Acquisition of Analytical Equipment for Nutrient Analysis and Particle Size Determination in Ecological Studies

奥尔巴赫，迈克尔一笔赠款已授予内华达州沙漠研究所（DRI）的迈克尔奥尔巴赫，保罗Verburg，约翰Arnone，埃里克麦克唐纳和克里斯蒂安Fritsen博士，用于购买三件分析设备，用于陆地和水生生态系统营养循环的当前和未来研究。 该设备包括流动注射离子分析系统、溶解有机氮分析仪和激光衍射粒度分析仪。 通过拟议的设备购置将实现的具体目标包括：（1）提高分析能力，以利于正在进行的研究;（2）在水生生态系统中溶解有机物和颗粒营养物的物理和化学特性方面寻求新的研究途径;（3）在内华达州的大学系统内整合陆地、水文和空气研究，以解决环境研究问题;以及（4）为本科生和研究生建立一个培训设施。DRI的教师从事广泛的研究，重点是陆地和水生生态系统的营养循环。 目前资助的研究包括评估河流和溪流中的营养负荷、管理对陆地生态系统中营养循环的影响、极端环境中的营养循环以及气候和陆地生态系统之间的相互作用。 这些研究在各种生态系统中进行，包括高海拔半干旱流域，美国西南部的沙漠，高草草原和南极洲。 这些不同的研究有一个共同的需求，以评估湖泊和溪流中的土壤，颗粒和悬浮营养物质的营养成分和粒度分布。 DRI目前可用的设备不允许对无机和有机营养素进行常规分析，而这些分析是满足对这些数据日益增长的需求所必需的。 此外，用于粒度分析的方法不能为许多正在进行的和新的研究提供所需的详细信息。研究生研究培训是DRI研究企业的重要组成部分。 研究生将接受操作设备的培训，这是他们课程的一部分。 将指派一名实验室技术员操作和维护设备，并负责与主要研究者一起培训研究生。 新设备将通过创建支持一系列基础研究的基础设施，大大提高DRI在土壤和水研究方面的分析能力。 所要求的设备也适用于DRI目前正在进行的其他调查领域，包括对沙漠中灰尘排放和土壤中放射性核素迁移的研究。 此外，这种新设备将使直接还原铁有助于解决关键的国家和国家环境问题（例如，对饮用水的需求不断增加，保护濒危鱼类）。

Abstract0216553Auerbach, MichaelA grant has been awarded to Drs. Michael Auerbach, Paul Verburg, John Arnone, Eric McDonald, and Christian Fritsen at the University of Nevada Desert Research Institute (DRI), for the acquisition of three pieces of analytical equipment to be employed in current and future studies of nutrient cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The equipment includes a flow injection ion analysis system, a dissolved organic nitrogen analyzer, and a laser diffraction particle size analyzer. Specific goals that will be accomplished through the proposed equipment acquisition include the following: (1) enhanced analytical capabilities to benefit ongoing research; (2) pursuit of new research avenues in the field of physical and chemical characterization of dissolved organic and particulate nutrients in aquatic ecosystems; (3) integration of terrestrial, hydrologic, and air research within the university system of Nevada to address environmental research questions; and (4) establishment of a training facility for undergraduate and graduate students.Faculty from DRI are engaged in a wide array of studies focused on nutrient cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Currently funded research includes assessment of nutrient loadings in rivers and streams, effects of management on nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, nutrient cycling in extreme environments, and interactions between climate and terrestrial ecosystems. These studies are carried out in a variety of ecosystems including high elevation semi-arid watersheds, deserts of the southwestern U.S., tallgrass prairie, and the Antarctic. These diverse studies share a common need to assess nutrient composition and particle size distribution of soils, particulate, and suspended nutrients in lakes and streams. Currently available equipment at DRI does not allow for routine analyses of inorganic and organic nutrients that are needed to satisfy the increasing demand for these data. In addition, the methods in use for particle size analysis do not provide the detailed information needed for many ongoing and new studies.Graduate student research training is an important part of the research enterprise at DRI. Graduate students will be trained in operating the equipment as part of their curriculum. A laboratory technician will be assigned to operate and maintain the equipment and will be responsible for training graduate students in conjunction with the principal investigators. The new equipment will greatly enhance DRI's analytical capabilities in soils and water research by creating an infrastructure that will support a series of fundamental studies. The requested equipment also has applicability to other areas of inquiry currently ongoing at DRI including research on dust emissions in deserts and transport of radionuclides in soils. Further, this new equipment will allow DRI to contribute to solving critical state and national environmental problems (e.g., increasing demands for drinking water, protection of endangered fish species).