Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have been steadily increasing from anthropogenic energy production, development and use. Carbon cycling in the terrestrial biosphere, particularly forest ecosystems, has an important role in regulating atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. US West coast forest management policies are being developed to implement forest bioenergy production while...
The development of ecohydrological frameworks and theories under the ongoing global climate crisis depends on the development of new and advanced ecohydrological measurements. Currently, numerous of datasets have been collected at plot and ecosystem levels to understand the complex interactions of along the soil, plant, and atmosphere continuum. The development...
This dissertation investigated potential ecological limitations to seedling regeneration in young, seasonally dry, evergreen forest restoration plantations in northern Thailand. We explored whether recruitment of colonizing tree species in the restoration plantations can be attributed to seed dispersal mode (i.e. abiotic or animal dispersal) and seed size. We did this...
TiO2 is a versatile wide bandgap transparent semiconducting oxide with three well known polymorphs: Anatase, Rutile and Brookite. These crystal structures are desired for many industrial applications mainly for their photocatalytic activity, oftentimes in thin-film form. Thin-film crystalline polymorphs of TiO2 are often made by physical vapor deposition on a...
Two forest management objectives being debated in the context of federally managed landscapes in the US Pacific Northwest involve a perceived trade-off between fire restoration and C sequestration. The former strategy would reduce fuel (and therefore C) that has accumulated through a century of fire suppression and exclusion that has...
Aerogels are interesting material systems with outstanding properties such as low density, high surface area, and low thermal conductivity. They can be used for a variety of applications, such as solar cells, sensors, or catalysts. Additionally they provide a unique model system to study the properties of small particles. Cellulose...
Recent advances in multiagent learning have led to exciting new capabilities spanning fields as diverse as planetary exploration, air traffic control, military reconnaissance, and airport security. Such algorithms provide a tangible benefit over traditional control algorithms in that they allow fast responses, adapt to dynamic environments, and generally scale well....
Iodine-129 is a key risk driver at sites where nuclear materials have been fabricated or processed, and it is a predominant isotope of concern in long-term waste storage strategies. I-129 exists primarily as iodate in the subsurface at the Hanford Site in south-central Washington State. Between 15 and 40% of...
Water electrolysis plays a pivotal role in achieving a green hydrogen economy by sourcing electricity from intermittent renewable sources. However, the efficiency of the electrolysis process is limited by the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics, whereas the kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are more facile. This thesis...
Coniferous trees are a major North American crop that has been intensively managed for its commercial value, while also serving as critical habitat for abundant wildlife and as carbon sinks. Having diverse functions, North American temperate coniferous forests have become a research hotspot for numerous scientific studies aiming to integrate...