Despite increased recognition of wetland functions and values, wetland loss and degradation continues in the United States. Digital wetlands and uplands coverages were analyzed to compare the cumulative impacts of humans and beaver (Castor canadensis) on wetland types in the Chickahominy River watershed (Virginia, USA) from 1953 to 1994. A vector-based approach was used for data manipulation, and a raster-based approach was chosen to analyze geographic change over time. Study findings indicated that anthropogenic activities were responsible for both wetland loss and gain in the watershed, and beavers substantially influenced shifting between wetland types. Wetland area increased 4% over 41 years.

Thesis (Ph.D)(Soil Mineralogy) --University of the North, 2004. / This research study focuses on environmental mining impact of soils around the abandoned Kgwakgwe Mn mine in Botswana. The thesis contains five chapters: introduction, methods and analytical techniques, results, interpretation and discussions, and conclusions. The physico-chemical properties, mineralogical identification and characterisation and chemical properties of soils and related geological materials as well as the chemical properties of the soils and leaves of plants around the abandoned mine were investigated in order to determine the mining impact on the surrounding soils. It mentions field research components, which included observation and sampling of surface soils, related geological materials and leaves of plants for different laboratory analyses. Methods, techniques and instrumentation for physico-chemical, mineralogical and chemical analyses are explained. Physico-chemical properties studied on soil samples included particle size distribution (PSD), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil colour, and descriptive petrography. Identification of minerals contained in soil samples which included both < 53 μm and < 4 μm size fractions were performed employing X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) techniques. The < 4 μm size fractions of soil samples were further characterised using the environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) to which was fitted with an X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). Chemical analyses for iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) concentration levels in soil and leaf samples were measured with the flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS). Determination of exchangeable bases (Na, K, Ca and Mg), cation echange capacity (CEC) and percent base saturation, viii P, Cl, SO4 and CO3 concentrations were performed only on the soil samples. The exchangeable bases, CEC and percent base saturation were determined using the ammonium acetate method which included flame photometry for K and Na, and AAS for Ca and Mg. The Olsen method was applied to determine P concentrations. Furthermore analyses for Cl and SO4 were done using ion chromatography, whereas the calcimeter was used to determine CO3 concentrations. A Quickbird 2.4 m – 2.8 m resolution with zero cloud cover multispectral standard imagery of the study area was processed to characterise the vegetation cover. The laboratory results were processed using Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and Remote Sensing (RS) techniques with the integrated Land and Water Information System (ILWIS), Geosoft Oasis Montaj and ArcGIS software packages. Microsoft Excel was used for statistical and graphical presentation of data analyses. The particle size distribution of soil samples revealed the average wt % of the soil fractions as follows: the < 4 μm fraction was between o.3 wt % and 30.58 wt %, and the < 53 μm fraction was between 11.05 wt % and slightly above 100 wt %. Soil pH ranged from 2.92 to 7.26 with very acidic soils located close to the mine workings. Electrical conductivity values were significantly low, and the range was from 49.1 μScm- 1 to 123.5 μScm- 1 . Dark brown to reddish brown soil colour was indicative of very high Fe and Mn levels in the soils. Bulk soil samples consisted of quartz, SiO2; haematite, Fe2O3; goethite, Fe+3O(OH); bixbyte, Mn2O3; braunite, Mn+2Mn6 +3SiO12 ramsdellite, MnO2; pyrolusite, MnO2; cryptomelane, K2-xMn8O16; sanidine, K(Si3Al)O8; microcline, KAlSi3O8; whereas the < 4 μm ix fraction was made up of kaolinite, Al2Si2O5(OH)4 illite, KAl2Si3AlO10(OH)2; and muscovite KAl2Si3AlO10(OH)2. The range of concentration levels of Fe in soils was from 1116 μg g-1 to 870766 μg g-1 with a mean of 17593 μg g-1 and for Mn in soils was 35 μg g-1 to 24907 μg g-1 with a mean of 1088 μg g-1. The values for Na concentration in the soil samples ranged from 0.1 cmolckg-1 to 89.1 cmolckg-1, with a mean of 0.44 cmolckg-1, and for K concentration in the soil samples values ranged from 0.1 cmolckg-1 to 163.6.1 cmolckg-1, with a mean of 0.82 cmolckg-1. The values for Ca concentration in the soil samples ranged from 0.3 cmolckg-1 to 1139 cmolckg-1, with a mean of 5.68 cmolckg-1, and values for Mg concentration in the soil samples ranged from 0.3 cmolckg-1 to 1655.3 cmolckg-1, with a mean of 8.26 cmolckg-1. The CEC values in the soil samples from the study area ranged from 1.1 cmolckg-1 to 29.2 cmolckg-1, with a mean of 8.2 cmolckg-1, and values for percent base saturation in the soil samples were from 33.77% to 100 % with a mean of 82.10 % cmolckg-1. Values obtained for P2O5 in some randomly chosen soil samples from the study area were from 0.51 mgkg-1 to 6.02 mgkg-1. The values for Cl concentration in the soil samples ranged from 0.2 mgkg-1 to 11.9 mgkg-1, with a mean of 7.63 mgkg-1, and for SO4 concentration in the soil samples values ranged from 2.1 mgkg-1 to 47.5 mgkg-1, with a mean of19.36 mgkg-1. The values for CO3 concentration (measured in terms of CaCO3 equivalent) in the soil samples ranged from 5.1 gkg-1 to 59.1 gkg-1, with a mean of 40.98 gkg-1. For the leaves, the range of concentration levels of Fe contained in them was from 101.2 μg g-1 to 3758 μg g-1 with a mean of 637 μg g-1 and for Mn in leaves, the range was from 26.2 μg g-1 to 3611.5 μg g-1 with a mean of x 598.4 μg g-1. The TOC values were between 0 wt % to 7.9 wt %. High acidity of soils is reflected by on-going neomineralisation activities which at some places are depicted by the formation of dead zones. Other observable phenomena were stunted growth of plants, and the yellowing of their leaves as a result of high concentrations of Fe and Mn in their organic systems. The gridded soil and vegetation maps for Fe and Mn show anomalies in different parts of the study area. Where Mn is high, the Fe is low and vice versa. Manganese was high at the mine workings and in the northwestern part of the study area. Iron on the other hand is very low in the mine working area and is high on the northern part of the study area. The mineral genesis is explained and a model is advanced for the Mn interplay in the soils and environment around the Kgwakgwe abandoned Mn oxides ore mine. Remediative measures for reclamation of the contaminated soils and appropriate land use of the area have been suggested. It is anticipated that these useful recommendations to stakeholders which have been suggested, and the direction for further research if adhered could bring solution to some of the environmental pollution problems in the study area.

Thesis (M.Phil.) (Environmental Law and Management)--University of Limpopo, 2006. / This study investigated the knowledge and awareness of Platklip residents about the existing environmental laws and deforestation. The target population for the study was Platklip residents with the following characteristics: age 15 and above; period of 1 year and above as Platklip resident; educational attainment from SUB-A and above. The sample consisted of 130 respondents, 56 men and 74 females. Questionnaires were used to assess the awareness of Platklip residents. The processing of the results was done by using the Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS). The findings were presented through descriptive analysis and frequencies. The aim was to find out if Platklip residents have any knowledge or awareness about deforestation. Their knowledge and awareness of the existing environmental laws were also investigated. The recommendations to the escalating problem of deforestation at Platklip were also discussed / Not available in document

This study provides a detailed survey of the presence, concentration levels, and spatial distribution of organic and inorganic contaminants in sediment and tissue samples collected within Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. The results of these analyses revealed elevated concentrations of arsenic, and lead and chromium in Everglades National Park (ENP) sediments exceeding Potential Effects Levels (PEL) in 9, 5 and 5% of sediment samples and concentrations of nickel exceeding Threshold Effects Levels (TEL) in 5% of samples. In Biscayne National Park, arsenic exceeded TEL in 4400 of sediment samples. Organic analyses of ENP sediments revealed elevated concentrations of DDT and its metabolites in 5% of the samples. Fish tissue analysis indicate that Endosulfan may pose a hazard in aquatic environments due to its high frequency of detection, Endosulfan sulfate in 85% and β-Endosulfan in 5% of samples.

The Little Traverse Conservancy (LTC) of Michigan is a contemporary land trust organization. A case study of LTC identified the accomplishments and challenges of LTC as well as criteria for successful land conservation. Research emphasizes knowledge gaps in effective conservation efforts. An applied research protocol to improve ecological and socio-political knowledge about the workings of LTC and, by corollary, other similar land trusts is recommended. Key informant interviews (n=33) were conducted with LTC stakeholders. The objective of these interviews was to understand the perceptions and motivations of LTC stakeholders and more broadly, of small-scale land conservation. Findings show that social motivators including a sense of environmental ethic and responsibility for future generations were among the most highly discussed topics among stakeholders. The study provides a case for the importance of social science research in land conservation and land use analyses.

The land application of biosolids to provide nutrients and organic matter is widely practiced in agricultural applications. However, the potential benefit of applying biosolids to disturbed rangelands has not been adequately evaluated. Thus the main goal of the current study was to evaluate the potential economic and environmental benefits of applying biosolids to disturbed rangeland with the main focus on evaluating the impact on forage quality and quantity as a function of biosolids type and application rate. Three types of biosolids (aerobically, anaerobically, and lime stabilized biosolids) were surface applied with no subsequent tilling at various loading rates (1, 5, 10, and 20 times nitrogen plant requirement) in Skull Valley, Utah. It was demonstrated that forage quality (crude protein and in vitro digestibility) and quantity (biomass) can be improved by biosolids land application. Also, the analyses of the soil and forage for 16 specific metals indicated no measurable accumulation except for a statistical increase of sodium compared with the control. No negative impact on soil moisture infiltration (e.g., drainage) properties were seen. The economic analysis of biosolids land application on disturbed rangeland associated with improvements in forage quality indicated that use of biosolids for land restoration would be profitable. The highest potential financial return was observed when anaerobically digested biosolids were land applied at 20 times the agronomic rate. Finally, despite the numerous benefits associated with biosolids land application, there remain a number of human health and environmental concerns regarding its use on publicly accessible lands that should be addressed in future studies. These concerns are primarily associated with the accumulation of heavy metals and recalcitrant organics (e.g. polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, brominated biphenyls, and pharmaceuticals and personal care products) that may be associated with the biosolids.

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents are major sources of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the environment and effluentdominated streams (EDSs) represent worst-case scenarios for PPCP exposures to aquatic organisms. The concentrations of PPCPs downstream from a WWTP can be altered by dilution and fate processes such as biodegradation, photodegradation and sorption. The relative importance of these processes depends on the individual PPCPs and environmental variables that vary seasonally. The primary objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of selected PPCPs in an EDS as a function of season and distance from a WWTP with the hypothesis being that the downstream attenuation of the PPCPs would vary based on their corresponding physicochemical properties. A secondary objective was to evaluate the ability of the constructed wetlands located between the plant and creek to reduce PPCP concentrations. Samples were collected seasonally from above and below the East Canyon Water Reclamation Facility (ECWRF) and within the constructed wetlands for selected PPCPs. Except for caffeine, downstream PPCP concentrations were higher than upstream, indicating that the ECWRF effluent is the major source of PPCPs in East Canyon Creek. Generally, the highest PPCP concentrations in the stream were observed in July and the lowest in May corresponding to the times of lowest and highest ratio of stream to effluent flows, respectively. Dilution was the major factor associated with the declining PPCP concentrations downstream of the ECWRF but the extent of decline varied between compounds suggesting other fate mechanisms also play a role. Sorption of PPCPs to wetland sediments was greater than stream sediments but overall the retention time within the wetlands was too short to significantly reduce the amount of PPCPs moving into the stream. The observed concentrations of individual PPCPs in East Canyon Creek were lower than those expected to negatively impact the health of aquatic organisms but mixture effects are still a potential concern.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 40-02, Section: B, page: 0658. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1978.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 40-06, Section: B, page: 2588. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1979.

In this research I explored the use of the statistical characteristics of the distribution of elevation points within a basin for predicting the rate at which at peak in rainfall at some point within the basin becomes at peak in runoff at the outlet of that basin. My research was stimulated by the desire to improve flood forecasting in ungauged basins and based on the pioneering hydrology research of Langbein, Horton and Strahler as updated by Harlin and Luo. I developed a simplified model of a basin with stream development and showed how basin factors known to affect runoff – area, slope, stream network development, and basin shape – could be represented by the statistical characteristics N (count), standard deviation, median less minimum, skewness, and kurtosis. Linear regression of average runoff accumulation rate on the statistical characteristics showed N, median less minimum, and skewness to have a significant effect with an R-squared of 83%, a residual standard error of 0.25 on 28 degrees of freedom, and an overall p-value of 2.4e-11. A model skill assessment through cross-validation yielded a mean square error of 11%. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Geography in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Degree Awarded: Summer Semester, 2006. / Date of Defense: April 10, 2006. / Runoff, Basin Morphology, Hypsometric Curve, Flood Forecasting, Basin Statistical Analysis / Includes bibliographical references. / James B. Elsner, Professor Directing Dissertation; David Paradice, Outside Committee Member; Harry Cooper, Committee Member; Daniel J. Klooster, Committee Member; J. Anthony Stallins, Committee Member.