Progress 07/01/11 to 06/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:This project targeted i. land managers interested in recycling ash and organic wastes to lands they manage as a way of increasing forest productivity and decreasing waste handling costs and ii. interest and stakeholder groups interested in long-term sustainability and soil quality. As the project developed, we included some work on phytoremediation of contaminated sites using tree plantings. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Four graduate student worked on core research associated with this project. Additionally, tthree additional graduate students worked on projects that were related to this project. Two of these students finished their theses during the this reporting period. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results of our week on harvest residue retention were presented at the NCASI Southern Regional Meeting, June 15-15, 2016 . This meeting brings many industry lands and mill managers together and is an appropriate forum for disseminating thistype of information. Research on ash recycling was presented at the University of Georgia Bioenergy Systems Research Retreat. Additionally, we presented results of the drone-based biomass estimates at the SOFORGIS Southern Forestry and Natural Resource Management Conference in Athens, GA in December 2015. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Significant results were produced for each objective.First, for Objective 1, we completed all analyses of biomass and soil change following different levels of biomass harvest. We found that the impacts of different levels of biomass harvest had only minor impacts on soil quality indicators. Under nearoperational harvest conditions,differences in soil C and N were small and not generally statistically significant.Differences in woody debris were consistent with harvest utilization level, but these were not reflected in surface soil characteristics. In order to better capture post harvest distribution of woody residue, we are developing a drone-based method of sampling woody residues. Objectives 2 and 3 of this project were to evaluate the feasibility of recycling ash from bioenergy plants to forest and agricultural land in Georgia. Our feasibility analyses indicated that such recycling is feasible from both a land availability and economic standpoint for our case study location (southwest Georgia). Results from three years of crop growth following biomass ash application was found growth to be equivalent to commercial lime and fertilizer application. Tree growth was not generally improved by ash application. We believe this is largely because the planted hardwood species, which would most benefit from more alkaline conditions, survived poorly during the drought years of the project.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Furtado, B. F. L. A. Morris* and D. M. Markewitz. 2016. Soil physical properties and seedling growth response to site preparation tillage in the Upper Coastal Plain and Piedmont. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J. 472-489.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Barcellos, D., L. A. Morris, T. Moura, V. Nzengung, N. Mantripragada and A. Thompson. 2016. Eucalyptus urograndis and Pinus taeda enhance removal of chlorobenzene and benzene in sand culture: a greenhouse study. Int. J. Phytoremedia. DOI: 10.1 1080/15226514.2016.1183565
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Morris, L. A. and C. R. Jackson. in press. Interactions of Soils and Land Uses with Water Quantity and Quality. Soil Ecosystem Services. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Campbell, J. H. and L. A. Morris. 2015. Human history is written in the soil. Wormsloe Groundwork. Spring 2015, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 1p.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
SOFORGIS Southern Forestry and Natural Resource Management Conference. Dec. 2015, Athens, GA" Baseline expectations for UAV-based modelling of scattered coarse woody debris" R. C. Lowe*, L. A. Morris and E. A Ogden. (Regional).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
2015 NCASI Southern Regional Meeting, June 15-17, 2015, Greenville, SC. Rates of Harvest Residue Retention: Impacts on Soil Attributes. L. A. Morris, D. Markewitz*, A Bangar, C. Hoadley, C. Jordan, E. Vance and Z. Leggett. (Regional).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
University of Georgia Bioenergy Systems Research Institute Retreat, May 5, 2015, Athens. "Viability of Ash Recycling as a Disposal Option Following Conversion of a Coal-Fired Power Plant to Biomass." C. L. Warren*, L. A. Morris, M. L. Cabrera, L. M. Risse and C.L. Larimore. (State) (First Place Award in Graduate Student Competition) (State).
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Woody Biomass Residue Retention Effects on Soil Quality Indicators in the Lower Coastal Plain of of Georgia and North Carolina. Anchal Bangar (under the direction of L. A. Morris and D. Markewitz).
|
Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Two audiences are targeted in this project: i. land managersinterested in recycling ash and organic wastes to their lands as a means of increasing soil fertility and soil quality and, ii. managers of facilities that produce ash and other wastes from bioenergy production or wood processing that are looking for alternatives to current waste management approaches. Additionally, results from this project will be of interest to the general public, particularly those interested in issues related to long-term sustainability and soil quality. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Three students ithat conducted research related to this project(and two that received some support) completed MS theses this year: Julia Campbell, Anchal Bangar and Pradeep Chanthar. All of these students completed their theses and drafts of journal articles (one of these has been published). All three of these students presented results from their work at professional meetings. Additionally, a fourth student that completed his thesis in 2014 presented results from his work at scientific meetings during 2015. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have presented results of our work at annual conferences of the Soil Science Society of America and Society of American Foresters and at several smaller regional meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will submit manuscripts on the effects of bioenergy harvest on soil quality and on the response of crop and tree growth to recycled ash for publication this year. Additionally, we will develop a an information sheet that will be placed online through our outreach web site.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Progress was made in several different areas. First, for Objective 1,we completed allanalyses of biomass and soil change following different leves of biomass for energy removal. A first draft of a manuscript combining data from two states (North Carolina and Georgia) is being prepared. Additionally, we completed prelimary assessments of the utility of using low cost drones for rapid estimation of post harvest biomass and presented these results at the annual meeting of the SAF. Objectives 2 and 3 of this project were to evaluate the feasibiility of recycling ash from bioenergy plants to forest and agricultural land in Georgia. Our feasibility analyses indicate that such recyclingt is feasible from both a land availablity and economic standpoint for our case study location (southwest Georgia). A spreadsheet was develloped that will allow evaluation of other sites to be completed using the same approaches we used. Weh also completed a thrid year of crop measurements on the agriculture site and those results are being analyzed. Finally, we continued to measure survival and growth response fto ash application on a forest test site.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Campbell, J. H., L. A. Morris* and D. Markewitz. 2015. Combining electromagnetic induction and resistivity imaging with soil sampling to investigate past soil disturbance at Wormsloe State Historic Site, Savannah, GA. Soil Horizons 56 (6). doi:10.2136/sh 15-07-0015.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Coyle, D. R., K. D. Klepzig, F. H. Koch, L. A. Morris, J. T. Nowak, S. W. Oak, W. J. Otrosina, W. D. Smith and Kamal J. K. 2015. A review of southern pine decline in North America. For. Ecol and Manage. 349: 134-148.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Furtado, B. F. L. A. Morris* and D. M. Markewitz. accepted. Soil physical properties and seedling growth response to site preparation tillage in the Upper Coastal Plain and Piedmont. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Carlos, F. S., A. J. Marafon, M. J. Tedesco, R. Andreazza, L. A. Morris and F. An de Oliveira Camargo. submitted. Impact of the use of treated industrial effluent in physical and chemical properties of three subtropical soils and millet production in southern Brazil. J. Agric. Wat. Manage.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Barcellos, D., L. A. Morris, T. Moura, V. Nzengung, N. Mantripragada and A. Thompson. submitted. Eucalyptus urograndis and Pinus taeda enhance removal of chlorobenzene and benzene in sand culture: a greenhouse study. Int. J. Phytoremedia.
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Morris, L. A. and C. R. Jackson. accepted, in press. Interactions of Soils and Land Uses with Water Quantity and Quality. Soil Ecosystem Services. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
SAF Annual Meeting, Nov. 3-7. 2015, Baton Rouge, LA. "Using Drone Imagery to Estimate Residual Forest Biomass" E.A. Ogden, P. K. Ragu Chanthar, L. A. Morris*, T. R Jordan. and E. D. Vance (National).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Southeastern SAF Annual Meeting, Jan. 25-27, 2015, St. Simons Island, GA. "Georgia's Cypress Resource: Reconciling Perceptions of Change with Evidence of Change". L. A. Morris, E. A. Ogden, C. R. Jackson and C. Jordan. (Regional).
|
Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14
Outputs
Target Audience: This research is directed at two target audiences. First, the research is designed to provide decision makers information on practies that will affect long-term forest productivity. This includes both practices with potentially deleterious impacts, such as increased biomass removals for bioenergy harvest, as well as practices that can improve forest productivty, such as the addition of soil amendments. Second, the research will be of interest to landowners and the general public tthat are concerned about sustained forest productivity. Changes/Problems: The first three years of this project focused on evaluating the impact of post traditional harvest woody residue removal on soil propoerties. Even at the greatest level of removal, the impacts of removing woody residues for energy production were small. Thus, our results indicate that woody residue harvest for energy production can be conducted without compromising sustainable forest production. One of the limitations to this type of harvest is the time and cost required to estimate the quantity of woody residues remaining on a site following harvest. Our next phase of research will target developing methods for rapdily assessing woody residue quantities. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Three students completed their Master's degrees working on research associated with this project. Additionally, three undergraduate students were employed at various times during the reporting period. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? A webinar titled: "Soil impacts of biomass harvesting" was prepared by the PI and presented during July 2014. Additionally, three technical manuscripts have been drafted and will be submitted for publication during 2015. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Submit three manuscripts for publication. Present the results of the research at meetings of the annual meeting of the Society of American Foresters. Additonally, funds have been secured to continue research into methods for estimating the amount of woody biomass residuals using small low-cost drones.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: During the current project period a field study evaluating the effects of different levels of harvest residue removal on soil conditions was completed. One MS student defended his thesis and a second student completed and submitted a draft thesis. Objective 2: The feasibility assessment was completed and a report provided to a regional power company interested in biomass power generation. Our results indicate that recycling ash to crop and forest land as a lime substitute is a cost-effective alternative to landfilling or other biomass ash uses. Objective 3: An assessment of tree soil change and tree growth response to application of ash generated during power generation from biomass ash was completed.One MS student worked on the project and the student defended in April 2014. Results indicate that crop growth response to ash application is similar to response to lime when the materials are applied based on the lime equivalency of the materials. Tree growth response was small and, generally, not statistically significant.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Vance, E. D., W. M Aust, R. E. Froese, R. B. Harrison, L. A. Morris and B. D. Strahm. in press, Biomass harvesting and soil productivity: is the science meeting our policy needs? Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J. S96-S014 www.soils.org/publications/sssaj
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Coyle, D. R., K. D. Klepzig, F. H. Koch, L. A. Morris, J. T. Nowak, S. W. Oak, W. J. Otrosina, W. D. Smith and Kamal J. K. Internal Review. Abiotic and biotic factors contributing to southern pine health in North America. For. Ecol and Manage.
|
Progress 01/01/13 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Resarch associated with this project targets two audiences. First, we are targeting those at a management level responsible for making decisions regarding forest management approaches and waste recycling projects by providing information on costs and biological response to different management activities. Second, we target a broader audience with interests in intensive forest management and long-term sustainability. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Ressults have been presented both at a scientific meeting (Soli Science Society of America Annual Meetting) and a users meeting (Weyerhaueser Sustainability Meeting). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Masters students will defend their theses in April of 2014 and mauscripts will be prepared and submitted to journals. Additionally, we will be posting our results on a website and will host a webinar for interested users in July of 2014.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Significant progress has been completed on each of these three goals. All field measurments and lab analyses have been completed for Goal 1 and a draft thesis has been completed by an MS student working on the project. Results have been reported at two scientific meetings. Similarly, field measurements and laboratory analyses have been completed for Goal 2 and Goal 3. The students working on this project have also completed draft theses. These students will defend in April of this year. Our results indicate that increased biomass harvests for energy use will have minor effects on soil properties and should not measureably affect forest productivity in intensively managed southern pines. Results from an analysis of wood ash utilization show that ash recyling will be a cost effective alternative waste management stategy in the mixed agricultural-forested landscape of southern Georgia.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Comerford, N.B., A. J. Franzluebbers, M. E. Stromberger, L. Morris, D. Markewitz, and R. Moore. 2013. Assessment and evaluation of soil ecosystem services. Soil Horizons. 14 P.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Vance, E. D., W. M Aust, R. E. Froese, R. B. Harrison, L. A. Morris and B. D. Strahm. in press, Biomass harvesting and soil productivity: is the science meeting our policy needs? Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J.
|
Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This project consists of two related activities: First, we are quantifying the direct effects of biomass harvest and residue retention levels on soil properties and indicators of soil processes. Second, we are assessing the benefits of biomass ash recycling to forest and crop lands as a component of sustainable management. Biomass retention studies were installed in 2010 and the sites planted in the winter of 2011-2012. Pre- and post-planting site conditions have been assessed. Soil bulk density and soil C and N concentrations have been determined on over 1000 soil samples. Additionally, transects have been established normal to slash piles and windrows created during biomass retention and site preparation. Dynamic processes such as carbon evolution, soil N and P mineralization are being assessed along these transects. The second activity involves assessing the potential for recycling biomass ash to forest energy crops and agricultural crops. A feasibility study that looked at the economics of ash recycling was completed for Georgia Power's Plant Mitchell. Field studies of plant growth and soil chemical response to ash application were installed. PARTICIPANTS: This project is a cooperative effort. Six UGA faculty members, Larry Morris, Dan Markewitz, Ben Jackson, Miguel Cabrera, Mark Risse and Scott Tubbs have had primary responsibility for the soils work. Four graduate students from UGA (Christian Hoadley, Anchal Bangar, Chris Warren and Jon Brink) are completing aspects of their theses on this project. Additionally, several other other UGA students (Aaron Joslin and Jill Qi) have contributed time to field sampling. In kind support has been provided by Weyerhaeuser, Plum Creek and Georgia Pacific. Funding has been provided by Georgia Power (The Southern Companies) and NCASI. Scientific input from non-UGA scientists includes efforts of Eric Vance (NCASI), Zakiya Leggett (Weyerhaeuser) and Chris Moorman (NC State) and Lamar Larrimore (Southern Companies). TARGET AUDIENCES: Results from the first activity are designed to provide information on impacts and methods for assessing soil impacts of biomass harvesting. Forest land managers and state regulatory agencies are the target audiences. Results will be disseminated at stakeholder meetings and, more generally, in applied journals. Results from the second activity are targeted at power generation facilities and nearby land managers. Results will be disseminated through extension service publications and through stakeholder meetings. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Initial results from pre- and post site preparation sampling of the biomass removal/retention study (Activity 1) were presented to cooperators in November. High level of variability and relatively low differences in removal/retention treatments both contributed to non-significant differences in measured chemical parameters among treatments. Additionally, while harvest affected bulk density, the differences were not considered adverse for any level of biomass removal. In response to the non-significant differences in these general soil properties, current work is focusing on the effects of residue piles on soil processes. Results from the feasibility assessment of ash recycling (Activity 2) showed that ample forest and crop land exists in the vicinity of Plant Mitchell to make this method of ash handling economically feasible. Costs for an ash land application incentive program would make ash use attractive to land managers and be less costly to the producer than other ash handling programs.
Publications
- Morris, L. A., J. S, E. A. Ogden. H. Goldemund and C. Merz. 2012. Greenhouse and field response of southern pine seedlings to pulp and paper mill byproducts applied as soil amendments. For. Sci. 58: 618-632.
|
|