Zuni Salt Lake (ZSL) is a large maar in the Red Hill-Quemado volcanic field located in west-central New Mexico in the southwestern USA. Stratigraphic analysis of sections in and around the maar, coupled with optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) C-14 dating, indicate that ZSL volcanic activity occurred between similar to 13.4 and 9.9 ka and was most likely confined to a <= 500-year interval sometime between similar to 12.3 and 11.0 ka. The basal volcanic unit consists of locally widespread basaltic ash fallout interpreted to represent a violent or wind-aided strombolian eruption tentatively attributed to Cerro Pomo, a scoria cone similar to 10 km south of ZSL. Subsequent eruptions emanated from vents near or within the present-day ZSL maar crater. Strombolian eruptions of multiple spatter and scoria cones produced basaltic lava and scoria lapilli fallout. Next, a phreatomagmatic eruption created the maar crater and surrounding tephra rim and apron. ZSL eruptions ended with strombolian eruptions that formed three scoria cones on the crater floor. The revised age range of ZSL is younger and more precise than the 190-24 ka 2-sigma age range derived from previous argon dating. This implies that other morphologically youthful, argon-dated volcanoes on the southern margin of the Colorado Plateau might be substantially younger than previously reported.

The Safe Drinking Water Act includes provisions for state wellhead protection programs which address wellhead protection areas. In Utah, these areas are called drinking water source protection (DWSP) zones. Zones Two and Three are delineated according to analytical or numerical techniques, which are based on hydrogeological and time-of-travel data, as well as recharge information, accumulated through the use of hydrogeologic and hydrochemical techniques. The primary conclusions of this research are: 1) A fence diagram and site hydrostratigraphic diagram show that the hydrogeology is more complex than previously has been thought . The principal aquifer at the target well site comprises a sequence of mostly coarse-grained units interspersed with thinner fine-grained units. The supposedly unconfined shallow aquifer is confined in most parts of the valley, including the target well site. 2) The recovery rate of water levels in the monitor wells in response to pumping of the target well indicates that horizontal groundwater flow velocities are low at the target well site. X 3) Interpretation of major ions relative to the depth of uppermost open interval of the various sample wells indicates that the deeper of the three major water-bearing zones (below 300 to 350 feet [91 to 107 meters]) is not well connected to the upper two zones. 4) The chemical evolution of the water along the westernmost of three discrete flowpaths indicates a change from young calcium bicarbonate water to moderately mature sodium-sulfate water. 5) Sample waters recharged from the northern Wasatch Mountains have higher total-dissolved-solids (TDS) contents then sample waters recharged from the southern Wasatch Mountains . 6) The discrepancy between many of the δ18O, δD, and tritium data as to the probable recharge area(s) indicate that the sample wells must be evaluated on an individual basis regarding the source of recharge water. 7) The tritium data demonstrate that those wells located farthest out into the valley or having the deepest uppermost open interval furnish the lowest tritium values. 8) Based on the 14C dating technique , the groundwater at the target well site appears to be between 1300 and 5300 years old. 9) There is little risk of contamination at the target well site, in terns of the 15-year time-of-travel DWSP zone (Zone 3).

The need for a technician training program in Ornamental Horticulture was studied in Davis, Salt Lake and Utah counties utilizing interviews and mailed survey instruments. The greatest job increase during the next five years is anticipated for nursery workers, landscape helpers and greenhouse workers. The smallest anticipated increase is for florists, floor foreman and nursery technicians. Skills requiring the highest degree of competency for workers in ornamental horticulture, according to employers, are retail salesmanship, plant identification and disease and insect control. Courses receiving the highest rating in an ornamental horticulture technician curriculum, as given by owners and managers and by educators, were botany, ornamental deciduous woody plants, soils and fertilizers, gardening techniques, and plant propagation. Courses receiving the lowest rating were three months or more on-the-job training, professional ethics and law, and economic entomology.

Non-native invasive plant species can often have negative effects on native ecosystems, such as altered nutrient cycling, decreased habitat for wildlife, and outcompeting native plants. Around the Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, the invasive wetland grass Phragmites australis has become abundant in wetlands around the lake. Phragmites is replacing many native wetland plants provide important waterfowl habitat around the GSL. For successful management of Phragmites in GSL wetlands, it is important to know the current distribution of Phragmites, as well as areas that might be vulnerable to future invasion by Phragmites. To do this, we used multispectral aerial imagery to map the current distribution of Phragmites. We then created a model that statistically related the Phragmites distribution data to a suite of environmental predictor variables such as salinity, proximity to nutrient sources, or proximity to roads. Results from our model suggest that Phragmites is more likely to be found in wetland areas close to point sources of pollution, with lower elevations with prolonged inundation, and with moderate salinities. We used these results to identify areas around GSL that might be vulnerable to future invasion. Results from our study will assist wetlands managers in prioritizing areas for Phragmites monitoring and control by closely monitoring areas of prime Phragmites habitat.

Consumption and use patterns for selected dairy products and their substitutes were described and related to certain socioeconomic variables for consumers living in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The data for this thesis were gathered by means of a survey conducted from April 1967 through June 1967. Salt Lake City households were large consumers of fluid milk, evaporated milk, butter, margarine, fruit juice and fruitade when compared to the western region and the nation. By calculating the income elasticities for each of the four types of products, all were shown to be superior products with the exception of canned milk.

This study was conducted to determine basic data on the incidence of lead shot in ducks us ing the Great Salt Le.lee Basin. The study has been divided into two parts; (1) incidence of ducks carrying lead shot in their tissues and (2) incidenoe of ducks carrying ingested lead shot.

Drawing from literature on place, this dissertation studies place dynamics in relationships between people and a mixed amenity place. Using Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, as a case study, I use a social constructionist approach to examine the sense of place held by those who live nearest to the lake. I analyze qualitative interview and focus group data as well as quantitative survey data to discern the meanings the lake holds for these nearest neighbors and to examine distinctions between people who see the lake differently. This study is relatively unique in its examination of relationships with a mixed amenity place, as prior place research has focused on high amenity places such as resort locations. A number of distinctions were found. Place attachment to GSL was less widespread than seen with high amenity places, and there were some residents for whom the lake held negative meanings. The lake held multiple meanings for many research participants, including combinations that appeared incongruous in mixing both positive and negative lake images. Some participants appeared to have no sense of the lake. Additionally, there was evidence of social stigma related to living near the lake. This study can help natural resource managers, community leaders and policy makers to better understand the relationships between local residents and GSL, which prior place research has shown to be a useful indicator of environmental concern, commitment to the place, and support for resource management. There were many things residents did not appear to know about the lake, including, for example, the natural workings of the lake ecosystem, the effect built features have had on this ecosystem, and the economic contributions to local communities, counties and the state from lake-related enterprises. Also of interest, these nearest neighbors talked about how changes related to the lake have affected them. This study provides justification for further work on people-place dynamics with mixed amenity places, as it revealed dynamics not be seen in research on higher amenity settings. The study also demonstrates the need for continued social science research on GSL, to provide further understanding of people's relationships with this important place.

I studied nutrient reserves, digestive organs, molt intensity, diets , and seasonal changes in food resources available to postbreeding adult male Northern Pintails (Anas acuta) and Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera) in marshes near Great Salt Lake, Utah. Total lipid and protein reserves of Northern Pintails were lower during the flightless period than before or after. For Cinnamon Teal, total protein was lowest during the flightless period, and total lipid showed a similar trend. Total mineral did not differ among plumage classes in either species. Use of nutrient reserves in these species may be an endogenous rhythm in response to increased predation risk or unpredictable food resources while flightless. Digestive organ metrics of Northern Pintails generally were lower while flightless than before or after, apparently due to decreased dietary consumption. Cinnamon Teal digestive organ metrics changed little from preflightless to flightless stages, but generally increased while postflightless. Changes in Cinnamon Teal digestive organs may be related to increased dietary intake or increased dietary fiber consumption. Total molt intensity in these species was generally high before and during wing molt, and decreased during the postflightless period. Mathematically weighting total molt scores produced results similar to those obtained without weighting, but selection of body/feather regions is critical to obtaining unbiased estimates. Changes in relative availability of plant and animal foods during July and August were marked . Animal foods made up 96% of total foods measured in the study area during early July, but plant foods comprised 95% of available foods by late August. Changes in abundances of food resources are probably an important determinant of diet selection in postbreeding adult ducks and ducklings in marshes near Great Salt Lake. Diets of postbreeding adult male Northern Pintails and Cinnamon Teal did not differ between species, but did among flight classes. Changes in use of food items and in use of animal and plant foods were consistent with changes in relative abundances of food resources. Postbreeding adult males of these species apparently foraged opportunistically.

Inland salt lakes of the arid and semi-arid zones of Western Australia are unique systems. An unpredictable rainfall pattern and a transient water regime ensure these lakes remain dry for much of the year. Lake Yindarlgooda in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia is a typical inland salt lake that has been subjected to additional stresses. This thesis is the outcome of investigations conducted on the lake from 2001 to 2003. Emphasis is on the limnology and biota of the lake, including an adjacent wetland, and impacts on the aquatic ecosystems caused predominantly by mining. Lake Yindarlgooda is a large, shallow hypersaline lake situated on the Yindarlgooda Palaeoriver. It is sodium chloride dominated and has naturally high background levels of nickel. Sites impacted by the leaching of hypersaline decant water from a leach residue storage facility (LRSF) were differentiated from control sites using multivariate statistics. Salinity was found to be a major determinant in the structure of the biological communities in the lake systems. / Different biotic communities with low taxonomic diversity were recorded in Lake Yindarlgooda and Swan Refuge, a nearby hyposaline clay pan. The benthic microbial communities were dominated by halotolerant diatoms, notably Amphora coffeaeformis, Navicula incertata and Hantzschia baltica. Variation in the diatom assemblages between the playa sites and the clay pan were noted, influenced by habitat type and salinity. Within Lake Yindarlgooda, the diatom assemblages in the control and impact sites were found to be similar. A narrow salinity spectrum dictated the taxa present. Many of the benthic diatoms collected during the dry phase were encysted, having entered dormancy. The invertebrate fauna in Lake Yindarlgooda and Swan Refuge belonged to the Crustacea. A larger percentage of hyposaline invertebrate taxa were recorded from Swan Refuge, while those in Lake Yindarlgooda were typically halotolerant species. The Ostracoda showed the greatest diversity and their abundance was higher in the southern control sites while the Anostracan, Parartemia sp., dominated the northern impact sites of the playa. / The riparian zone of Lake Yindarlgooda supported a diverse plant community, dominated by the Chenopodiaceae. The marginal vegetation communities along the shores of Lake Yindarlgooda were found to be similar, indicating habitat homeogeneity. Within the riparian zone both biological and physical soil crusts occupied large areas not inhabited by vascular plants. The biological soil crust identified was composed of an association between the filamentous cyanobacterium Microcoleus sp. and a moss species (Musci). Both biological and physical soil crusts were found to have functional roles in stabilising the surrounding low dunes. The soil crusts in the northern control sites were badly degraded as a result of trampling by livestock, while those in the southern control sites were protected and were intact. Only one Parartemia species was found to inhabit Lake Yindarlgooda, Parartemia n. sp. d. It was collected in salinities ranging from 50 to 140 g L-1. The population appeared to be oviparous, recruitment mostly from resting eggs. The male to female ratios varied between sites, as did the number of juveniles compared to the adults. The northern impact sites had a more mature Parartemia population than the southern control sites and appeared to have undergone a second recruitment. Examination of the surface sediment found a well established Parartemia “egg bank” in the northern impact sites with egg numbers much higher than in the southern control sites. / The ultrastructure of the Parartemia resting egg was identical to that of Artemia. Differences in the external features and internal structure of the resting egg of Parartemia n sp. d and Parartemia n. sp g from Lake Miranda, another saline lake, were identified. This study showed morphological variation of the egg within Parartemia, a finding not previously recorded. Rehydration trials on the Parartemia egg bank indicated that the increase in sediment salinity from the LRSF had a negative effect on the hatching of the resting eggs. In salinities above 60 mS cm-1 hatching was less successful. The conditions provided in the trials were similar to those in Lake Yindarlgooda. The hatching technique was repeated on sediment from Lake Miranda with similar results. These trials were considered a valuable monitoring tool in the assessment of impacts on the biota of temporary lakes in the absence of water. This study demonstrated that in the absence of water the egg and spore/seed bank can be used as a proxy for monitoring temporary lakes. It was also found to be valuable in understanding the distribution and diversity of the biotic communities in Lake Yindarlgooda. This study provides the first integrated reference information on a Western Australian inland salt lake against which any future impact may be assessed.

Isolating the climatic mechanisms driving Holocene geomorphic change and deciphering the role of landscape change in prehistoric cultural processes both require well-dated and relatively continuous alluvial chronologies. This study presents a centennial-scale, latest Pleistocene and Holocene chronology based on alluvial fan, floodplain, groundwater-discharge, and volcanic deposits for the Carrizo Wash watershed, a Little Colorado River headwater drainage on the southeastern Colorado Plateau. More than 200 radiocarbon dates provide chronometric control. The age of Zuni Salt Lake volcanic eruptions was re-evaluated using radiocarbon and luminescence dating. Two eruptive phases ~13.3 ka and ~11.8 ka suggest closely spaced, monogenetic events. These terminal Pleistocene ages for the eruptions are significantly younger and substantially more precise than previous argon method ages. Sediment exposed in modern arroyos is dominated by middle Holocene (~7.1–4.9 ka) alluvium in valley contexts, whereas piedmont alluvium dates primarily to the late Holocene (~4.3–2.7 ka). Extensive prehistoric channel entrenchment occurred ~4.9 and 0.8 ka. Localized incision occurred ~1.9 and 1.2 ka, and possibly ~7.5 and 2.7 ka. Extended drought typically preceded arroyo cutting, and entrenchment was associated with increased climate variability, major shifts in precipitation amount or seasonality, and reduced flooding. Accelerated valley and piedmont aggradation appears related to increased flooding and runoff associated with reduced vegetation cover during periods of low effective moisture resulting from enhanced North American Monsoon circulation and weak ENSO conditions. Conversely, slow or stalled deposition appears connected to reduced flooding and runoff fostered by denser vegetation during times of increased effective moisture caused by enhanced El Niños and increased winter precipitation. Ground-water discharge deposits at Cienega Amarilla indicate that spring discharge was greatest and water tables most elevated ~2.3–1.6 ka. Spring discharge appears to reflect variations in El Niño frequency and intensity and the resultant variations in winter precipitation. Study results suggest that predicted increased drought and enhanced or delayed monsoons associated with modern climate change could initiate accelerated erosion of upland areas and increased flooding in southern Colorado Plateau headwater tributaries. Archaeological implications include temporal biases associated with surface site distributions and changing viability of floodwater and water-table farming over time.