and on Non-Government Organizations’ (NGOs’) professionalization, and Social Movements. It contributes to these bodies of scholarship by examining the rapidly growing civic engagement of scientists in China, the scientization of Chinese environmental NGOs (eNGOs), and the causes for environmental advocates to take the professionalization approach. The dissertation draws on interviews and observations carried out in ten cities across China, from February 2014 – May 2015. The capital of China, Beijing, where research institutes, media agencies, and eNGOs concentrate, was the primary research site. Mixed research methods were utilized, including participant-observation of an entrepreneurial science popularization organization and many events, 118 in-depth interviews, and analysis of available materials. This study finds that Chinese scientists, who used to be invisible, have become increasingly vocal. Experts have engaged in environmental health issues in China mainly in three forms: policy suggestion, organizational advocacy, and science communication. The common motivations for them to act and speak on environmental health issues have been a sense of obligation to contribute with expertise, and the sense of satisfaction from engaging in those issues in the public sphere. The causes for them to choose a particular form of engagement vary. Chinese eNGOs have undergone a transformation of scientization, and individuals choose to take this approach with a combination of rational, cognitive and emotional considerations
Assessing Irrigation in Western New York State
Get PDFHistorically, sufficient precipitation in New York inhibited concerns about agricultural water management until recently, with intense drought occurring over the 2016 growing season. During this time, even farms with irrigation capacity reported losses. Based on reported water use of select farms, in some cases there was in increase in water use with lower precipitation, however, in other cases there was a decrease in use, presumably due to lack of supply. To determine which watersheds had insufficient water to meet demands, demand was compared to estimated streamflow to estimate available water. The Black, Tonawanda, Northrup, and Oak Orchard Creek watersheds all indicate low supply relative to demand of reporting users. A relationship between baseflow and antecedent precipitation was also established at the Black, Oatka, and Tonawanda Creek gages to help forecast summer low flows. Surficial geology and wetland area were used to explain differences between watersheds
G \u27Harold\u27 Ireland at stock approach system of what is now the Pulp and Paper Mill
No full textG \u27Harold\u27 Ireland using the stock approach system of what is now the Pulp and Paper Mill (The stock approach system was rebuilt in the mid-1980\u27s but the valve is still in use as of 2017)
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