The aboveground and belowground productivity of forest systems are interlinked through complex feedback loops involving tree, soil and environmental factors. With a predicted significant change in environmental conditions through the enhanced greenhouse effect, it is important to understand the response of forest systems to these new conditions. An increase in atmospheric CO2 is predicted to increase photosynthesis, and therefore whole plant productivity at the individual tree level. However this increase in photosynthesis may result in greater requirements for nutrients, particularly nitrogen (N). In order to acquire any additional available N, trees may respond by increasing their proportional allocation of C belowground to the root system. This study aimed to quantify the belowground C allocation in a mature forest system consisting of a single species on a single site, but with different levels of water and nutrient stress. The belowground carbon dynamics of a range of irrigated and fertilized Pinus radiata stands in Australia were investigated during 1992 and 1993. Belowground carbon allocation was estimated using the model proposed by Raich and Nadelhoffer (1989) where belowground C allocation is the difference between soil respiration and carbon input through litterfall, plus coarse root production and an adjustment for any change in soil and litter layer carbon pools. This model is best described by the equation: Belowground C = Csoilresp ?? Clitterfall + Ccoarseroot+ ???Cforest floor+ ???Csoil Soil respiration, measured using a modified soda lime absorption method either every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks for 2 years, showed a range in daily soil C flux from 137 ?? 785 mgCO2.m-2.h-1. Soil respiration showed seasonal trends with summer highs and winter lows. Limited fine root biomass data could not indicate a strong relationship between measured soil respiration and fine root (&gt2mm diameter) biomass. Fifty three percent of the variation in soil respiration measurements in irrigated treatments was explained by a linear relationship between soil respiration, and soil temperature at 0.10 m depth and litter moisture content. In non-irrigated treatments, 61% of the variation in soil xix respiration measurements was explained by a linear relationship between soil temperature at 1 cm depth and soil moisture content. Inter-year variation was considerable with annual soil respiration approximately 20% lower in 1993 compared with 1992. Annual soil C flux was calculated by linear interpolation and ranged from 3.4 ?? 11.2 tC ha-1 across the treatments. Soil C pools remained unchanged over 10 years between 1983 and 1993 for all combinations of irrigated and fertilized stands, despite significant aboveground productivity differences over the decade. Measurements of standing litter showed a change between 1991 and 1993 for only 2 out of the 10 treatments. These two treatments had belowground C allocation estimated both with and without an adjustment for a change in standing litter. Annual litterfall C ranged almost four fold from 0.6 ?? 2.2 tC ha-1 between the treatments in 1992 and 1993, and fell within the ranges of measured litterfall over 10 years at the field site. Again inter-year variation was large, with the 1993 litterfall values being approximately 97% greater across all treatments compared with 1992 values. Belowground carbon allocation was calculated using C fluxes measured at the field site, and ranged 3 fold from 4.4 ?????? 12.9 tC ha-1 between the treatments during 1992 and 1993. In 1993 the belowground C allocation was approximately 30% lower across all treatments compared with 1992 calculations. This was due to an approximate 23% reduction in annual soil C flux, a 97% increase in litterfall C and an 18% reduction in coarse root production between 1992 and 1993. The field site was N limited, and differences in belowground C allocation could be shown across irrigated treatments with different N limitations. As N availability increased belowground C allocation was decreased in the irrigated treatments. It was difficult to determine differences in belowground C allocation caused by water stress as the effects of water and N limitation were confounded. An increase in N availability generally indicated an increase in coarse root and litterfall C production, which were reflected in increased aboveground productivity. In high N treatments the coarse root fraction of belowground C allocation comprised approximately 50% of the total belowground C allocation, whereas in the N stressed treatments coarse roots only comprised 20% of the total belowground allocation The mechanistic model BIOMASS was used to estimate annual gross primary productivity (GPP) for the different treatments at the field site. BIOMASS estimated GPPs of between 30-38 tC ha-1 for the different treatments during 1992 and 1993. The measured belowground carbon allocation ranged from 16 ?? 40 % of simulated GPP, with the lower proportion allocated belowground in the irrigated and high fertility stands. Aboveground competition through the absence of thinning also appeared to reduce allocation belowground in non- irrigated stands. A direct trade off between bole and belowground C could not be demonstrated, unless data were separated by year and by the presence or absence of irrigation. Where data were separated in this manner, only three data points defined the reasonably strong, negative relationship between bole and belowground C. The value of this relationship is highly questionable and should be interpreted with caution. Thus a decrease in belowground C allocation may not necessarily indicate a concomitant increase in bole C allocation. Inter-year variation in a number of C pools and fluxes measured at the field site was at least as great as the variation between stands having different water and N limitation. Extrapolation of belowground productivity estimates from a single years data should be undertaken cautiously. The work undertaken in this study indicated that for a given forest stand in a given soil type, an increase in N availability reduced the absolute and relative C allocated belowground. However this decrease in C belowground may not directly translate as an increase in stem growth or increased timber production. Forest productivity in an enhanced greenhouse environment is likely to result in an increased allocation of C belowground due to increased N limitation, unless adequate N is present to support a more active canopy. Further work is required to more fully understand the dynamics of the belowground system in a changing environment. However further research should focus on mature forest systems in order to isolate the impacts of natural ageing changes from perturbation effects on the forest system. This would be best undertaken in long term monitoring sites where a C history of the stand may be available.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) corrosion is a major problem in the oil and gas production industry. The survival of mild steel equipment is to a large extent conditional on the formation and stamina of protective iron carbonate (FeCO3) films. Damage to protective films allegedly leads to accelerated corrosion attacks and increases the risk of failures. In single-phase flows, film removal phenomena are broadly ascribed to two intrinsic mechanisms: mechanical removal by hydrodynamic forces and/or chemical removal by dissolution. The fact that both mechanisms usually act simultaneously in practice puts their combined action in the forefront regarding its significance and relevance for the industry. Yet, virtually no information is available on the exact conjoint mechanism of protective FeCO3 film removal in single-phase environments. The obscurity is largely due to the uncertainty regarding the roles of hydrodynamic forces and mass transfer, where both are closely related to turbulence intensity levels. The aim of this dissertation was to clarify the roles of the two basic FeCO3 film removal mechanisms during the conjoint removal in undisturbed, single-phase flow in terms of their relative contribution and possible synergistic interaction. The proposed aim was accomplished by applying an innovative analytical approach, in which inherently coupled processes of film formation and removal were decoupled. Also, the two intrinsic removal mechanisms were studied separately in the initial stages, before they were combined to provide a complete picture of the conjoint mechanism. An integrated approach to studying film formation/removal mechanisms involved advanced electrochemical techniques for following film growth/removal, complemented by detailedScanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy/X-Ray Mapping characterisations of protective/residual films. A single-phase, highly turbulent flow field was attained by employing a rotating cylinder configuration. A standard corrosion experimental setup was extended to accommodate more complex film studies. A comprehensive flow characterisation around the rotating cylinder was carried out by means of flow visualisation and mass transfer measurements under turbulent flow conditions. While the former facilitated proper design of film formation experiments, the latter led to an empirical mass transfer correlation that enabled quantification of film dissolution rates. Furthermore, although some information on film growth kinetics is available, customised experimentation was necessary to identify the key parameters needed to obtain films with desired characteristics. Sound procedures for FeCO3 film growth were established, which led to the reproducible formation of realistic, protective films after a few days. The results of the pure mechanical removal of protective FeCO3 films have shown that its kinetics are rather slow even at high velocities and have caused a delayed, partial macroscopic type of damage. Yet, the findings demonstrate that the currently widely accepted view, that film removal by hydrodynamic forces in the absence of film dissolution in undisturbed, single-phase flows does not occur, is wrong. The strong correlation found between velocity and pure chemical film removal kinetics implicitly followed via corrosion rates suggests that the dissolution of protective FeCO3 films is under mass transfer control. Pure dissolution has faster removal kinetics and is far more detrimental to film integrity even at relatively high pH (just below saturation) than pure mechanical removal at the same Reynolds number. It has been found that the controlled pure dissolution mechanism led to only partial and selective film removal, where the more dissolution-resistant crystalline top film layer and the dissolution-prone inner layer were differently affected both in terms of the type of damage and its severity. A strong synergistic effect between mechanical and chemical film removal mechanisms has been identified during their simultaneous action. The quantified synergistic share in fully established conjoint film removal (during the steady, linear corrosion rate increase) expressed via corrosion rate gradients increased from 19.4% to 29.7% for the corresponding increase in the rotational speed from 7,000 rpm to 10,000 rpm. The synergism comprised two modes of mutual interactions: enhanced mechanical removal due to dissolution (M/D) and enhanced dissolution due to mechanical removal (D/M). In contrast to the independent action of integral removal mechanisms, where dissolution appears to be more destructive, the interaction between the two was primarily dominated by drastically accelerated mechanical film removal kinetics, that is, M/D rather than D/M mode, the latter of which was inferior. A fundamentally improved understanding of film removal mechanisms in single-phase flows has been reached as a result of the present project, thereby creating a solid foundation for future modelling and a more effective prevention and control of flow accelerated corrosion, not only in CO2 corrosive environments, but also in a wide range of industrial settings.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, November, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Tulsa, 1988. / Title page lacks date. Bibliography: leaves 106-110.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Tulsa, 1985. / Bibliography: leaves 85-87.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Tulsa, 1985. / Bibliography: leaves 85-87.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, March, 1984. / Title from PDF t.p.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Richard P. Wool, Dept. of Chemical Engineering. Includes bibliographical references.