Browsing by Subject "Heavy metals"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
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    Screening and Selection for Salt Tolerance in Native Warm Season Grasses
    (1994-02) Biesboer, David D.; Jacobson, Robert
    This preliminary study focused on a) surveying the concentrations of sodium and other metals along the rights-of-way of several of the most heavily traveled and salted roadways, b) development of a selection and screening method for salt tolerance in 6 species of native warm season grasses, and c) establishment of outdoor garden plots and field sites to further test the ability of native warm season grasses to grow under highly saline conditions. Salt levels along roadways were found to vary from very low to very high concentrations during the winter months but were found to decrease to levels that probably will allow germination and growth of tolerant grasses. Two species of grasses, blue grama and buffalo grass, were found to be tolerant of saline environments. Two roadside prairie restoration sites were established to further test the ability of mixtures of grasses to tolerate highly saline soils.
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    Using predictive risk assessment to aid bee conservation in heavy metal polluted landscapes
    (2024-11) Agnew, Lauren
    Habitat loss is a significant driver of wild bee decline. To combat this, initiatives to increase bee habitat within our landscape are becoming increasingly common. However, bee habitat installation requires careful consideration as bees are particularly sensitive to heavy metals, one of the most widespread environmental pollutants. Here, I develop a risk assessment framework to better inform bee habitat installation for conservation purposes. First, I identify landscape characteristics correlated with elevated heavy metal pollutants in roadside bee habitat. Second, I analyze the effects of chronic, low-level heavy metal exposure on bee development. Third, I evaluate whether certain ecological traits increase the likelihood of bees encountering heavy metal pollutants. Fourth, I investigate if bee hairs, specialized for pollen collection, could also be specialized for pollution collection. Altogether, this work provides a predictive tool for our heavy metal polluted environment that can help identify which habitats represent a greater threat to bees, and which bees face higher risk.