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Item Bryophyte community composition and diversity are indicators of hydrochemical and ecological gradients in temperate kettle hole mires in Ohio, USA(Mires and Peat, 2019-12) Grau-Andrés, Roger; Davies, G. Matt; Rey-Sanchez, Camilo; Slater, JuliePeatlands are subject to increased pressure from environmental and land-use change, particularly in temperate regions such as the US Midwest. Bryophytes dominate the ground cover of peatlands and play a key role in their functioning. Effective management and restoration of degraded peatlands requires good understanding of their bryophyte communities, and how these are shaped by environmental conditions. Furthermore, bryophytes are sensitive indicators of environmental conditions. We monitored microhabitat characteristics (hydrology, hydrochemistry, abundance of vascular vegetation, microtopography) alongside bryophyte community composition in nine kettle hole mires in Ohio (USA). We found that the most important drivers of bryophyte community composition and diversity were water level and hydrochemistry. Sampling locations showing poor fen characteristics (high water level, pH and electrical conductivity) were associated with generalist pleurocarpous mosses (indicator species: Amblystegium serpens) and lower species richness. Where bog conditions prevailed, Sphagnum species dominated, and Sphagnum fallax and the liverwort Cephalozia sp. were indicator species.Item Drainage systems for golf courses(2015-03-20) McCoy, EdItem Interaction of Nitrogen and Flue Gas Desulfurization Sulfur for Production of Corn(2006) Chen, Liming; Kost, David; Dick, Warren A.Nitrogen deficiency in soil often limits corn (Zea mays L.) growth, thus requiring fertilizer N inputs to achieve optimum yields. Nitrogen fertilizer is becoming more expensive and methods are needed to improve N use efficiency. Sulfur deficiency in several crops, including corn, has recently been observed in Ohio. However, little information is available related to the interaction of N and S fertilizers to effect the production of corn. Field experiments were conducted on a silt loam soil at Wooster, Ohio from 2002 to 2005 to test corn responses to the addition of N (seven rates from 0 to 233 kg ha-1) and S (two rates of 0 and 33 kg ha-1) from flue gas desulfurization (FGD) products. Corn grain yields, averaged over 4 years, were increased 7.0% when S was applied. This increase was statistically significant (P < 0.05). A statistically significant interaction effect of N by S was observed in 2004 and 2005 with the low N rates from 0 to 133 kg ha-1 responding better to S than the high N rates. The highest grain yields were reached at the 133 kg N ha-1 application rate with S addition. This suggests that S application can improve N use efficiency and decrease the amount of N required for optimum corn production. Reduced N fertilizer application rates can also help maintain good water quality. Nitrogen, P, K, Mg and S in corn grain were slightly increased by application of 33 kg ha-1 of S when N was applied at rates of 100 and 200 kg ha-1. These results indicate application of N fertilizer with S promoted uptake, by corn plants, of N and other major plant nutrients.Item FGD as a Soil Amendment for Mine Reclamation(2006) Dick, Warren A.Item Corn Response to Compost and Manure Amendments Combined with No-Till or Plow Tillage(2006) Durkalski, J.; Wang, Ping; Hoitink, H. A.; Dick, Warren A.Livestock producers in the United States are increasingly aware of environmental issues associated with production, storage, treatment and utilization of animal wastes. It is well known that fresh and composted manure can be effectively used to sustain corn production. Rarely studied, however, is the conversion from mineral to more organic based systems of nutrients under contrasting tillage systems. We conducted a field study where uncomposted and composted cow (Bos taurus) manures (C/M) were applied at three different 'loading' rates of 28, 56, and 112 dry Mg ha-1 in the first year, followed by three years of maintenance rates of 11 Mg ha-1. Amendments were applied in the autumn to a clay loam Hoytville (H) soil and in the spring to a silt loam Ravenna soil at Wooster (W), OH and either immediately plowed down (PT) or left on the surface as part of the no-tillage (NT) treatment. Controls consisted of a no-amendment treatment and a mineral fertilizer only treatment. Stand counts and grain yields were recorded and soil cores analyzed after three (W) or four years (H) years of treatments. Planting immediately after fresh manure application lowered stand counts when NT was used, but this was not always reflected in grain yields. Delaying planting by a month, or manure incorporation or composting reversed the detrimental effects of fresh manure on seedling emergence. Carbon and other plant nutrient (N, P, K) concentrations were generally significantly greater for the surface soil layers of NT than PT, but the reverse was true at depth. We conclude that high loading rates of manure and composts, followed by annual maintenance rates, are effective in maintaining high corn grain yields. However, care must be taken to first compost the manure or to apply it with incorporation if seeding is immediately conducted.Item Residue and Nutrient Management Under Reduced Tillage Systems(2006) Dick, Warren A.Item Assessment of Bioavailable Nickel in Soil Using Nickel-Depleted Urease(2006-11) Yu, Shuo; Dick, Warren A.Nickel (Ni) is a required element but may become toxic to plants, animals and humans if normal levels are exceeded. To assess the health and environmental effects of Ni, the bioavailable, not total, concentration of Ni in soil must be accurately measured. Urease has an absolute requirement for Ni to function, and this was used to develop a method to assess Ni bioavailability in soil. Bacteria with urease activity were enriched from Spinks sandy soil by growing the cells in Luria Broth medium. This created a culture with high amount of potential urease activity but with low actual activity because of Ni limitations. The bacterial culture was inoculated into a test soil that is composed of acid-washed Spinks sandy soil as a carrier soil and the soil with unknown Ni bioavailability, and was equilibrated with bioavailable Ni in soil for four hours. The urease response to the bioavailable Ni was measured using steam distillation. Resaults showed that urease activity was positively correlated to Ni bioavailability. The following equation could be used to calculate Ni bioavailability from urease activity when Ni bioavailability was in the range from 0 to 0.06 mM: Ni Bioavailability (mM) = Urease Activity (μg/30 ml culture/2 h)/k/f where k is equal to 15646 μg/30 ml culture/2 h/mM, and f is the percentage of unknown soil in the test soil. The effects of soil pH and soil organic matter content on Ni bioavailability were evaluated through urease bioassay. Results showed that a change in soil total C content from 0.009% to 12.7% decreased Ni bioavailability by 50%, and a change in soil pH from 4.15 to 9.94 decreased Ni bioavailability by 70%. Urease bioassay is recommended when measuring Ni bioavailability in soil because it is accurate, simple, sensitive, and can be used in most laboratories.