scholarly journals Integrating Ecological Site Descriptions with Soil Morphology to Optimize Forest Management: Three Missouri Case Studies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Aide ◽  
Indi Braden ◽  
Christine Aide
Keyword(s):  
Land Management ◽  
Rangeland Management ◽  
Soil Survey ◽  
Soil Protection ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Soil Morphology ◽  
Vegetation Community ◽  
Ecological Site ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Online Format

Academics and University Extension personnel have experience with soil mapping and providing soil suitability interpretations; however, a more efficient information conveyance to land custodians is desired to support informative land management applications. In the USA each state, in concert with the United States Department of Agriculture, has embarked on developing an online format linking soil survey with ecological site descriptions to provide information for forest and rangeland management to encourage soil protection - health and optimizing ecological services on individual land parcels. In this Missouri-based manuscript, we discuss three cases where soils and their associated ecological site descriptions provide land custodians information concerning their logical reference state vegetation community and detail land management decisions that transform the reference vegetation community to a different vegetation community. With each case, landscapes and their associated vegetations communities are potentially partitioned by soil, physiography, hydrology, and other attributes.

Deep Learning-based Soil Property Prediction for Remediation of Radioactive Contamination in Agriculture

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franck Albinet ◽  
Gerd Dercon ◽  
Tetsuya Eguchi
Keyword(s):  
Deep Learning ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Radioactive Contamination ◽  
The United States ◽  
Soil Survey ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Transfer Factors ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Plant Transfer

<p>The Joint IAEA/FAO Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, through its Soil and Water Management & Crop Nutrition Laboratory (SWMCNL), launched in October 2019, a new Coordinated Research Project (D15019) called “Monitoring and Predicting Radionuclide Uptake and Dynamics for Optimizing Remediation of Radioactive Contamination in Agriculture''. Within this context, the high-throughput characterization of soil properties in general and the estimation of soil-to-plant transfer factors of radionuclides are of critical importance.</p><p>For several decades, soil researchers have been successfully using near and mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIRS) techniques to estimate a wide range of soil physical, chemical and biological properties such as carbon (C), Cation Exchange Capacities (CEC), among others. However, models developed were often limited in scope as only small and region-specific MIR spectra libraries of soils were accessible.</p><p>This situation of data scarcity is changing radically today with the availability of large and growing library of MIR-scanned soil samples maintained by the National Soil Survey Center (NSSC) Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory (KSSL) from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-NRCS) and the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) initiative of the Food Agency Organization (FAO). As a result, the unprecedented volume of data now available allows soil science researchers to increasingly shift their focus from traditional modeling techniques such as PLSR (Partial Least Squares Regression) to classes of modeling approaches, such as Ensemble Learning or Deep Learning, that have proven to outperform PLSR on most soil properties prediction in a large data regime.</p><p>As part of our research, the opportunity to train higher capacity models on the KSSL large dataset (all soil taxonomic orders included ~ 50K samples) makes it possible to reach a quality of prediction for exchangeable potassium so far unsurpassed with a Residual Prediction Deviation (RPD) around 3. Potassium is known for its difficulty of being predicted but remains extremely important in the context of remediation of radioactive contamination after a nuclear accident. Potassium can help reduce the uptake of radiocaesium by crops, as it competes with radiocaesium in soil-to-plant transfer.</p><p>To ensure informed decision making, we also guarantee that (i) individual predictions uncertainty is estimated (using Monte Carlo Dropout) and (ii) individual predictions can be interpreted (i.e. how much specific MIRS wavenumber regions contribute to the prediction) using methods such as Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values.</p><p>SWMCNL is now a member of the GLOSOLAN network, which helps enhance the usability of MIRS for soil monitoring worldwide. SWMCNL is further developing training packages on the use of traditional and advanced mathematical techniques to process MIRS data for predicting soil properties. This training package has been tested in October 2020 with thirteen staff members of the FAO/IAEA Laboratories in Seibersdorf, Austria.</p>

scholarly journals Brand authenticity leads to perceived value and brand trust

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asuncion Hernandez-Fernandez ◽  
Mathieu Collin Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Value ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Substantial Effect ◽  
Brand Trust ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Authenticity ◽  
Craft Beer ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Online Format

Purpose This paper investigates consumer perceptions of brand authenticity (BA), perceived value (PV) and brand trust (BT) into the context of craft beer market. The purpose of this paper is to examine the statistical associations between these constructs as well as the three antecedents of BA: individuality, consistency and continuity. Design/methodology/approach The survey, delivered in an online format, was completed by 749 respondents from the USA. These respondents were gained through a basic simple random sampling technique. After conducting data analysis techniques such as reliability, correlation and regression, all five research hypotheses were accepted. Findings All three antecedents of BA were found to have significant influence on the first-order construct. Also, BA was shown to have a substantial effect on both PV and BT. The relationship between brand individuality and BA was the most significant of the five, while the association between BA and PV was found to be the least significant. Originality/value Prior research on BA, the majority of which has involved a qualitative approach, has been severely limited. The authors’ work deepens the study of the effects of BA, or its various antecedents, on PV and BT, enhancing the research with an empirical, quantitative analysis. In addition to the shortage of investigation related to these factors, there has been a nearly complete absence of the application of these variables to the craft beer market.

scholarly journals Processing of Biltong (Dried Beef) to Achieve USDA-FSIS 5-log Reduction of Salmonella without a Heat Lethality Step

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 791
Author(s):  
Caitlin E. Karolenko ◽  
Arjun Bhusal ◽  
Jacob L. Nelson ◽  
Peter M. Muriana
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Salmonella Enteritidis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Moisture Loss ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Log10 Reduction ◽  
Log Reduction ◽  
Salmonella Hadar ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Inspection Service

In the US, dried beef products (beef jerky) are a popular snack product in which the manufacture often requires the use of a heat lethality step to provide adequate reduction of pathogens of concern (i.e., 5-log reduction of Salmonella as recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS)). Biltong, a South African-style dried beef product, is manufactured with low heat and humidity. Our objectives were to examine processes for the manufacture of biltong that achieves a 5-log reduction of Salmonella without a heat lethality step and with, or without, the use of additional antimicrobials. Beef pieces (1.9 cm × 5.1 cm × 7.6 cm) were inoculated with a 5-serovar mixture of Salmonella (Salmonella Thompson 120, Salmonella Heidelberg F5038BG1, Salmonella Hadar MF60404, Salmonella Enteritidis H3527, and Salmonella Typhimurium H3380), dipped in antimicrobial solutions (lactic acid, acidified calcium sulfate, sodium acid sulfate) or water (no additional antimicrobial), and marinaded while vacuum tumbling and/or while held overnight at 5 °C. After marination, beef pieces were hung in an oven set at 22.2 °C (72 °F), 23.9 °C (75 °F), or 25 °C (77 °F) depending on the process, and maintained at 55% relative humidity. Beef samples were enumerated for Salmonella after inoculation, after dip treatment, after marination, and after 2, 4, 6, and 8 days of drying. Water activity was generally <0.85 by the end of 6–8 days of drying and weight loss was as high as 60%. Trials also examined salt concentration (1.7%, 2.2%, 2.7%) and marinade vinegar composition (2%, 3%, 4%) in the raw formulation. Nearly all approaches achieved 5-log10 reduction of Salmonella and was attributed to the manner of microbial enumeration eliminating the effects of microbial concentration on dried beef due to moisture loss. All trials were run as multiple replications and statistical analysis of treatments were determined by repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) to determine significant differences (p < 0.05). We believe this is the first published report of a biltong process achieving >5.0 log10 reduction of Salmonella which is a process validation requirement of USDA-FSIS for the sale of dried beef in the USA.

Asset concentration in the US agricultural balance sheet: a relative information approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 497-512
Author(s):  
Gulcan Onel ◽  
Jaclyn Kropp ◽  
Charles B. Moss
Keyword(s):  
Real Estate ◽  
Balance Sheet ◽  
State Level ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Factor Productivity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Inequality Measures ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Real Estate Prices

Purpose Over the past four decades, real values of farm real estate and the share of assets on farmers’ balance sheets attributed to farm real estate have increased. The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that explain the concentration of the US agricultural balance sheet around a particular asset, farm real estate, and the extent to which the degree of asset concentration varies across United States Department of Agriculture production regions. Design/methodology/approach State-level data from 48 states and entropy-based inequality measures are used to examine changes in asset distributions (real estate vs non-real estate assets) both within and between regions over time. Findings The agricultural balance sheet is found to concentrate into real estate in the USA over the period 1960-2003 with the rate of concentration varying across production regions. In some regions, the concentration is mainly due to changes in real estate prices, while in other regions concentration is also driven by changes in real estate holdings or changes in total factor productivity. Originality/value This study formally estimates the degree to which the concentration of balance sheet items can be explained by the observed changes in farm real estate prices relative to observed changes in agricultural factor productivity or changes in farm real estate holdings. The computed regional differences in asset concentration and its main drivers have implications for changes in equity and solvency positions of farmers as well as agricultural lenders’ risk exposure.

The presence of silty mantles in Northcentral Appalachian, USA soils and their relevance to pedology

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Drohan ◽  
Thomas Raab ◽  
Florian Hirsch
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Spatial Modeling ◽  
Soil Survey ◽  
Regional Studies ◽  
Parent Materials ◽  
Silt Content ◽  
Potential Depth ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Local Parent

&lt;p&gt;Across the northcentral Appalachians, USA, high silt content soils are found as silty mantles or deep, high silt content pedons. The origin of such soils can be attributed to additions of wind-blown dust deposits (WBD) or local parent materials (i.e. shales or siltstone lithology). Previous research on silt soils originating specifically from WBD attributed to late marine isotope stage (MIS) 2 loess has often been isolated to drainageways receiving outwash from deglaciation. We hypothesize that thin (&lt;25-50 cm) silty mantles, and some deep silt soils occurring farther from outwash systems, are also indicative of post MIS 2 WBD and their extent is widespread. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated over 900 pedons from an ~119,280 km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; area of the northcentral Appalachians, USA to: (i) develop a particle size signature indicative of soils largely derived from WBD versus local parent materials, (ii) determine the potential depth of WBD additions to soils, and (iii) document the spatial extent of WBD versus deep, high-silt content soils across part of the region. Results suggest that silty mantles are prevalent across the study area and have a particle size signature indicative of loess and the mean depth of WBD additions to soils is ~50 cm.&amp;#160; Below 50 cm, local lithology or pedogenesis more influences particle size trends.&amp;#160; Pedon results were applied in a spatial modeling effort using the USA Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) to document the extent of silty mantles (over non-silt sourced parent materials) and deep, high silt content soils.&amp;#160; Model results indicate silty mantles are common on stable landscape positions or positions that accumulate sediments (depressions or valleys). Aspect dependent deposition appears tied to sources of WBD deposits, and deposits correspond strongly to regional studies of WBD deposits derived from loess. Last, proximity to topography, which can act as a trap for WBD, appears to be a key variable explaining silty mantle and deep, high-silt content soil occurrence.&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Pulling on multiple threads of evidence to reveal tree species coexistence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon G McNickle ◽  
Morgan V Ritzi ◽  
Kliffi M.S. Blackstone ◽  
John J Couture ◽  
Taylor Nelson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
The United States ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Hardwood Species ◽  
Niche Differences ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Multiple Threads ◽  
Occurrence Patterns

Understanding drivers of species coexistence is a central challenge in ecology. Coexistence cannot be observed directly, and while species co-occurrence in time and space is necessary for coexistence, it is not sufficient to prove coexistence. Species exclusion from a region is potentially observable, but can take decades to occur, and still might occur stochastically. Thus, ecologists generally use theory to identify indirect observations that are indicative of mechanisms driving coexistence or exclusion. Various methods have been developed to indirectly infer coexistence, each of which requires different data, and none of which are usually conclusive on their own. Here, we demonstrate agreement using three different approaches examining coexistence of multiple hardwood species. First, in an experimental planting of three mature tree species we found no relationship between productivity and species diversity, which could be due to a lack of niche differences among species. Second, we used modern coexistence theory to calculate niche and fitness differences for each pair of species, which confirmed the lack of niche differences among species, and showed high fitness differences that could create a neutral distribution of species in nature. Third, we used the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Inventory and Analysis data to examine co-occurrence patterns of our species across thousands of natural forest stands and found that indeed, these three species were distributed randomly throughout the USA. Given that these independent methods agree, we take this as strong evidence about a lack of coexistence.

scholarly journals ‘This country just hangs tight’: perspectives on managing land degradation and climate change in far west NSW

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Berry ◽  
Graciela Metternicht ◽  
Alex Baumber
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Rangeland Management ◽  
Anthropogenic Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Land Management ◽  
Strong Basis ◽  
Context Specific

Discussions of land degradation often display a disconnect between global and local scales. Although global-scale discussions often focus on measuring and reversing land degradation through metrics and policy measures, local-scale discussions can highlight a diversity of viewpoints and the importance of local knowledge and context-specific strategies for sustainable land management. Similarly, although scientific studies clearly link anthropogenic climate change to land degradation as both cause and consequence, the connection may not be so clear for local rangelands communities due to the complex temporal and spatial scales of change and management in such environments. In research conducted in October 2015, we interviewed 18 stakeholders in the far west of New South Wales about their perspectives on sustainable land management. The results revealed highly variable views on what constitutes land degradation, its causes and appropriate responses. For the pastoral land managers, the most important sign of good land management was the maintenance of groundcover, through the management of total grazing pressure. Participants viewed overgrazing as a contributor to land degradation in some cases and they identified episodes of land degradation in the region. However, other more contentious factors were also highlighted, such as wind erosion, grazing by goats and kangaroos and the spread of undesired ‘invasive native scrub’ at the expense of more desirable pasture, and alternative views that these can offer productive benefits. Although few participants were concerned about anthropogenic climate change, many described their rangeland management styles as adaptive to the fluctuations of the climate, regardless of the reasons for these variations. Rather than focusing on whether landholders ‘believe in’ climate change or agree on common definitions or measurement approaches for land degradation, these results suggest that their culture of adaptation may provide a strong basis for coping with an uncertain future. The culture of adaption developed through managing land in a highly variable climate may help even if the specific conditions that landholders need to adapt to are unlike those experienced in living memory. Such an approach requires scientific and expert knowledge to be integrated alongside the context-specific knowledge, values and existing management strategies of local stakeholders.

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