2008 Proceedings - St. Cloud State University

Abstracts
Session T All Disciplines Ballroom
Avon Hills Conservation Action Plan
The Avon Hills is an area of land that extends throughout four townships in the central Minnesota region. Roughly 100,000 acres in size,
the Avon Hills is recognized for its pristine waters, beautiful landscape, and rural nature. Large parcels of undisturbed land with areas of
significant biodiversity make the Avon Hills a very unique setting. The Avon Hills Conservation Action Plan was developed to identify
target areas (a species or ecosystem of interest) within the designated region and to create a plan for monitoring and protection. The
targets were identified as eight unique habitats and/or species that are of the greatest importance and concern in the Avon Hills area. The
investigators of this study assembled a team of knowledgeable experts to assist in the development of the project and to provide crucial
information. Through meetings and interviews, research and data was collected by the principle investigators and entered into a Microsoft
Excel workbook to track the progress and results. The workbook was provided by The Nature Conservancy. The principle investigators of
this study, along with the assembly of experts, developed the Avon Hills Conservation Action Plan to assist in the protection of the area, as
well as to educate local communities about the importance of the area.
Presentation Index: T25
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Department: Environmental and Technological Studies
Project Sponsor(s):
Student Presenter(s): Hayman, Michael; Fisher, Kala
Bender, Mitch
Comparative Risk Analysis of Abandoned Manure Basins
Utilization of earthen manure basins to store animal wastes is common practice throughout Minnesota due to their effectiveness and
relatively cheap construction costs. Manures within these basins are a valuable source of nutrients for crops, however they must be
managed appropriately to protect water resources. Some contaminants found within animal manures can pose a potential human or
environmental health risk. One area of manure management which has not been thoroughly investigated is the risk posed by manure
basins to water resources upon closure. A comparative risk assessment was performed on eight manure basins located in Stearns County.
The risk assessment determined the amount and forms of contaminants present, compared risk levels to adjacent agriculture lands, and
assessed the overall human or environmental health risks associated with manure basin closure, if any. The U.S. Department of
Agriculture‘s Nitrate Leaching and Environmental Analysis software was used to assess NO3- leaching at the study sites. This data along
with other statistical analysis was used to determine the comparative risks abandoned basins have to surrounding land use areas.
Presentation Index: T26
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Department: Environmental and Technological Studies
Project Sponsor(s):
Student Presenter(s): Storlien, Joseph
Bender, Mitch
Saharan Air Layer Vertical Profiles as Observed During NAMMA
The Saharan Air Layer (SAL) is a layer of air and dust that originates in the Saharan Desert and is advected across the Atlantic Ocean. It is
generally characterized by warm, dry air and layers of increased dust concentration. It is necessary to understand the SAL because it may
play a major role in suppressing tropical cyclone development over the Atlantic Ocean. In order to better understand how the SAL affects
tropical cyclone development, the NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (NAMMA) airborne field campaign, stationed in Cape
Verde, collected extensive SAL data during August and September, 2006. In this study, the data set is closely examined in order to
characterize the vertical structure of the SAL in terms of thermodynamic structure and dust loading. A comparison of vertical profiles
obtained from non-SAL sampling and SAL sampling is conducted to identify the characteristics unique to the SAL. It is found that there is
increased temperature and wind speed within the dust layer profiles. The SAL is also investigated as it is transported from the Sahara into
the Eastern Atlantic Ocean to better understand how the dust layer height, thickness, and moisture levels change during the transport
processes. The relationship between SAL and moisture is closely examined through the correlation between increased dust loading and
moisture levels. The areas of increased dust loading are typically found between altitudes of 1 km to 6 km and their thickness ranges from
0.1 km to 2 km. Initial findings from this study show some dust layers contain high levels of moisture. This is contrary to previous
understanding of Saharan dust layers.
Presentation Index: T27
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Department: Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Project Sponsor(s):
Student Presenter(s): Kirstin, Gleicher
Hansen, Anthony
St. Cloud State University Student Research Colloquium 58
April 22, 2008