Master of Science

Before the arrival of Euro-Americans, the inland Pacific Northwest was settled by native people whose frequent intentional burning of the landscape promoted open stands dominated by large fire-resistant ponderosa pine. Fire suppression for nearly a century, livestock grazing, and logging of the largest trees has resulted in forests characterized by increased densities of small trees with closed canopies and unusually high fuel loads. Such structural changes to the forest ecosystem are particularly evident in the Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington where forest managers are applying prescribed fire and thinning to reduce the risk of stand-replacing wildfire and reestablish stand structure characteristics seen prior to Euro-American settlement. Aboveground ecosystem recovery after disturbance is directly linked to the survival of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) that form an obligate symbiosis with roots of tree species in the Pinaceae. EMF are critical for the uptake of nutrients by the tree host. The research comprising this dissertation explores the response of the EMF community structure and composition, live fine root biomass, and duff (decaying material) levels to (i) seasonal burning (fall vs. spring) and (ii) alternative fuel reducing restoration treatments (thinned only, prescribed burned only, thinned and prescribed burned). In both studies, treatments significantly reducing duff depth (e.g. fall burning and both restoration burning treatments) negatively impacted EMF species richness and live fine root biomass. The EMF community is characterized by a large number of species scattered at low frequencies across the sites. The frequent occurrence of a few species (e.g. Rhizopogon salebrosus and Wilcoxina rehmii), in both studies before and after treatment applications, demonstrates that some EMF species survive or rapidly reestablish after disturbance. The initial reduction of EMF species richness, fine root biomass, and duff levels after prescribed fire has important implications for whether managers can achieve the desired future condition of stands with large-tree retention and low fuel loads. The impacts of prescribed fire on the soil microbial community, along with the recovery potential of a site and the impending risk of stand-replacing wildfire in stands differing in structure from historic conditions, bear consideration when developing restoration prescriptions. / Graduation date: 2005

The work in this thesis is an extension of a large study carried out by this college at Rothamsted Experimental Station (J. Featherstone-Witty, Ph.D thesis, 1974; with Keay, and Froggatt in press) and was aimed at scaling down the fieldwork to lysimeter investigations in order to elucidate the true value of algal inoculation as a replacement for synthetic fertilizers. Two lysimeters (each measuring 5m. x 3m.) were constructed above ground on concrete rafts with a built in facility to collect drainage water from the four quarters of each lysimeter. Both units were filled with calcareous soil (pH. 8). Each unit was divided into 4 treatments and sown to spring wheat. Previous indications were that this variety would benefit more from algal release of nitrogen than winter wheat because of a later maturation, and hence greater likelihood of the ears receiving nitrogen released from algal cells during late summer. A continuous record was kept of variations in soil, crop and drainage water nitrogen together with surface nitrogen fixation measurements (using the acetylene reduction technique), so that estimates of the efficiency of algal inoculation, to increase soil-N levels, could be made. Laboratory studies have suggested nitrogen fixation occurs only in soils low in nitrogen (less than about 4ppm) and algal cells apparently release very little extracellular nitrogen when grown on solid surfaces. These low levels of nitrogen would not support crop yields equivalent to those achieved by the application of synthetic fertilizers. Results from the two year lysimeter study suggest no improvement in crop yield for the algal inoculated treatments, compared with the controls, though total crop nitrogen, for the algal treatments was approximately 7% higher than the fertilizer treatments and 60% higher than the mean value for the two controls; ear nitrogen was as much as 46% higher than the controls. Algal inoculation, together with herbicide application, proved the best treatment, improving both crop dry weight and nitrogen composition significantly.

Στην παρούσα ερευνητική εργασία μελετάται η φωτοηλεκτροχημική διάσπαση δύο οργανικών ενώσεων: της χρωστικής Methylene Blue (MB), και της γλυκόζης. Η φωτοκαταλυτική διεργασία πραγματοποιήθηκε με φωτοβόληση υπεριώδους ακτινοβολίας UV (λάμπα Hg, 125 W). Για το σκοπό αυτό χρησιμοποιήθηκαν δύο φωτοκαταλύτες: η νανοκρυσταλλική τιτάνια (TiO2) και το οξείδιο του βολφραμίου (WO3). Η φωτοδιάσπαση των οργανικών ρύπων πραγματοποιήθηκε σε μία φωτοηλεκτροχημική κυψελίδα, η οποία αποτελείται από τα εξής μέρη: 1)Το ηλεκτρόδιο της ανόδου το οποίο φέρει το φωτοκαταλύτη. Στη φωτοάνοδο παράγονται τα ηλεκτρόνια και πραγματοποιόυνται οι αντιδράσεις οξείδωσης. 2)Το ηλεκτρόδιο της καθόδου, το οποίο φέρει τον ηλεκτροκαταλύτη, ο οποίος διευκολύνει τη μεταφορά των ηλεκτρονίων από το ηλεκτρόδιο στο διάλυμα. Στη φωτοκάθοδο πραγματοποιούνται αντιδράσεις αναγωγής. Ως ηλεκτροκαταλύτης χρησιμοποιήθηκε ο λευκόχρυσος ο οποίος είναι ευγενές μέταλλο. 3)Τον ηλεκτρολύτη, ο οποίος ρυθμίζει το pH του διαλύματος και αυξάνει την ιοντική αγωγιμότητα. Ο ηλεκτρολύτης που χρησιμοποιήθηκε είναι το καυστικό νάτριο (NaOH). Όταν ο φωτοκαταλύτης διεγείρεται με ακτινοβολία ενέργειας ίσης ή μεγαλύτερης του ενεργειακού του χάσματος, δημιουργούνται ζεύγη οπών-ηλεκτρονίων. Ένα μέρος των δημιουργούμενων ζευγών φορτίου επανασυνδέονται χάνοντας τη φωτεινή ενέργεια σε θερμότητα. Οι οπές οξειδώνουν το ρύπο απελευθερώνοντας ιόντα υδρογόνου. Τα ηλεκτρόνια ρέουν μέσω του εξωτερικού κυκλώματος στην κάθοδο, όπου αντιδρούν με τα ιόντα υδρογόνου, σχηματίζοντας είτε μοριακό υδρογόνο (υπό αναερόβιες συνθήκες), είτε νερό (υπό αερόβιες συνθήκες). Το πρώτο και σημαντικότερο στάδιο της φωτοκαταλυτικής διεργασίας είναι η προσρόφηση του ρύπου στην επιφάνεια του φωτοκαταλύτη. Ο μηχανισμός προσρόφησης γίνεται σύμφωνα με το κινητικό μοντέλο Langmuir-Hinshelwood. To TiO2 αποτελεί έναν από τους πιο διαδεδομένους και αποδοτικούς φωτοκαταλύτες. Τα υμένια TiO2 εναποτέθηκαν σε υπόστρωμα γυαλιού με τη μέδοδο Doctor Blade. Το WO3 είναι ένας εξίσου αποδοτικός φωτοκαταλύτης με το TiO2, αλλά λιγότερο δημοφιλής. Η εναπόθεση των υμενίων WO3 σε γυάλινα υποστρώματα έγινε με τη μέθοδο του ψεκασμού. Η παρασκευή του αντιηλεκτροδίου, δηλαδή του ηλεκτροδίου της καθόδου, έγινε με τη μέθοδο της ηλεκτροαπόθεσης. Το υψηλό pH του ηλεκτρολύτη (NaOH) είναι απαραίτητο για τη φωτοδιάσπαση οργανικών ενώσεων. Εκτός από την ιοντική αγωγιμότητα που προσφέρει στο φωτοηλεκτροχημικό κελί, επηρεάζει και την επιφανειακή φόρτιση του φωτοκαταλύτη. Η αύξηση της συγκέντρωσης του NaOH, δηλαδή η αύξηση των ιόντων ΟΗ-, είχε σαν αποτέλεσμα την αύξηση της σταθεράς ταχύτητας της φωτοκαταλυτικής αντίδρασης kapp και επομένως ταχύτερη φωτοδιάσπαση του ρύπου. Στα διαλύματα με τις μεγαλύτερες συγκεντρώσεις ηλεκτρολύτη ο χρόνος ημιζωής του ρύπου είναι πολύ μικρότερος συγκριτικά με τα διαλύματα χαμηλής συγκέντρωσης NaOH. Η μέτρηση της συγκέντρωσης των οργανικών ενώσεων στα υδατικά διαλύματα έγινε με φασματοφωτομετρία απορρόφησης ορατού-υπεριώδους (UV/vis). Οι φωτοαποικοδομούμενες ουσίες, λειτουργούν ως «θυσιαστήριες ενώσεις», αφού μειώνουν το ρυθμό επανασύνδεσης ηλεκτρονίων-οπών και επομένως συμβάλλουν στην αύξηση της απόδοσης του συστήματος, ενώ παράλληλα η διάσπασή τους προσφέρει τεράστιο περιβαλλοντικό όφελος. Από τις δύο οργανικές ενωσεις που μελετήθηκαν, μόνο η χρωστική Methylene Blue λειτούργησε αποτελεσματικά ως θυσιαστήρια ένωση. Αντιθέτως η γλυκόζη, που είναι πολύπλοκο μόριο, δεν κατάφερε να διασπαστεί. Τέλος έγινε σύγκριση της δραστικότητας των δύο φωτοκαταλυτών, κατά τη φωτοαποικοδόμηση των οργανικών ρύπων που μελετήθηκαν. Παρατηρήθηκε ότι και το TiO2 και το WO3 είναι εξίσου αποδοτικοί φωτοκαταλύτες. Σε αντίθεση με το TiO2, το WO3 δεν είναι ανθεκτικό στη φωτοδιάβρωση, καθιστώντας αδύνατη την επαναχρησιμοποίησή του σε περισσότερες από δύο φωτοκαταλυτικές διεργασίες. / The present study deals with the photo electrochemical degradation of two organic compounds, namely Methylene Blue and glucose. The photocatalytic process was carried out using UV radiation (Hg lamp, 125 W). The employed photo catalysts were titanium dioxide (TiO2) and tungsten oxide (WO3) deposited in the form of thin films on SnO2:F-coated glass. The photodecomposition of organic wastes was carried out in a photo electrochemical (PEC) cell with the following components: 1) The anode electrode which carries the photo catalyst. The photo anode produces electrodes and oxidation reactions take place there. 2) The cathode electrode, which carries the electro catalyst and facilitates the transfer of electrons from the cathode to the liquid phase. Reduction reactions take place at the cathode. In this study, a noble metal, Pt was used as electro catalyst. Thin films of Pt were obtained by electrodeposition on SnO2:F-coated glass slides. 3) The electrolyte which is added to adjust the Ph in order to increase the ionic conductivity. In this study, an aqueous solution of NaOH has been used as electrolyte. The operation of such a PEC cell is as follows: The absorption of photons by the photocatalyst leads to the creation of electron-hole pairs. The photodegradable substance is oxidized by the holes, liberating hydrogen ions in the aqueous solution. Electrons are transferred through the external circuit towards the cathode, where they reduce hydrogen ions producing hydrogen molecules (in the absence of oxygen). The initial step of the photoelectrocatalytic decomposition is the adsorption of the organic waste on the surface of the photocatalyst according to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. TiO2 is among the most successful photo catalysts for heterogeneous photo catalytic degradation of organic wastes. Thin films of nano crystalline titania were deposited on glass substrates using the Doctor Blade method. Another wide band gap semiconductor with that can be used in heterogeneous photo catalysis is WO3. It was also tested and compared with TiO2. The pH value of the electrolyte (NaOH) was found to affect strongly the process. High pH values were required to obtain high OH- concentration because efficient hole scavenging and production of hydrogen radicals is ensured, especially when an organic sacrificial agent is added. As a consequence, the apparent rate constant kapp was increased with increasing NaOH concentrations. The photodegradable substances act like “sacrificial agents” preventing the recombination of electron-hole pairs, which is the main cause for low efficiencies. Of the two organic wastes that have been studied, only MB could be successfully degraded. Finally, the photo catalytic activity of TiO2 and WO3 was compared. Although both catalysts were equally efficient, WO3 is characterized by low stability. .

<p>Förekomsten av migration är vida känt i djurvärlden och fåglars flyttning är kanske den mest uppenbara typen. I vissa populationer flyttar alla fåglar, i andra flyttar ingen. Blåmesen tillämpar partiell migration, dvs. en del individer i populationen flyttar medan andra stannar. Vissa år lämnar partiellt flyttande fåglar fortplantningsområdet i stora antal och invaderar andra områden – dålig födotillgång och höga populationstätheter är två viktiga, utlösande faktorer.</p><p>I den här studien undersöktes successionen av flyttande blåmesar vid Hammarö fågelstation i norra delen av Vänern (HBO) med avseende på ålders- och könsfördelning. Under höstarna 1977-2005 fångades och ringmärktes totalt 13 944 blåmesar vid HBO. Den största delen av de fångade blåmesarna var ungfåglar, av vilka honor och obestämda fåglar dominerade. Juvenila hanar utgjorde den tredje största gruppen, medan de adulta fåglarna var få. Den period då de flesta fåglarna fångades var 28 september till 2 oktober. Mediandatum för fångst var 2 oktober, medan medeldatumet var 30 september. Tvärtemot förutsägelserna anlände inte juvenila honor signifikant tidigare än andra kategorier. Det finns en trend att fåglarna fångas allt tidigare på hösten, vilket kan vara ett resultat av ett varmare vårklimat med tidigarelagd häckning som följd. Regressioner visade att proportionen juvenila fåglar ökade signifikant med medelankomstdatum och med det totala antalet fångade fåglar. En jämförelse mellan HBO, Falsterbo och Ottenby visade att fåglarna anlände signifikant tidigare till HBO. 1990 och 2003 var de enda år då HBO, Falsterbo, Ottenby och Jomfruland fångade fler fåglar än respektive stations medelvärde. Åren 1995, 1998 och 2002 fångades färre fåglar än medelvärdet på samtliga stationer.</p> / <p>Animal migration is a well known natural phenomenon and bird migration is perhaps the most obvious type. In some bird populations all individuals migrate, while in others only a fraction of the population migrates. The blue tit is a partial migrant; i.e. some individuals in the population migrate while others are sedentary. Some years, large numbers of partial migrants leave their breeding grounds and appear as invasion species in other areas. Shortage of food and high population densities are suggested as two important releasing factors. Theory predicts that juvenile birds, especially females, should arrive earlier since they are smaller and therefore are forced to leave their birth areas first.</p><p>In this study, the migration of blue tits at Hammarö Bird Observatory in northern lake Vänern (HBO) was examined with respect to age and sex distribution. During the autumns of 1977-2005, a total number of 13 944 blue tits were caught and ringed at HBO. A large fraction of the caught blue tits were juveniles, of which female and non-sexed birds dominated. Juvenile males were the third largest group, whereas adults were only caught in small numbers. The period when most birds arrived was between 28th of September and 2nd of October, but juvenile females did not arrived significantly earlier. The median arrival date was the 2nd of October, and the mean arrival date was 30th of September. There was a trend of earlier arrival dates, which may be due to warmer spring climate leading to an earlier breeding start. Analyses showed that the proportion of juveniles increased significantly with mean arrival date and total number of birds caught. Comparison between HBO, Falsterbo and Ottenby showed that birds arrived significantly earlier at HBO. In 1990 and 2003 all bird observatories (HBO, Falsterbo, Ottenby and Jomfruland) captured more birds than respectively stations average and in 1995, 1998 and 2002 fewer birds than average were captured at all sites.</p>

14 pp. / "Jean Jems" is a simple sewing project guide for 4-H youth. All projects utilized recycled blue jeans to allow youth to learn sewing skills on inexpensive fabric. Projects advance from very simple to more involved.

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Derek Jarman’s Blue has a complicated reception and exhibition history. Stuck between his past representational queer cinema and the inability to represent the suffering and death from AIDS, Jarman crafted a film of radical stylistics. It is in Blue’s striking color that a transversality of form, sensation, and visuality occurs, and in so doing, produces a space for synesthetic affectivity and collective desire. This thesis will use those radical formal elements and the history of Jarman and Blue to position color away from the phobic tradition of color theory and towards a flowing site of political rupture.

The hetero-bimetallic mixed valence metal polycyanides (Prussian Blue analogues (PBAs)) with formula AxMII[M’III(CN)6]y (where A= alkali-metal cation and M, M’= transition-metal cations respectively) are archetypal examples of molecule-based magnets, exhibiting a wealth of exotic electronic and magnetic behaviours. Similar intriguing electronic and magnetic properties are anticipated in nanoscale structures employing the PBA molecular building block. Herein investigations of multifunctional molecular magnets based on the PBA building block, with varying dimensionalities, are reported. Synthesis and characterisation of a novel family of mixed ferri-ferromagnets, RbNizMn(1-z)[Fe(CN)6] (0<z<1), illustrates how relatively minor changes in chemical composition can induce significant changes in the magnetic properties. Selected members of this series show photo-induced electronic transitions and pressureinduced magnetic pole inversions. The rare phenomenon of a double magnetic pole inversion is observed when FeII is introduced as a third MII ion. PBAs incorporating the Cu2+ ion are studied with the aim of establishing the influence of Jahn-Teller distortions on the photo-induced electron transfer which has been observed in a number of PBAs. X-ray powder diffraction and absorption measurements of CsCu[Fe(CN)6] under laser illumination reveal an unusual and unexpected behaviour, with photo-irradiation initiating a simultaneous reduction of both transition metal centres, which is proposed to occur via a chemical reaction. Superparamagnetic nanoparticles based on the CuII-NC-CrIII and Mn-NC-CrIII moieties are prepared by polymer protected synthesis, a method based upon spatial confinement. Control over the particle size, and consequently magnetic properties, of the isolated polymer-capped nanoparticles is achieved by altering the polymer concentration. The relaxation dynamics of the polymer-capped nanoparticles are studied using AC susceptibility.

The purpose of this investigation is to determine the effect of varying geosmin concentrations on the growth of selected cyanophytes which did not produce a notable odor in culture.