This study evaluates ore transport and other mining activities on metal levels in the remote Arctic ecosystem of Cape Krusenstern National Monument (CAKR) in northwestern Alaska. This monument is 50 km SW of Red Dog Mine, one of the world’s largest Pb–Zn mines. The Delong Mountain Transportation System (DMTS) haul...
The research presented in this thesis seeks to further our understanding of the geochemical signatures that can be used to trace and quantify non-ferrous smelting emission inputs into the environment. Strong evidence suggests that emissions from the non-ferrous smelter in Trail, BC are the primary source of metals deposited from...
There is a growing consensus that anthropogenic warming will impact soil organic matter (SOM). Globally, soil contains 2-3 times more carbon (C) than plants, and like plants, temperature induced change of SOM could have significant climate repercussions. Although, the majority of warming experiments have increased day and night temperatures equally,...
Under conditions of fixed N-limitation, as with most oligotrophic systems, the process of biological N₂ fixation (diazotrophy) is favored, provided the necessary trace elements and vitamins are sufficient. Despite the well understood contributions of N₂
fixation in oligotrophic regions, the nutritional and ecological controls of marine diazotrophs have not been...
In the mountains of central and southern California, high elevation wilderness areas lack epiphytic lichens that can be used to inform us about atmospheric deposition in multiple ways. Epiphytic lichens are capable of accumulating elements proportionally to the local atmospheric concentration, establishing them as commonly used biomonitor of key elements....
Solute transport models in karst groundwater must consider variable and complex flow regimes. Within fissures less than 2 mm in aperture, during unsaturated flow events, seeping flow may flow as films or under capillary tension as a capillary rivulet. This project focuses on exploring the mass transport characteristics of seeping...
............................................................................................ 31
Table 2.7 System constants for water are given for 20°C
Ocean circulation is an important component in Earth's climate system. Predicting future climate and circulation changes requires an improved understanding of the past relationship between climate and ocean currents. The neodymium isotope composition (εNd) of water masses is frequently used as a quasi-conservative tracer to reconstruct ocean circulation. The current...
Soil properties may hold the key to improved predictions of soils during digital soil mapping (DSM), which has developed with a focus on environmental factors external to soil. The spatial variability in soil properties was modeled across Malheur National Forest in eastern Oregon as an approach to improve DSM. The...
In a steady state, the Earth's absorbed solar radiation (ASR) balances the outgoing
longwave radiation (OLR) at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). In response to a radiative
forcing, that is, an external perturbation to the top of the atmosphere energy balance, the
Earth's climate system adjusts until reaching a...
The environmental impact of the nuclear industry has prompted the need for innovative remediation strategies and accurate radiological assessments. This paper synthesizes three studies that collectively explore the potential of endemic plant species for phytoremediation, the development of anatomically accurate phantoms for precise dosimetry calculations, and the critical evaluation of...