SENR Seminar Series Lightning Talks

Abstract: Soil health is defined by the USDA-NRCS as “the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans”. Within this context, soil health can also be described as the intimate intersection where soil physical, chemical, and biological properties overlap to the greatest extent to ensure optimal (agro)ecosystem functionality. Soil health frameworks were developed to quantify the soil health status and provide recommendations for agriculture management practices within cropping systems. The objective of this research is to utilize the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF), Haney Soil Health Test (HSHT), and Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health (CASH) to quantify soil health differences across two drastically different US regions (OH–humid; CO – semi-arid). Within Colorado, SMAF and HSHT will be used to identify differences in soil health over various management practices across Colorado’s eastern Great Plains and compare SMAF results to those obtained from the Haney soil health test. Within Ohio, SMAF and CASH will be used to identify differences in soil health across landscapes and (agro)ecosystems at the Grace L. Drake Agricultural Laboratory, Wooster, Ohio. As the outcome, soil/crop management effects on soil health will be concluded by each framework and the feasibility of each framework will be examined.

Abstract: Tick populations and species diversity are on the rise in Ohio Appalachia resulting in now five medically relevant tick species as well as an increase in human tick-borne disease cases. In addition to other wildlife, birds have been identified as weak reservoirs and important transport vehicles for tick-borne infectious bacteria. Bird species that forage and nest close to the ground (particularly in low shrubs, vegetation, and in leaf litter), such as Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla), Kentucky Warbler (Geothlypis formosa), Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia), and Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina), are especially vulnerable to tick infestation. To dive into the mechanisms driving this pattern, my central research question explores how tick load varies between a ground nesting species, Ovenbird, and a mid-story nesting species, Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), at several southern Ohio field sites. Tick loads will be determined through nest searching, nest monitoring, and tick surveillance to observe tick abundance, species diversity, and life stage that are present in breeding adults and nestlings in the summer of 2024. I will identify how tick loads vary by nesting bird species, nest height (ground vs. mid-story nesting species), age (nestling vs. adult), and temporally throughout the breeding season. Higher levels of tick infestation have been shown to reduce nesting success and offspring quality in other passerine families, but not yet in warbler species. My research will aid in filling a significant knowledge gap on how tick burdens impact nestlings and adults and the role that birds play in spreading pathogens that perpetuate zoonotic diseases.

Abstract: Regulation of point sources of pollution can manage the discharge of nutrients. As these limits are reduced, improving individual wastewater treatment systems becomes costly. Nutrient trading programs (NTPs) in agricultural watersheds aim to reduce the financial burden of wastewater treatment on point sources while incentivizing nearby farmers to adopt best management practices (BMPs). The Alpine Dairy NTP initiated in 2005 exemplifies this model. Measuring the impact of BMPs in a watershed is often overlooked due to challenges in categorizing and reporting these practices. Remote sensing offers a cost-effective, noninvasive way to monitor changes in the landscape, with the potential to compare proximal data collection. This study aims to determine how remotely sensed characterizations of BMPs compare to the differences seen in water and soil quality data. Data can be compared from 49 water sampling sites (collected 2010 – 2024) and 8 soil sampling sites (collected 2006 – 2022) across 5 sub-watersheds.

Abstract: The reintroduction of native fish species in the Great Lakes region will assist in the restoration of threatened wetlands, lakes, rivers, and ponds. The Ashtabula River, located in Northeast Ohio, has an impaired watershed, which makes it a candidate for fish reintroduction. The objective of this project is to quantify the relationship of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities and the reintroduction success of three reintroduced fish species (Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Lake Chubsucker) in two beaver-made ponds in the Ashtabula region. This will be accomplished through the annual reintroduction of the aforementioned fish species over the span of 5 years in both beaver-made ponds. Monitoring of the reintroduction success will be accomplished through annual fish surveys. This data will be compared with samples of macroinvertebrates taken annually from both ponds. A higher reintroduction success is expected in the pond with a higher diversity of macroinvertebrate species; furthermore, the breadth of each fish species’ diet is expected to influence their population establishment. The relationship between macroinvertebrate communities and freshwater fish reintroduction has not been extensively explored in the current literature. A deeper understanding of what factors (macroinvertebrates, vegetation, etc.) best predict successful fish reintroduction in freshwater wetlands may assist reintroduction efforts in the future.

Pipelines are critical to the economic infrastructure, enabling the efficient transport of essential resources such as natural gas, oil, and water. In the United States, the extensive underground pipeline network spans over 4 million kilometers. Pipeline installation results in the disruption of natural soil horizons, leading to substantial alterations in soil structure and function, which negatively impact soil ecosystems. Effective remediation and restoration are challenging due to the complexity of small-scale variability and the difficulty in detecting subsoil compaction. The utilization of electromagnetic induction (EMI) techniques is investigated in this study to provide a more precise assessment of soil disturbances within pipeline rights-of-way (ROW). EMI is a rapid, non-invasive tool for providing geographically referenced apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) and magnetic susceptibility (MSa) data at multiple depths. ROW sites were chosen across three Major Land Resource Areas (MLRA) in Ohio. ECa and MSa measurements will be collected at depths of 0.38, 0.75, and 1.5 meters, and this data will direct the selection of soil sampling locations, targeting the capture of spatial variability in ECa and MSa within each ROW transect. Soil observations, such as structure and root presence, along with measurements of physical and chemical properties, will be correlated with ECa and MSa data. This approach will enable the prediction of soil disturbance within the ROW. This research emphasizes the critical role of electromagnetic induction (EMI) techniques in advancing the characterization of soil properties in disturbed environments, thereby facilitating more accurate and effective ecological restoration and management interventions.

Abstract: Freshwaters worldwide are experiencing drastic increases in nutrient and sediment inputs, resulting in elevated turbidity and reduced water clarity. Lake Erie is increasingly faced with intense seasonal algal blooms alongside elevated sediment turbidity due to excessive nutrient inputs from surrounding agricultural and urban tributaries. Elevated turbidity directly reduces the visual capabilities of aquatic organisms, thus impacting their behavior and physiology. While turbidity may directly impact behavior by reducing an individual’s ability to assess its environment—increasing the difficulty of locating prey, predators, and conspecifics—the indirect impacts of turbidity on fish behavior are equally important in assessing the long-term ecological impacts of this stressor. Turbidity is known to impact risk perception, causing individuals to alter their foraging patterns and activity levels to avoid capture by predators. Similarly, elevated turbidity may have a pronounced impact on an individual’s ability to locate, assess, and choose mates. My research examines how female Bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) assess potential mates in clear and turbid waters, giving an early indication of how mating patterns--and, indirectly, population health--may shift in a changing world.