dc.contributor.advisor | Hamilton, Stephen K. | |
dc.contributor.advisor | Burgin, Amy J. | |
dc.contributor.advisor | Moore, D. Blaine, 1972- | |
dc.contributor.author | Payne, Erin | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2011-12-07T18:53:44Z | |
dc.date.available | 2011-12-07T18:53:44Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2007 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10920/24270 | |
dc.description | iv, 50 p. | en_US |
dc.description.abstract | Nitrogen (N) levels in aquatic ecosystems have been increasing for the past two
centuries, with a significant surge in levels following widespread use of synthetic
fertilizers. Excessive synthetic fertilizer application has resulted in runoff; as a result
nitrate concentrations in ground water have increased. The purpose of this investigation
is to examine the effects of a gradient of nitrate additions to sediment porewater in
wetlands, and possible linkages to N-sulfur (S) coupled dissimilatory nitrate reduction to
ammonium (DNRA). Research was conducted in two wetlands, Turkey Marsh and
Loosestrife Pond, near the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, in Southwest Michigan.
Porewater equilibrators were used to add nitrate amendments to the porewater. Longpath
length spectrophotometry and ion chromatography were used to analyze samples for
hydrogen sulfide, ammonium, sulfate, and nitrate. It was anticipated that the nitrate
additions would lead to a decrease in sulfide concentrations with a simultaneous increase
in concentrations of ammonium and sulfate. Results indicated that nitrate additions of 50
and 100 mg/L led to significant increases in ammonium and sulfate and decreases in
sulfide in both sites. Additions of 10 and 25 mg/L of nitrate had less significant results.
These findings show that N-S coupled DNRA increases the ammonium production in
wetlands. Promoting this process could help reduce the toxic levels of nitrate
accumulating in marine ecosystems, resulting in eutrophication, hypoxic zones, and
harmful algal blooms. | en_US |
dc.description.sponsorship | W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. Michigan State University. Hickory Corners, Michigan. | |
dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
dc.language.iso | en_US | en_US |
dc.publisher | Kalamazoo College | en_US |
dc.relation.ispartof | Kalamazoo College Biology Senior Individualized Projects Collection | |
dc.relation.ispartofseries | Senior Individualized Projects. Biology; | |
dc.rights | U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder. | |
dc.title | Nitrate Additions to Wetland Sediments to Test for Evidence of N-S Coupled Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium | en_US |
dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
KCollege.Access.Contact | If you are not a current Kalamazoo College student, faculty, or staff member, email dspace@kzoo.edu to request access to this thesis. | |