Drought and salt stress are the main global factors that reduce the average yield of most major crops. In order to meet global demands, we will need to double food production by 2050 (Tilman, Balzer, Hill, & Befort, 2011). Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are a group of bacteria that alleviate the harmful effects of abiotic stresses such as salt, heat and drought stress on plants and decrease the global dependence on hazardous agricultural chemicals. We identified that beneficial microbes isolated from desert plants (indigfera argentea) from Jizan region, in 2012 enhance the tolerance of a variety of crop plants to drought and salt stresses under laboratory conditions and in field trials. We analyzed the interaction of these bacteria with the plants by genetic, biochemical and imaging techniques. The goal of this dissertation is to ultimately improve our understanding of the mechanisms of drought and salt stress tolerance conferred by beneficial microbes that can be used as a sustainable solution for plants and crops in degrading lands (deserts) and land affected by abiotic stresses. Outlines how each of chapter of this dissertation will contribute to the discovery of novel drought and salt stress tolerance strategies using a desert-specific bacterial endophyte.

In this thesis, I will discuss what good, effective practicing is. The project is of course self-directed, I am my own test subject, however it is my hope that the research conducted in this will be useful to other musicians too.I will write about why we practice, our motivation for doing so, practice for performance, simulating nerves, efficiency and the effect meditation has on practice quality. / <p>Master Exam Concert</p><p>KMH- Kungasalen 11.30         </p><p></p><p> </p><p>Rossini- thema e variazioni</p><p>Alban Berg- vier stücke</p><p>Brahms- sonata in Eb              </p><p></p><p>Ben Aldren- klarinett</p><p>Erik Lanninger- piano.             Concert recording 52.24</p><p></p><p></p>

Coral bleaching is a worldwide result of climate change that is affecting the marine ecosystems greatly. Methods to help solve the issue have been previously explored and Beneficial Microorganisms for Corals (BMCs) have been proven to help mitigate coral bleaching in laboratory trials. In their efforts to test its effectiveness on the field, scientists have found that it would be beneficial to have a constant, biocompatible, source of BMCs. We have tested Calcium Alginate microspheres, what we call Alginate Beads, in terms of release rate and cell viability to determine if they are fit to be used as vectors for the BMC consortia. By placing the Beads in two different temperatures representing winter and summer temperatures in the Red Sea in agitation we were able to understand their dynamics more clearly. By using Flow Cytometry, Colony Forming Units, and microscopy techniques we were able to see that Alginate Beads incorporate bacteria into their matrix and keep them viable for up to two weeks. We also observed that the Beads release more bacterial cells at higher temperatures compared to lower temperatures. This suggests that when used in the field, Alginate Beads are able to sustain the bacteria for a prolonged time period and it will release bacteria at a higher rate in warmer temperatures potentially either season or region-wise. Hence, we believe that Alginate Beads could be suitable as vectors for field research and should be explored further.

Incineration of municipal solid waste (MSW) is common for energy recovery, and management of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) ashes has received a growing attention around the world. In the U.S., generation of MSW has increased up to 65% since 1980, to the current level of 251 million tons per year with 53.8% landfilled, 34.5% recycled and composted, and 11.7% incinerated with energy recovery. In the process of incineration, MSWI ash is being produced as byproducts; about 80 to 90% of the MSWI ash is bottom ash (BA) and 10 to 20% is fly ash (FA) by weight. The current practice of the U.S. is to combine both BA and FA to meet the criteria to qualify as non-hazardous, and all combined ashes are disposed in landfills. European countries have utilized MSWI BA as beneficial construction materials by separating it from FA. The FA is mostly limited to landfill disposal as hazardous material due to its high content of toxic elements and salts. BA has been actively recycled in the areas of roadbed, asphalt paving, and concrete products in many of European and Asian countries. In those countries, recycling programs (including required physical properties and environmental criteria) of ash residue management have been developed so as to encourage and enforce the reuse of MSWI ashes instead of landfill disposal. Moreover, many studies have demonstrated the beneficial use of MSWI ashes as engineering materials with minimum environmental impacts. On the other hand, the U.S. has shown a lack of consistent and effective management plans, as well as environmental regulations for the use of MSWI ashes., Due to persistent uncertainty of engineering properties and inconsistency in the Federal and State regulations in the U.S., however, the recycling of the MSWI ashes has been hindered and they are mostly disposed in landfills. In this research work, current management practice, existing regulations, and environmental consequences of MSWI ashes utilization are comprehensively reviewed worldwide and nationwide with an emphasis of the potential area of its utilization in asphalt paving and concrete product. This research also entails a detailed chemical and microstructural characterization of MSWI BA and FA produced from a Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) facility in Florida so that the MSWI ash is well characterized for its beneficial uses as construction materials. The material characterization includes Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques. In addition, leaching experiments have been conducted to investigate the environmental properties (e.g. leachate concentration) of BA and ash-mixed hot mix asphalt (HMA) and Portland cement concrete (PCC). Leaching results reveals the reduced leaching potential of toxic material from MSWI ashes while incorporated in HMA and PCC. Lastly, a preliminary experimental approach has been devised for the vitrification of FA which is a promising thermal process of transferring material into glassy state with higher physical and chemical integrity to reduce toxicity so that utilization of FA can be possible.

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