Systems Ecology Research Project Options and Resources
2011
Genuine
research involves asking important questions for which answers are not already
known. The research opportunities described below are linked either with
ongoing work or begin to address promising areas for future study within our
local bioregion. In each case, there is at least a possibility that the
research you undertake will contribute to talks at professional meetings, a
peer reviewed publication and/or will aid in important management decisions.
There is ample room within these for you to exercise your own creativity in
formulating and answering research questions.
Research
opportunities are divided into the general topics in the outline below. Below
each topic is a brief description of context, a list of potentially fruitful
projects for you to consider and then brief description of and links to
resources that directly relate to theses research opportunities. Many of the
linked documents are posters and reports from student research projects conducted
in previous ENVS316 classes.
Don’t reinvent the wheel; your projects should reference and build on this
prior work.
Research Areas:
1) Experimental wetland restoration
2) Biogeochemistry of the Living Machine and
other wastewater treatment systems
3) Sustainable agriculture and soil
properties (at the Jones Farm and elsewhere)
4) Energy flow, material cycling, carbon sequestration
and agroforestry in urban ecosystems
5) Stream system ecology and land use effects on water
quality
1)
Experimental wetland restoration
Context:
Ohio has lost 90% of its native wetland ecosystems. A variety of
governmental programs and legislation now encourage the restoration of wetlands
and there are a number of wetlands in various stages of restoration in our
immediate area including the Kendal restoration and several at Lorain
Metroparks. In 2003, the New Agrarian Center (formerly the Ecological Design Innovation Center) and Oberlin’s Environmental Studies Program initiated a
unique experimental facility for studying wetland restoration on the south end
of the Jones Farm. Specifically, six hydrologically isolated 1/4 acre wetland
"cells" were developed on the property. Initial research in this
facility has been designed to assess the efficacy of different strategies for
achieving high native species diversity and desirable ecosystem function.
Experimental cells have been subjected to three alternative planting regimes:
"self-organization" (i.e. not planting in cells #1 and 4), initial
planting and seeding with natives (cells #2 and 5), and multiple planting and
seeding (cells #3 and 6). Seeding and planting was undertaken in the fall of
’03. In the summer of ’04 additional plantings were made in the two planted
treatments and invasive plants were weeded out of all cells. In the spring of
2010 a nutrient addition experiment was undertaken to simulate the effects of
nutrient runoff into wetlands from upstream agricultural fields. Cells 2, 3
and 4 received fertilizer with a single dose of nitrogen (29.7 kg N/cell) and
phosphorus (9.9 kg/cell). This treatment was repeated in the spring of 2011. A
variety of projects have been undertaken in past years (described below) and a
range of new projects can expand on this research.
Potential Projects:
a)
Monitoring aquatic system metabolism in experimental restored
wetlands. Whole ecosystem and sub-community metabolism in aquatic
ecosystems can be assessed by tracing the changes that occur in dissolved
oxygen concentration over the course of day and night. A variety of approaches
can be taken to accomplishing this and in ’06 an excellent ENVS316 project
compared these approaches (Ackerman 2006). One approach is to deploy oxygen
sensors into the water and to continuously record dissolved oxygen with a
datalogger at regular intervals. These data can then be processed to estimate
net primary productivity (NPP), gross primary productivity (GPP) and
respiration (R). A second, lower tech (and less expensive) approach is to take
a series of discrete measures of dissolved oxygen over a 24 or 48 hour period
(typically dawn, dusk, dawn readings). These data can also be used to estimate
NPP, GPP and R. During the summer of 2010 an in-situ solar powered oxygen
monitoring technology was developed and deployed to continuously monitor oxygen
(see Allen, 2010). This measure of “total system metabolism” (TSM) is one
important means that we are beginning to use to assess changes that occur in
the EDIC wetlands. A variety of useful and interesting projects are possible
that further explore metabolic relationships between light intensity, nutrients
and total system and community metabolism. With any technique, NPP, GPP and R
can potentially be related to such controlling factors as light intensity and
nutrient concentration.
*The concentration of dissolved oxygen in the
water is affected by several distinct communities: autotrophic and
heterotrophic organisms living in and on the sediments; submerged aquatic
vascular plants living in the water; plankton (non-vascular auto- and
heterorophs that move with the water) in the water column. The metabolic
activity of the planktonic component can be isolated from the others by
incubating transparent “BOD” bottles either in the water column or under lights
in the laboratory and measuring changes in oxygen within these bottles. Bonner
et al (2010, see link below) developed a technique for isolating benthic
metabolism. Additional work could measure differences in community metabolism
among the treated systems.
b)
Nutrient dynamics in experimental restored wetlands. There
is a solid data record documenting nutrient dynamics in the experimental
wetlands during the growing season since 2004. Preliminary analysis of data
following a nutrient addition initiated in the spring of 2010 suggests very
rapid uptake of nitrate. *An interesting experiment might assess rates of
nitrification (conversion of ammonium to nitrate) in the water column using the
BOD technique described above.
c)
Soil organic matter content (SOM) in experimental restored
wetlands. Soil organic matter is critical from the perspectives of soil
fertility and the global carbon cycle. On one hand, wetlands are highly
productive ecosystems that remove CO2 from the atmosphere. On the
other hand, wetlands are often a source for CH4 emissions resulting
from anaerobic decomposition. CH4 is a far more potent greenhouse
gas than CO2. New research will build on previous ENVS research
projects conducted in fall of ’01 and fall of ’03 (see linked resources listed
below). The ’01 group examined SOM before the land was reworked to form the experimental
cells. The’03 group conducted their analysis shortly after construction of the
cells, before wetlands had been established and found that SOM differed
significantly among cells. After construction, in ’04, a group conducted a
follow up analysis. Additional soil samples have been collected in the summers
of 2010 and 2011, but not fully processed or analyzed. There are several
opportunities for building our understanding of soil carbon in this system.
d)
Above and belowground biomass as a function of planting
treatments. The amount of living plant material, both above and below the
ground surface is a measure of the net ecosystem productivity. Plant material
provides both food and habitat for heterotrophic organisms. When plant
material decomposes it becomes soil organic matter. Plant biomass is critical
to the ecological function of all ecosystems and is of special interest in
wetlands which often have both high gross primary productivity and low
belowground respiration. Wetlands are a crucial mechanism for storing (and
potentially releasing) atmospheric carbon dioxide. Differences are already
quite evident in species composition in the EDIC wetland cells exposed to
different planting treatments. It is not, however, clear whether biomass also
differs among treatments. A very interesting project could be conducted that
quantifies differences in above and/or belowground biomass in these systems.
This project would follow on a research project conducted in 2004 and on George
Allen’s 2010 thesis and is related to the SOM project discussed immediately
above.
Resources and Prior Research:
Petersen. 2003. WetlandResearchNarrative
This is a bit of literature review and explanation of research on these
restored wetlands that I prepared in preparation for the EDIC experimental
wetland study.
Petersen. 2003. Wetland Restoration Takes Shape. Article for EDIC
newsletter
An article for the EDIC newsletter describing the experimental wetland
restoration project
Petersen. 2003. Wetland Restoration Bibliography
A bibliography of papers on wetland research that are relevant to the
experimental wetland restoration project
George Allen. 2010. Interim report on experimental wetland fertilization
experiment 7/30/2010.
This report provides a first-cut analysis of how wetlands responded to
nutrient addition experiment conducted in the spring of 2010. Graphs in the
powerpoint file show response in Gross Primary Productivity and nutrients.
George Allen 2011. Resource competition between aquatic primary producers
and emergent macrophytes before and after fertilization in restored
experimental wetlands of varying biodiversity (Honors thesis)
This is George Allen’s honors thesis which examines initial response of the
experimental wetlands to fertilization
Grossman. 2008. Assessment of four years of marsh restoration at the
Jones Farm experimental restoration facility in northeast Ohio: Water quality,
plant community development, and adaptive management
Honors thesis that provides a comprehensive evaluation of changes in the
experimental wetlands with an emphasis on quantifying changes in plant species
diversity as a function of experimental treatment.
Grossman and Petersen. 2007. Three Years after Construction, Alternative
Planting
and Management Strategies in Experimental Marshes Induce Differences in
Biodiversity and Heterogeneity, but not in Function.
This is a poster that Jacob Grossman and I presented at the 2007 Annual
Meeting of the Ecological Society of America meeting in San Jose, CA in
August. The poster provides an overview of research findings at the
experimental wetlands to date.
Bonner, Essene and Lee. 2010. Use of Benthic
Incubation Chambers to Determine Contributions of Benthic Communities to Total
System Metabolism. ENVS316 Research Project.
These folks developed an incubation technique for assessing the metabolic
activity of benthos. The emphasis was on technique development – not attempt
was made to compare component community metabolism among the cells.
Ackerman, Braziunas and Gibson. 2006. A Comparison of Methods for
Measuring Aquatic Total System Metabolism in Six Experimental Wetland Cells
Alexander, Buzdygon and Grossman. 2006. Early Trends in Inorganic Nitrogen
and Phosphorous in Six Constructed Wetlands Subjected to Different Planting
Regimes. ENVS316 Research Project.
Cohn, Platt, and Tang. 2004. Aboveground Biomass and Soil Organic Matter
as a Function of Planting Strategy and Water Depth in Six Experimental Wetland
Cells After One Year of Planting. ENVS316 research project
A follow up study to 2003 study that considered above ground biomass as
well as SOM
Beierle and Lee. 2003. Measured Effects of Non-Point Source Runoff on
Water Quality and community metabolism in Constructed Wetlands Receiving
Different Volume and Quality of Water Inflow. ENVS316 research project
This group compared oxygen metabolism and nutrient inflow and outflow in
different restored wetlands at the Kendal at Oberlin facility. This would be a
useful study for those contemplating comparing techniques for measuring system
metabolism at the Jones Farm experimental wetlands.
Wetland mitigation monitoring for Kendal at Oberlin
I have a photocopy of this very useful report by a consulting company that
was hired to assess the constructed wetlands at Kendal at Oberlin. I don't have
an electronic version, but I have a copy in my office.
Bodnar, Brooke, and Merrett. 2003. Differences in Soil Organic Matter and
Soil Texture in Newly Constructed Experimental Wetlands. ENVS316 research
project
An evaluation of soil organic matter in the wetland cells after
construction but before plants had significantly colonized the new cells.
These are baseline conditions that can be used to determine whether SOM has
changed.
Sabel, Schromen-Wawrin, and Turiansky. 2001. Assessing soil organic matter
accumulation and implications for effective wetland restoration design at the
Clark Farm in NE Ohio. ENVS316 research project
A group conducted a preliminary analysis of soils at the Jones Farm (then
the "Clark Farm") in the vicinity of the new constructed wetlands
before the experimental wetland cells were built. The areas they examined have
been pushed all over the place with earth moving equipment, but their data
might be interesting for comparison with current conditions.
2) Biogeochemistry
of the Living Machine and other wastewater treatment systems
Context:
Modern wastewater treatment facilities are typically designed to remove
reactive organic matter ("secondary treatment") to remove nutrients
("tertiary treatment"), and to remove human pathogens. These
functions are dependent on both time and space. The Living Machine is
optimized so that certain reactions (e.g. breakdown of labile organic matter
and nitrification) are facilitated in the upstream end of the system, while
others (e.g. denitrification) are optimized in later portions. Like other
complex ecosystems, we might anticipate that the capacity of the LM to process
carbon and nutrients should change over time and space as the system develops.
Nutrients and labile (=easily broken down) carbon have been routinely monitored
in the effluent (=treated water) for a few years now, and these data are
available for analysis as are data on organic matter metabolism (Biological
oxygen demand and total system metabolism). A wide variety of interesting
projects can and have been built around examining carbon and nutrient dynamics
in the Living Machine.
Potential Projects:
a)
Spatial patterns of nutrient processing in a wastewater treatment
wetland. The gravel marsh in the Living Machine is intended to provide an
environment that encourages the denitrification reaction (Organic matter + NO3+
à N2 + H2O).
Denitrification requires a source of high quality organic matter and a low
oxygen environment. An ENVS316 research group in ’03 found that the areas of
the marsh that they examined had low oxygen, but insufficient organic matter to
stimulate denitrification (Haineswood 2003). Sampling ports have been
installed in a 1 m x 1 m grid throughout the marsh. At each node of this grid,
ports provide access to water located at shallow, intermediate and deep
depths. This experimental setup in Oberlin’s LM provides a unique opportunity
to study spatial dynamics in a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment. A
very interesting follow-up study to the one mentioned above examined spatial
patterning in nitrogen and phosphorus (Bradford 2008). * A very useful follow
up study might reduce the level of spatial analysis, but measure changes over
time, perhaps after a perturbation designed to change dynamics. For example,
new information on nitrogen dynamics might be obtained by pulsing the system
with a food source for denitrifying bacteria (acetate for example) and tracing
resulting change in nitrate and phosphate concentrations.
b)
Optimization of denitrification using anaerobic influent tanks. In
’07 (see Fabis 2007 below) a group did some very interesting work examining the
potential for using the AN tanks to stimulate denitrification. *All sorts of
interesting follow up work is possible.
c)
Carbon dynamics in the Living Machine. There are a variety of
opportunities for assessing organic carbon dynamics in the Living Machine.
Wastewater treatment plants traditionally use a technique called,
"Biological Oxygen Demand" (BOD) to quantify the potential metabolic
breakdown of organic carbon in water that enters ("influent") and
leaves ("effluent") these facilities. Aquatic systems ecologists
sometimes use a more direct measure, known as "total system
metabolism" (TSM), to assess metabolic activity in natural ecosystems.
Students in previous classes have worked with me on developing an automated
system for measuring total system metabolism in the LM and on comparing this
technique with the BOD technique. Work thus far indicates a surprisingly weak
relationship between the results of TSM and BOD approaches. Additional projects
can help identify reasons for this lack of agreement. A few questions to
ponder: Does adding a bacterial seed source alter BOD? What fraction of BOD in
different regions of the LM is due to carbon metabolism and what fraction is
due to nitrogen transformations (e.g., nitrification: NH4 + O2 -->NO3 + H)?
Can temperature dependence of organic metabolism explain the discrepancies.
Some day a darn good publication will come out of this research.
Resources and Prior Research:
Oxygen and Carbon Metabolism
Petersen. 1999. System Metabolism in the LM Proposal
This contains some useful tidbits for those contemplating a project on
systems metabolism.
Kolker, Monk, and Tong. 2000. Carbon Dynamics in Oberlin College’s Living Machine: Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Systems Metabolism (TSM).
ENVS316 Research Project
Examined BOD, and Total system metabolism in different portions of the LM.
Found a week relationship between these variables.
Draper, Beale and Milne. 2001. Oxygen Consumption in the Living Machine:
A Comparison of Nitrification and Carbon Metabolism using BOD5 method
This was a follow to the previous years study. Examined BOD in the LM and
found that a substantial percentage of the oxygen is being consumed by
nitrification. Definitely more do to on this topic…
Petersen. 2008. Example of Excel formula for calculating saturated
dissolved oxygen
Nutrient and FC dynamics
Bunkers and MacKay. 2010. Assessing the Effectiveness of Different Carbon
Sources in Stimulating Denitrification in a Wastewater Wetland Designed for
Removing Nitrate
Study used incubations to assess the extent to which different carbon
sources might be used to stimulate denitrification.
Bradford, Coury and Minerath. 2008. An analysis
of spatial patterns in nutrient concentration in a constructed wastewater
wetland system at Oberlin College: While nitrate concentration is uniform,
phosphate concentration in is dependent on depth and the presence of physical
barriers
Study revealed interesting differences in the spatial patterning and
processing dynamics of two key plant nutrients within the Living Machine. This
research group examined patterns at one instant in time.
Fabis, Brunner and Anderson. 2007. Potential for using anaerobic settling
tanks to optimize denitrification in an ecologically-engineered wastewater
treatment system
A particularly provocative and interesting study in which the research
group simulated the effects of recycling nitrate rich water through the
anaerobic influent tanks to assess their capacity as a site for
denitrification. They stimulated denitrification, but also new release of
ammonium. Great potential for a follow up study
Turner. 2004. Nitrogen Dynamics and Metabolism in a Greenhouse-Wetland
Wastewater Treatment System: The Oberlin College Living Machine. Senior honors
thesis
A wealth of information on nutrient and oxygen dynamics. Separate chapters
on long term nitrogen dynamics, Organic nitrogen metabolism, a comparison of
biological oxygen demand vs. total system metabolism.
[Intro_chapter.doc]
Provides excellent context on Living Machine and nitrogen
[Historic_N_chapter.doc]
Chapter describes changing patterns in nitrogen dynamics over time
[Organic_N_chapter.doc]
Discusses method used to quantify organic nitrogen in the system
[BOD_TSM_chapter.doc]
Looks for relationships between BOD and total system metabolism
Haineswood and Morse. 2003. Low Organic Carbon Limits Denitrification in
the Marsh of an Ecologically Engineered Wastewater Treatment Facility at Oberlin College. ENVS316 Research Project
One of the most interesting ENVS316 projects to date. The authors
quantified factors limiting rates of denitrification in the constructed gravel
marsh. Great opportunities for a follow up study
Danielsson, Perruchon and Thayer. 2006. Trends in Removal of Fecal
Coliform and Nutrients in a Wetland-Based Wastewater Treatment System
Beem-Miller, Braford and DeCoriolis. 2006. Understanding Dynamics of
Fecal Coliform Removal in a Biological Wastewater Treatment Facility at Oberlin College
Cernac, Pennino and Dyankov. 2004. Measuring Phosphorus Retention
Capacity in the Marsh Substrate of an Ecologically Engineered Wastewater
Treatment Facility at Oberlin College. ENVS316 Research Project
McConaghie. 2003. Biotic regulation of water
flow and nutrient dynamics in a constructed wastewater treatment wetland.
Senior honors thesis
James examined patterns of water flow through the gravel marsh. He
experienced methodological problems that make his data difficult to interpret,
but the general description and approach are excellent.
Gershik, Maly, Teter and Wright. 2001. An evaluation of LM nutrient
dynamics. ENVS316 Research Project
An early attempt to quantify nutrient dynamics in the Living Machine
Manuals and General Information on Oberlin’s Living Machine
Living Machine Operating Manual
This is the operation manual that came with our Living Machine. The first
few chapters provide an excellent introduction to the biology of the system
Living Machine Operators Handbook
This document describes basic procedures for managing and monitoring the
Living Machine. Use and maintenance of hand-held equipment is described.
Tiruchelvam. 2000. The Context of Living Machine Wastewater Treatment
Technology and Documenting its Start-up at Oberlin College. Honor's Thesis
Varuni did her honors project on the startup of the Living Machine. Her
thesis is full of useful information on the system.
3)
Sustainable agriculture and soil properties (at the Jones Farm and elsewhere)
Context:
Interest in sustainable agriculture and the local foods movement is
burgeoning in Oberlin and North East Ohio as evidenced by the increasing number
of farm stand featuring local produce and locally raised dairy and meat and by
the increasing number of small-farm enterprises in the countryside and in
cities. One of the core missions of Oberlin’s New Agrarian Center (formerly
the Ecological Design Innovation Center) is to model sustainable land use in
north east Ohio. Over the last several years, the Jones Farm property, which
the NAC manages, has hosted a variety of agricultural projects including market
gardens, community supported agriculture, and OSCA gardens. Soil management
and fertility is a critical factor that will strongly influence the success of
farming enterprises on this site. A variety of land and soil management
practices have been employed on the site since EDIC/NAC took over management of
fields on the north end of the Jones Farm. Farmer managers have experimented
with raised bed agriculture, row crops, orchard, greenhouse production,
installation of drainage tile and the use of organic mulch and compost.
Critical attributes of soil controlling fertility include soil organic matter
content (SOM), nutrient content, cation exchange capacity (CEC), pH and texture.
Previous projects (e.g. Mew 2008, Bishop 2007, Lindaur 2004 and Bosch 2003, see
links below) have compared SOM and CEC in areas subjected to different
management techniques and have quantified changes over time.
There are a number of other small farms and community gardens in NE Ohio
that could provide interesting sites for analyses of relationships between soil
attributes.
Potential Projects:
a)
comparing relationships among soil quality attributes along a
gradient of urban gardens. This project might examine relationship among
SOM, texture, CEC and other soil attributes in city gardens with the goal of
examining hypotheses related to management practices. Travis et al (2010)
explored this question in a number of community gardens in Elyria (see below)
b)
Assessment of changes in soil organic matter and cation exchange
capacity in the north fields of the Jones Farm. This project might attempt
to map and examine the degree of variability in soil organic matter within fields,
raised beds and greenhouses that have been subject to different management
regimes. A number of projects (below) have focused on different locations and
a number of follow-up projects that assess the impact of management are
possible.
Resources and Prior Research:
Travis, Durkin, and Schneiderman. 2010. Exploring the implications of soil
development methods and age on soil properties in Urban Garden Soils.
Study attempted to relate soil properties in urban gardens in Elyria to
soil management practices and time since the garden sites were initiated. Lack
of ability to control for the way different plots were treated made it
difficult to relate cause and effect.
Mew, Cunningham and Goldthwaite. 2008. Comparison of soil organic matter
and pH beween and within raised beds in a newly constructed organic learning
garden in North East Ohio and implications for future management and research
This study established baseline data for more controllable agricultural
experiments. A follow up study can examine change in SOM as a result of crop
and soil management practices.
Bishop, Miracle and Rolllinson. 2007. Intensive management increases soil
organic matter and cation exchange capacity: An analysis of differently managed
sites at the organically managed George Jones Farm
An excellent follow up to the ’03 study described below examining SOM and
CEC at three different sites.
Lindauer, Morris, and Stenger. 2004. Comparison of soil properties in
raised bed greenhouse and adjacent fallow fields: Effects of 3 years of intense
organic management at the Jones Farm Oberlin, Ohio.
A follow up to the 2003 study that examined CEC as well as SOM
Bosch, Decker and Merrick. 2003. Soil organic matter accumulation at the
George Jones Farm: A comparison of organic treatments with natural processes
and conventional management
This group compared soil organic matter content and texture at the Jones
farm in areas subjected to different management practices.
Masi, B. 2000. Ecological Design Innovation Center land assessment and
conceptual land-use plan (On paper reserve in Science Library for Jones Farm
visit)
This document includes an evaluation of soil organic matter content taken
several years ago. Brad Masi can probably tell you quite a bit about the
approaches taken to increasing organic matter content on this land. There is
likely also a considerable literature on increasing organic matter content in
soils used for organic agriculture.
4) Energy
flow, material cycles, and carbon sequestration in urban ecosystems and urban agroforests
Context:
The majority of the global population now lives in urban environments and
urban landscapes are becoming increasingly critical systems in terms of the
ecological services that they provide (or don’t provide). A wide range of options
exist for managing urban landscapes that might result in substantial
differences in local and regional flows of energy and cycles of matter. Oberlin College and the City of Oberlin contain a variety of urban landscapes subjected to a
variety of management practices.
The Lewis Center is, among other things, designed to showcase ecological
landscaping. Certainly this is evident with species composition in plant
diversity, in the use of native plants, and in "permaculture" (permanent
edible landscaping). From a systems perspective, the landscape can also be
examined in terms of the flow and storage of carbon, nutrients and energy.
Studies conducted in ’01, ’02 and ’07 have assessed the amount of carbon stored
in the soils of the Lewis Center and in an traditionally managed turf (see project
reports below).
Although emphasis in recent years has been placed on “local foods”, it is
possible that increasing emphasis may soon be placed on “local fuel”. A recent
project (Hoffman 2008) conducted preliminary soil analysis and made
recommendations regarding the potential for creating a “biofuels garden”
between the AJLC annex and the solar parking lot pavilion. This area has since
been planted with a hybrid hazel nut orchard.
Other landscapes on the Oberlin College campus present other options for
assessing the implications of different management regimes.
Potential Projects:
a)
*Baseline analysis of above and belowground carbon accumulation
in an urban agroforest designed for hazel nut production. In the summer of
2011 an experimental hazel nut orchard was planted in the landscape between the
AJLC parking lot solar array and the AJLC Annex. A biological material used
for this planting was provided by agroforest/nut crop pioneer Philip Rutter.
The study site is intended to function as a satellite to his research
facilities as Bagersett Research Corporation (www.badgersett.com/). While his research
focuses on hybridization, a local Oberlin focus will be on carbon dynamics and
sequestration. Hoffman et al. (2008) quantified soil conditions in this site
prior to preparation for the hazelnut planting. A follow up study that
quantifies above and belowground carbon will play a critical role in efforts to
quantify changes that occur over time.
b)
Baseline study to examine soil organic matter as a function of
conversion from lawn to wildflower meadow. Oberlin College Buildings and Grounds intends to convert what is now a mowed site into a wildflower meadow.
This creates an opportunity to conduct an assessment of soil organic matter
dynamics similar to those conducted in the AJLC landscape (see below). An
initial study would be used to derive baseline data on current soil organic
matter content in sites that could then be used as controls (stay lawn) and
treatment (conversion to wildflower meadow).
Resources and Prior Research:
Burroughs, Meloy and Sullivan. 2010. Preliminary investigation of an urban
orchard as a carbon sinks: Do trees tree roots affect enhance soil organic
matter accumulation
Examined spatial heterogeneity in soil organic matter in orchard trees
within the AJLC landscape as a means of assessing the impact of these threes on
accumulation of soil carbon.
Hoffman, Skoirchet and Williams. 2008. Soil analysis of an urban landscape
to evaluate its potential in supporting an educational low-input, high-yield
biofuel garden.
Group explored potential use of the small landscape between the AJLC
parking lot solar array and the AJLC Annex as a demonstration biofuels garden.
They analyzed current soil conditions and then made recommendations regarding
soil modifications and the particular spatial configuration and management of
such a garden.
Gula, Grecni and Lee. 2007. Change in soil carbon storage in a
heterogeneous, ecologically-managed landscape and two conventionally managed
urban turfs
A follow up to the previous studies described below found little change but
I higher degree of heterogeneity in ecologically managed turn landscape then in
conventionally managed turf at Oberlin.
Turner, Ramsden and Newhouse. 2001. Quantifying a one-year change in soil
carbon content and calculating total carbon stored in soil and sediments of the
AJLC landscape
Follow up study to the one described above. This one also compared soil at
the AJLC with South lawn.
Boehland, McHenry and Meredith. 2000. Soil Properties at the Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies Directly after Construction.
Collected baseline data on soil organic matter content at several points in
the Lewis Center landscape.
5) Stream
system ecology and land use effects on water quality
Context:
Water quality varies over the length of a stream as a function of upstream
water quality, adjacent land use, point-source pollution and biogeochemical
activity occurring within the stream. Teasing out the effects of particular
land uses and point sources on water quality can be challenging, but is a
critical step in assessing and managing stream water quality. One approach to
determining land use effects on water quality is to compare regions of two
different streams that drain similar areas but differ in land use. Another
approach is to trace water quality along the length of a single stream as it
travels through different land uses. Since spring of ’06 Environmental
Studies students have periodically conducted weekly samples of water quality at
three (then 4) locations within the Plum Creek, upstream and downstream of the
City.
Potential Projects:
a)
*An assessment of the impact of effluent on water quality in the
Plum Creek and assessment of the use of various water quality variables as for
a “Bioregional Dashboard”. As part of a the “Environmental Dashboard”
project funded by the Great Lakes Protection Fund, we have been working to
install equipment to monitor the water quality of the Plum Creek and effluent
from Oberlin’s waste water treatment plant (WWTP) in real-time. A sensor for
analyzing a number of water quality parameters including dissolved oxygen, pH,
conductivity, temperature and turbidity (?) was installed in the spring of 2010
to monitor water quality in the effluent of the WWTP was installed and data has
been gathered since spring of 2011. The second datasond has yet to be
installed to monitor water quality in the Plum Creek. A project group would
work to install this second set of sensors and then conduct the first analysis
of high temporal resolution effects of the WWTP on water quality. (As you
think about these effects consider the reality that in an agricultural
landscape, it is possible that the effluent from a WWTP is actually cleaner
than stream water.) A second component of this project might use the data
analysis discussed above to consider what variables might be most fruitfully
incorporated into public displays in the Oberlin Public Library and downtown
Oberlin to explain the importance of water quality to the general public as a
mechanism for encouraging water conservation.
b)
Monitoring stream metabolism using in-situ dissolved oxygen
probes. During the spring of 2010 we developed a new in-situ technology
for monitoring and logging dissolved oxygen concentrations. The equipment
could be used to monitor dissolved oxygen concentrations in various parts of
the Plum Creek and then to infer metabolism. Zimmer et al. (2010) explored
techniques for accomplishing this and recognized that careful measures of flow
needed to be made in parallel. A follow up study could make the flow measures.
c)
Fecal Coliform dynamics and relationship. Fecal coliform
(FC) is an index of the abundance of potentially pathogenic human-gut
organisms. FC is one of the parameters that is regularly sampled and turns out
to be highly dynamic over time. An ENVS316 study (Santino 2008) examine how
fecal coliform varies over space and time and how it is related to other water
quality variables such as nitrogen, phosphorous, oxygen, BOD and turbidity
following a storm event. An interesting follow up might examine relationships
over a broader time period.
c)
Comparison of water quality in watersheds subjected to different
land use. One interesting project would be to compare water quality
(nutrients, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, BOD, plankton metabolism, etc.) in
sections of the Black and Vermilion river watersheds that drain similar areas,
and/or to compare water quality in small sub-watersheds of similar size each of
which is dominated by a single land use. (This project would require that a
member of the team have a car.)
d)
Changes in water quality in Plumb Creek as a function of upstream
water use. Closer to home, interesting projects were conducted in
fall of ’04 and ’06 , ’07 and ’08 by ENVS316 teams that examined water quality
up and downstream from different land uses in the Plumb Creek and seasonal
variability in water quality. The creek travels along the following trajectory:
farmland à Oberlin golf course à the arb à
urban Oberlin à Oberlin wastewater
treatment plant. Tracing water quality following a single storm event, the ’04
group found that storm water input from the city of Oberlin actually diluted
rather than increased nutrient concentrations in the Plumb Creak.
Resources and Prior Research:
The Oberlin Environmental Dashboard (www.oberlindashboard.org). This
site explains the Great Lakes Protection fund project.
U.S. Geological Survey flow and water quality data for Plum Creek for a 3
month period in 1977
Zimmer, Schwartzman, Harkins. 2010. Continuous dissolved oxygen
measurements reveal metabolic patterns in a mixed land use stream
Study elucidated interesting relationships between metabolic patterns
within streams and weather and flow conditions. Input from the watershed
appeared to drive stream metabolism. Great potential for follow up.
Santino, Beresin and Fenster. 2008. A spatial analysis of the influence
of a rain event on fecal coliform, turbidity and nutrients in a small NE Ohio
stream
These folks found that urban areas contribute heavily to fecal coliform
(FC) loading to the Plum Creek following a rain event and that FC is related to
water turbidity, but not to nutrients.
Allen, King, Loope and Wolfe. 2007. Seasonal dynamics of water quality in
the Plum Creek tributary of the Black River in NE Ohio as a function of land
use practices.
A follow up and expansion on earlier studies. This was the first study to
examine a full year worth of data.
Feeser, Lauterbur and Soong. 2006. Nutrient Concentrations Along an
Agricultural/urban Stream During Low Flow and Post-Storm Periods as a Function
of Varying Land-Use and Biological Processing. ENVS316 Research Project.
Cummings, Reed and Weinberger. 2004. The city of Oberlin’s effect on the
Plum Creek watershed during a storm event: variation in upstream and downstream
water quality during and after storm water run-off as a function of urban land
cover
A more sophisticated analysis of what is going on in the Plum Creek.
Interesting findings and room for follow up. Someday, someone is going to get
a great honors thesis from the story of this watershed.
Fessenden and Timberlake. 2000. Plum Creek Water Quality
A preliminary examination of the effects of land use on water quality using
rather primitive analytical equipment