The aim of this study was to assess amount of available nitrogen and phosphorous in forest soils using the ion exchange resin (IER) bag method in watersheds of Plešné and Čertovo lake from 2003 to 2012. Watersheds were exposed to acidic deposition for long time. The results indicate higher amount of total available nitrogen and phosphorous in soils from the watershed of Plešné lake because the forest there has been infected with bark beetle (Ips typographus) and it influences transformations through the whole ecosystem.

Resumo: Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar a capacidade máxima de adsorção de P em quatro tipos de solo e a sua correlação com características químicas e físicas do solo, bem como os níveis críticos de P no solo e na planta e a eficiência dos extratores Mehlich-1 e Resina de troca aniônica na quantificação do P disponível para plantas de mamoneira nos solos estudados. Foram utilizadas amostras de quatro solos de diferentes regiões do Nordeste, tendo apresentado variação de características químicas e físicas dentro de cada classe. Para avaliar a capacidade máxima de adsorção de P (CMAP), os valores de quantidade de P adsorvido ao solo e de concentração de P na solução de equilíbrio foram ajustados à isoterma de Langmuir e Freundlich. A capacidade máxima de adsorção de fósforo (CMAP) dos solos variou de 0,2793 mg g-1 a 0,3954 mg g-1 nos solos estudados, tendo sido o RY com maior teor de argila (330 g kg-1), o que adsorveu maior quantidade de P. A isoterma de Langmuir foi mais eficiente na determinação da CMAP dos solos estudados quando comparada à isoterma de Freundlich. Os valores encontrados para a CMAP dos solos são menores do que aos de outras regiões do país. Os valores de P-rem encontrados, apresentaram variação nos solos, tendo variado de 16,28 mg L-1 a 43,73 mg L-1, e o maior valor foi observado no TCo com 135,6 g kg-1 de argila. O extrator Melich-1 foi mais eficiente na extração de P para o TCo, o CXbe e CXve, em relação à Resina trocadora de íons, independentemente da dose aplicada.Os níveis críticos de P no solo para 90% da produção máxima variaram de 21,33 mg dm-3 a 416,64 mg dm-3 para o extrator Mehlich-1 e de 30,70 mg dm-3 a 177,51 mg dm-3 para a Resina de troca aniônica / Abstract: The objective of this study to evaluate the maximum asorption capacity of P in four soils and its correlation with chemical and physical characteristics of the soil as well as the critical levels of P is soil and plant efficiency and Mehlich-1 and Anion extractors Resin in the quantification of P available for the castor bean plants in the soils. Samples of four soils from different areas of the Northeast region of Brazil were used, and there was variation of chemical and physical characteristics within each class. In order to evaluate the maximum P adsorption capacity (MPAC), the values of the amount of P adsorbed to soil and P concentrations in the equilibrium solution were adjusted to the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm. The maximum phosphorus adsorption capacity (MPAC) of the soils ranged from 0.2793 mg g-1 to 0.3954 mg g-1 in the studied soils, and the RY with the highes clay content (330 g kg-1), adsorbed the highes amount of P. The Langmuir isotherm was more efficient in determining the MPAC of the studied soils than the Freundlich isotherm. The values found for the MPAC of the soils are lower than those in other regions of the country. The P-rem values found showed variation in the soils. They ranged ranging from 16.28 mg L-1 to 43.73 mg L-1 and the highest value was found in the TCo with 135,6 g kg-1 clay. The Melich-1 extractor was more efficient at extracting P to TCo, to CXbe and to CXve than the ion exchange resin, regardless of the applied dose. The critical levels of P in soil to 90% of maximum yield ranged from 10.92 mg dm-3 to 369.63 mg dm-3 for the Mehlich-1 extractor and from 8.28 mg dm-3 to 125.86 mg dm-3 for the anion extractor resin / Orientador: Leonardo Theodoro Büll C / Coorientador: Napoleão Esberard de Macêdo Beltrão / Banca: Dirceu Maximino Fernandes / Banca: Rogério Peres Soratto / Banca: Francisco Maximino Fernandes / Banca: Juliano Corulli Corrêa / Doutor

The top-down effects of consumers and bottom-up effects of resource availability are important in determining community structure and ecological processes. I experimentally examined the roles of consumers — both detritivores and predators — and habitat context in affecting nutrient cycling using the detritus-based insect community in bromeliad leaf wells. I also investigated the role of multiple resources in limiting plant productivity using meta analyses. The insect community in bromeliads only increased nitrogen release from leaf detritus in the presence of a predator trophic level. When only detritivores were present, the flow of stable isotope-labeled nitrogen from detritus to bromeliads was statistically indistinguishable from that in bromeliads lacking insects. I suggest that emergence of adult detritivores constitutes a loss of nitrogen from bromeliad ecosystems, and that predation reduces the rate of this nutrient loss. Hence, insects facilitate nutrient uptake by the plant, but only if both predators and detritivores are present. Moreover, predators can affect nutrient cycling by influencing the spatial scale of prey turnover. This mechanism results in a pattern opposite to that predicted by classic trophic cascade theory. Increasing habitat complexity can have implications for nutrient cycling by decreasing the foraging efficiency of both predators and their prey, and by affecting the vulnerability of predators to intraguild predation. Along a natural gradient in bromeliad size, I found that, depending on the relationship between community composition and habitat size, habitat complexity interacts with the changing biotic community to either complement or counteract the impact of predators on nutrient uptake by bromeliads. In contrast to the existing emphasis on single-resource limitation of primary productivity, meta-analyses of a database of 653 studies revealed widespread limitation by multiple resources, and frequent interaction between these resources in restricting plant growth. A framework for analyzing fertilization studies is outlined, with explicit consideration of the possible role of multiple resources. I also review a range of mechanisms responsible for the various forms of resource limitation that are observed in fertilization experiments. These studies emphasize that a wider range of predator and nutrient impacts should be considered, beyond the paradigm of single resource limitation or classic trophic cascades. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

South Florida has transformed from a natural to a managed ecosystem upon channelization of Kissimmee River and the wetlands in the 1960’s. The drainage has resulted in fast transport of water and nutrient, and subsequently eutrophication of the downstream water bodies. The intervention required: intensive management of the shallow groundwater to balance ecological water requirement; and nutrient removal, namely phosphorus, to minimize eutrophication. The study was set to examine and develop an operational prediction method for groundwater-phosphorus interactions to support the wetlands management. Accordingly, a point scale and a spatio-temporal groundwater level was simulated using sequence based Markovian stochastic analysis and dynamic factor analysis methods respectively. A root mean square error of 0.12m and 0.15m was observed for a point and spatio-temporal groundwater prediction. Soluble and sequestered phosphorus were also simulated at 13% error using a watershed based model called ArcWAM. A spatial analysis on simulated soluble phosphorus and groundwater level indicated similarity of patterns (spatial correlation) 99% of the time. A geographically weighted multivariate analysis of soluble phosphorus using predictors of groundwater level, total phosphorus of surficial water, and distance from Kissimmee River showed a goodness of fit (R2 ) of 0.2 – 0.7. Amongst the factors, the groundwater explained 70% of the soluble phosphorus variability. In summary, an increase in soluble phosphorus was observed with groundwater rise and a decrease during groundwater recession. A reversed relationship was identified for the total phosphorus. Presumably, organic matter in the root zone has contributed to increased soluble phosphorus with the rise in groundwater. On the other hand, solubility of calcium carbonate from the karst aquifers seems to fix and precipitate phosphorus during recession of groundwater. The least sequestration of phosphorus, observed in oversaturated wetlands also suggested that nutrient removal on karst hydrogeology could be risky unless a check is made using vegetation strip to enhance phosphorus uptake. The study concluded that phosphorus could be operationally predicted associated with forecasting of groundwater fluctuation. Further research is recommended to explore factors that could be derived either empirically or from satellite data for prediction of soluble phosphorus at minimum cost.

Battery research has been going full steam and with that the search for alternative anodes. Among many proposed electrode materials, little attention has been given to phosphorus. Phosphorus boasts the third highest gravimetric charge capacity and the highest volumetric charge capacity of all elements. Because of that, it would be an attractive battery anode material were it not for its poor cyclability with significant capacity loss immediately after the first cycle. This is known to be the consequence of considerable volume changes of phosphorus during charge/discharge cycles. In this work, we propose circumventing this issue by mixing amorphous red phosphorus with carbon nanotubes. By employing a non-destructive sublimation-deposition method, we have synthesized composites where the synergetic effect between phosphorus and carbon nanotubes allow for an improvement in the electrochemical performance of battery anodes. In fact, it has been shown that carbon nanotubes can act as an effective buffer to phosphorus volumetric expansions and contractions during charging and discharging of the half-cells [1]. By modifying the synthesis parameters, we have also been able to change the degree of crystallinity of the phosphorus matrix in the composites. In fact, the less common phase of red phosphorus, named fibrous phosphorus, was obtained, and that explains some of the varying electrochemical performances observed in the composites. Overall, it is found that a higher surface area of amorphous phosphorus allows for a better anode material when using single-walled carbon nanotubes as fillers.

Hypolimnetic anoxia can result in higher internal phosphorus (P) loads from the sediments to the water column, thereby increasing nutrient availability, making preventing anoxia a major goal for lake managers to improve water quality. Side-stream saturation (SSS), a type of hypolimnetic oxygenation system, has been developed to maintain oxygenated conditions at the sediments by withdrawing oxygen-depleted water from the hypolimnion to an on-site facility and injecting it with oxygen under high pressure before returning it to the hypolimnion. While this technique has been studied in select water bodies, to date it has not been successfully deployed in a shallow lake. This study investigated the effects of an SSS system deployed at Falling Creek Reservoir, a shallow drinking water reservoir located in Vinton, Virginia, USA. Specifically, we examined the effects of the SSS system on several chemical, physical, and biological response variables to ascertain the short-term impacts of hypolimnetic oxygenation on reservoir water quality. We found that the SSS system was successful in increasing dissolved oxygen concentrations in the reservoir hypolimnion without weakening stratification, warming the sediments, or increasing turbidity; however, we were unable to detect any short-term effects of SSS operation on P concentrations, P loading, pH, chlorophyll a, or algal density. Interestingly, we also observed an increase in oxygen demand in response to SSS operation, which must be taken into account when deploying oxygenation systems in the future. Continued monitoring is necessary to more completely assess the long-term impacts of SSS operation on water quality at Falling Creek Reservoir. / Master of Science

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Four spectrophotometric procedures for the analysis of phosphorus were evaluated (1F1). The phosphorus concentrations in saliva and dentine were determined. All four analytical procedures were accurate but the one method was the most sensitive. An acid etch enamel biopsy procedure which was originally developed in Switzerland was modified in our laboratory (#2). It was subsequently shown by other investigators that the modified technique was much more accurate for the determination of the fluoride concentration in enamel than the original procedure.

Mississippi has an abundance of ponds which provides a number of opportunities for anglers. Several enhancement strategies are used to improve fish production in ponds, including fertilizing and supplemental feeding. These strategies may ignore the potential ecological impacts that may unexpectedly arise, such as prolific plant growth. This study consists of two phases; first, a mesocosm experiment investigating fertilizer application rates (mg P/L) in relation to potential sunfish growth, and second, a replicated pond experiment consisting of four treatments to simulate commonly used enhancement strategies. Mesocosm experiment showed a peak of sunfish growth at the 0.6 mg P/L level and served as a high fertilizer threshold level in pond experiment. Ponds were surveyed to assess treatment effects on each trophic level. The costs associated with each pond management strategy were documented. Results from this research help refine management recommendations to maximize results while minimizing costs to landowners and ecosystems.

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