Sites contaminated by heavy metals, such as industrial waste sites, create unwelcoming environments for plant growth. Heavy metals can have a wide range of toxic effects such as replacing essential elements or disrupting enzyme function. While some heavy metals are essential to plant nutrition at low concentrations, high concentrations of any heavy metal(s) has the effect of reducing or preventing plant growth. Despite the obstacles to plant growth, revegetation of these sites is important because wind and water erosion can transport heavy metals from contaminated sites, thereby spreading these potentially toxic pollutants. Phytoremediation techniques which use plants to remediate contaminated soil may provide a solution to problems of revegetation and contamination. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may enhance phytoremediation, especially phytoextraction and phytostabilization, by reducing heavy metal stresses on plants, increasing heavy metal uptake, and affecting translocation of metals within plants. This paper provides a review of the effects of AMF colonization on heavy metal tolerance in plants and the potential for utilizing AMF in phytoremediation techniques.
Agronomy JournalVolume 105, Issue 6 p. 1890-1890 Thanks to Our Editorial Board Members Thanks to Our Editorial Board Members Bill Raun, Bill Raun EditorSearch for more papers by this author Bill Raun, Bill Raun EditorSearch for more papers by this author First published: 01 November 2013 https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2013.0002tCitations: 1Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume105, Issue6November–December 2013Pages 1890-1890 RelatedInformation
The topic of invasive earthworms is a timely concern that goes against many preconceived notions regarding the positive benefits of all worms. In the cold‐temperate forests of North America invasive worms are threatening forest ecosystems, due to the changes they create in the soil, including decreases in C:N ratios and leaf litter, disruption of the seed bank, and changes in soil structure and nutrient cycling. These changes in turn affect the forest ecosystem by encouraging the growth of non‐native plants, inhibiting undergrowth, decreasing biodiversity, and negatively affecting species that are sensitive to change. While the potential for remediation by acidifying the soil exists, the potential repercussions of such a change has not been researched. The key to minimizing the issue of invasive earthworms is prevention. Thus, policy and education targeted at individuals who are horticulturists, fishermen, bait shops owners, and vermiculturalists, who are commonly vectors of introduction, are critical to conserving cold‐temperate forests in North America.
Soilborne pathogens can devastate crops, causing economic losses for farmers due to reduced yields and expensive management practices. Fumigants and fungicides have harmful impacts on the surrounding environment and can be toxic to humans. Therefore, alternative methods of disease management are important. The disease suppressive abilities of composts have been recognized for several decades, and significant research has been done in order to identify substrates with effective suppression. The mechanisms of suppression are mainly biological, but abiotic aspects of the composts, such as pH, carbon to nitrogen ratio, and maturity, interact with pathogenic and biological control processes and determine efficacy of suppression. For example, Fusarium wilt is aggravated by high ammonium‐N composts (Cotxarrera et al., 2002), and mature composts with low levels of labile compounds more effectively suppress Rhizoctonia damping‐off (Trillas et al., 2006). Identification of these abiotic factors can increase efficacy of disease suppression of composts. In addition, inoculating composts with biological control agents, such as Trichoderma, has been found to increase suppressive ability in many cases.
Teaching and learning effectiveness may be enhanced in small‐class settings where teachers can tailor materials and methods to individuals. Preparing students ahead of time for a week‐long field trip to a new area that involves student‐centered learning and a competition to promote student engagement should offer educational advantages. This article presents the results of a poll of teachers who coached students during a week‐long soil judging contest field trip. The perspective on learning effectiveness is often asked of students rather than teachers. Five questions were asked and representative answers presented and discussed. The answers of the teacher–coaches were compared with previous literature on the effectiveness of outdoor field trip teaching. The poll results agree that student engagement is related to the combination of an extended field trip to a new resource area with a single subject of focus, practice of professional trade skills, new social interactions, and a contest at the end of the trip. The teacher–coaches enjoyed their opportunity to gain knowledge of subjects they teach from local experts and share social and professional interactions. The responses are important because they lend new perspectives to teaching and coaching not reported in the literature, and explain some educational advantages for outdoor field trip contest activities. Future studies to determine the long‐term knowledge gain and retention from such an activity as contrasted with conventional field trips and classroom instruction alone are needed.
As use of geospatial technologies has increased in the workplace, so has interest in using these technologies in the K–12 classroom. Prior research has identified several reasons for using geospatial technologies in the classroom, such as developing spatial thinking, supporting local investigations, analyzing changes in the environment, and interesting students in technology and geography. The National Research Council (NRC) advocates spatial thinking instruction across the K–12 curriculum and instruction in geospatial technologies, such as geographic information systems (GIS), is one way to increase understanding in spatial thinking. Many educators agree that GIS can be a useful tool for student learning; however, if GIS is going to be successfully integrated into the classroom, many issues need to be addressed, including those related to professional development. Many of the characteristics of effective professional development apply to professional development in geospatial technologies but researchers continue to identify best practices. The professional development objectives for the NSF ITEST (Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers) program at the University of Kentucky were threefold: (1) to increase knowledge of geospatial technologies, including GIS, GPS, and remote sensing; (2) to develop spatial thinking; and (3) to apply that knowledge to community‐based natural resource investigations, a localized form of project‐based learning (PBL). The UK team hypothesized that the unique components of this professional development program would be an effective way to increase teachers’ knowledge of new technologies and spatial thinking and to instruct teachers how to apply that knowledge to community‐based investigations.
This activity discusses the basic process used in a traditional breeding program. Crossing, genetic variation, selection and elements of DNA technology are discussed within this activity. The material is aimed toward high school or introductory life science undergraduate students. There is a quiz based “breeder's notebook” feature, which gives students opportunities to apply their new knowledge in other scenarios. At the completion of this activity students should be able to: State the expected number of years it takes to develop a cultivar in plant breeding programs and explain why it takes that long. Define the words homozygous, heterozygous, genotype, and phenotype. Identify flower structures and explain what role they play in plant reproduction. Understand how genes from each parent are inherited. Explain what molecular markers are and how they are used in a breeding program. Identify at what point in the program the breeder works with the most genotypic variation. Identify at what point in the program a breeder plants lines in the most locations. Teachers can use the activity to supplement their teaching strategies. It is also useful for graduate students and extension audiences wanting a refresher on the basic steps of soybean breeding. It is available free of charge for educational use.
Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences EducationVolume 41, Issue 1 p. 65-67 Editorial Science Teacher Preparation Revisited Marvin Druger, Corresponding Author Marvin Druger mdruger@syr.edu Professor Emeritus, Dep. of Biology and Science Teaching, 315 Life Sciences Complex, College Place, Syracuse Univ., Syracuse, NY, 13244-1070Corresponding author (mdruger@syr.edu).Search for more papers by this author Marvin Druger, Corresponding Author Marvin Druger mdruger@syr.edu Professor Emeritus, Dep. of Biology and Science Teaching, 315 Life Sciences Complex, College Place, Syracuse Univ., Syracuse, NY, 13244-1070Corresponding author (mdruger@syr.edu).Search for more papers by this author First published: 01 January 2012 https://doi.org/10.4195/jnrlse.2012.0999 All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume41, Issue12012Pages 65-67 RelatedInformation
“Watershed Manager” is a spreadsheet‐based model that is used in extension education programs for learning about and selecting cost‐effective watershed management practices to reduce soil, nitrogen, and phosphorus losses from cropland. It can facilitate Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) stakeholder groups’ development of comprehensive watershed management plans that are required to be eligible for state and federal funding. This tool was developed to educate stakeholders about alternative best management practices (BMPs) that result in improvements in water quality and to select the combination of BMPs that yield the largest improvement in water quality per dollar spent. Users are able to estimate, optimize, and compare the economic and environmental effects of alternative management practices. WRAPS represents a citizen/stakeholder‐led approach rather than a government‐mandated and directed approach to watershed management. Kansas WRAPS is a state‐sanctioned process whereby watershed protection and restoration plans are created and implemented. Funds, guidance, and technical assistance are provided for stakeholders to reach consensus on issues of relevance in their watershed and to design and execute a plan to address those issues. Cost‐effective conservation is a way of getting the largest benefit for the dollars invested, but it is not always the most politically or socially palatable approach. Watershed Manager allows local stakeholders to cost‐effectively identify politically and socially acceptable management practices. Watershed Manager has been utilized in developing cost‐effective implementation plans to meet total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for 16 Hydrologic Unit Code 8 (HUC 8) watersheds in Kansas through the WRAPS program.
Soil science students are required to apply knowledge from a range of disciplines to unfamiliar scenarios to solve complex problems. To encourage deep learning (with student performance an indicator of learning), a formative assessment exercise was introduced to a second‐year soil science subject. For the formative assessment exercise, students were required to prepare a draft of a critical review of a current topic in soil science, and then (following guidance from staff members) provide feedback to each other through a peer assessment exercise. In contrast to expectations, the formative assessment did not appear to improve overall student performance in this task based upon their grades for this task. Furthermore, despite being given an exemplar and attending a workshop where tactics for searching the scientific literature were discussed, this did not increase the likelihood that students would cite studies from the scientific literature when conducting their critical review. Regardless of these observations, the students were positive and appreciated the feedback they received through the exercise. This study demonstrates the need to ensure that feedback is effective and enables students to identify their weaknesses and modify their work accordingly.
The purpose of this study was to describe the effects of a graduate student fellowship program on middle school students’ attitude toward science and their interest in science. Using a descriptive and correlational research design, data were collected from 588 middle school students (grades 6, 7, and 8). Participants completed a pretest and a posttest questionnaire on their attitude and interest in science. Findings showed that participants overall had a positive attitude toward and a positive interest in science; neither the attitude nor the interest changed from pretest to posttest. Within grade, attitude toward science fell slightly during 6th grade but rose slightly during 8th grade. There were no differences in pretest or posttest scores by gender. Prior research suggests that during middle school, students’ attitudes toward science and interest in science drop. An implication exists that the graduate student fellowship program had a positive influence on middle school students’ attitudes and interests in science by maintaining a high interest in science and a positive attitude toward science.
Forest Resource Management Plans is the capstone course in many forestry and natural resource management curricula. The management plans are developed by senior forestry students. Early management plans courses were commonly technical exercises, often performed on contrived forest “tracts” on university‐owned or other public lands, with a goal of generating standard reports showing silvicultural, forest management, and timber harvesting activities. This early timber‐oriented management approach gradually changed late in the last century into one that was oriented around real‐world private forest landowners. Various types of actual forest properties and owner types were used for the exercises, but family forest properties tended to be stressed because they represent one of the most common types of management plans. Also, the timber emphasis changed to a multiple‐use emphasis (with major considerations of nontimber resources, like wildlife, recreation, water, soils, and aesthetics). Forestry students were exposed to real‐world forest owners and linked to practicing professional foresters who currently managed these properties. This same approach is being used to introduce forestry students to a major new emphasis: forest sustainability and forest certification. Sustainable forest management has grown into a major thrust of forestry for economic and ecological interests and forest certification systems are now crucial to ensuring sustainability. Clemson University is incorporating a major American forest certification system for family forest owners into its curriculum and capstone course to strengthen student understanding of these essential concepts. It represents an expansion of the landowner approach to broaden the capstone course to emphasis forest sustainability issues.
In plant breeding and genetics research, plant breeders establish a hypothesis to explain how they think a particular trait is inherited, such as if it is due to one gene with complete dominance, an interaction of more than one gene, or quantitative inheritance, with many genes contributing, etc. Next the breeder sets up some crosses and observes the resulting progeny to test that inheritance hypothesis. However, when the data is collected, oftentimes the breeder discovers the number of plants observed in each class is not exactly what was expected from the hypothesis. The question then is how do plant breeders determine if the data supports their hypothesis or not? Following a tomato disease resistance example in this lesson, you will learn a simple statistical test that breeders can use to conclude if the experimental data supports their hypothesis. This lesson is written for undergraduate and graduate students studying plant breeding, as well as agriculture professionals unfamiliar with the use of the chi‐square analysis. After completing this lesson module you should be able to: Calculate expected phenotypic and genotypic ratios and the number of plants expected in each class for a given plant breeding scheme. Calculate chi‐square values for plant genetics data sets from both phenotypic and genotypic observations. Calculate degrees of freedom. Accurately interpret results from a chi‐square test. Identify appropriate uses and limitations of the chi‐square test in plant breeding and genetics research.
This casual–comparative study was conducted to determine the professional development needs of teaching faculty with fewer than 6 years of university teaching experience (n = 67). Faculty were compared on the level of teaching assistantship responsibility during their graduate degree program. The purpose of this article is to provide faculty development officers with fundamental considerations for achieving quality professional development with junior faculty based on previous teaching experience. This study found professional development needs should be tailored based on teaching assistant experiences.
Some soil and crop science university programs undergo curricula revision to maintain relevancy with their profession and/or to attract the best students to such programs. The Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University completed a thorough data gathering process as part of its revision of the undergraduate curriculum and degree programs in 2010. The purpose of this study was to determine the scientific and technical knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by graduates for career success in 2015 and beyond. Data were collected from three expert panels (soils, crops, and turfgrass) using the Delphi method. Scientific and technical knowledge, skills, and abilities in water‐related issues were indicated as a necessary curriculum item by all three panels. Soil science experts indicated that water studies should focus on movement of water in soils and the contribution of soils to water quality, whereas crop and turfgrass experts emphasized the management of water as a resource. Both the soil and crop panels specified a need for study in data collection and analysis, problem solving, and using scientific reasoning. Turfgrass experts emphasized the need for students to learn business principles and compliance with external regulations. All three groups designated the importance of including soft skills, such as communicating effectively, working collaboratively, and personal and social responsibility, as important curriculum components for students’ career success. These data will serve as the foundation for constructing new curricula and potentially new degree programs in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University.
Student farms, developed largely out of student efforts, have served as centers for the development of experiential learning and sustainable agriculture and food systems educational activities on land‐grant colleges of agriculture well before most formal sustainable agriculture and food systems programs were proposed. This study explored students’ perspectives regarding effective learning approaches in sustainable agriculture and food systems (SAFS) education, how their experiences on student farms were integrated into their formal educational programs, and their motivations for participation in student farms. Focus groups were conducted with students who worked and studied at student farms (SF) located at three geographically diverse land‐grant colleges (in the Northeast, Midwest, and Western parts of the United States). Students’ learning preference for integrating classroom and fieldwork showed strong resemblance to the experiential learning theory that knowledge is constructed when learners resolve tensions between abstract conceptualization and concrete experience, reflective observation, and experimentation. Students and SF staff and faculty formed a SAFS community of practice that emphasized horizontal knowledge co‐construction, rather than simply privileging faculty (expert) transmission of abstract theory. Students sought out the SF to gain agricultural and horticultural production, marketing, and community development competencies in organic, small‐scale agriculture. Students were motivated by the empowerment they experienced when practical learning directly aligned with, and in some instances was an extension of, their values, ideals, and deeper sense of purpose. Findings suggest student farms are fertile locations for nurturing experiential learning activities as part of land‐grant colleges of agriculture curricula.
Following a developmental model of career planning and preparation, an ementoring program was devised for first semester freshmen to (1) heighten career awareness and stimulate career exploration in food and agricultural sciences; (2) expand interest and willingness to follow career opportunities beyond the regional geographic area; and (3) stimulate deeper career exploration and development through participation in job shadowing and professional organization conferences. The ementoring program was part of a career portfolio prepared in sections of AGRI 1201, Agriculture and Human Sciences as a Profession, that were major specific for animal science majors. Impact of the experience on students was evaluated with pre‐ and post‐mentoring questionnaires using Likert‐scale (1–5, 1 = disagree or low level), selection (check those that apply), and open‐ended questions. Pre‐mentoring questionnaires (n = 128, 2002‐2005) showed a willingness to participate in the ementoring program; however, students were reluctant to relocate for career reasons. Results revealed naivete about careers, limited career awareness and work experience. A total of 79 post‐mentoring questionnaires were submitted from 2002 to 2005. Post‐mentoring results indicated gains in career awareness (means of 3.84–4.23 across years) and that gains were related to the ementor (means of 3.33–4.00). Interest in career exploration also increased (means of 3.67–4.39) as did willingness to relocate for career purposes (mean of 3.64–4.15). The ementoring experience was perceived as a beneficial experience that included problem solving (38–64%), goal identification (33–67%), and career insight (44–72%). From 77 to 88% of students wanted to continue email communication with their ementor after the course‐related requirement was completed.
Using spreadsheets such as Microsoft Excel for building crop models and running simulations can be beneficial. Excel is easy to use, powerful, and versatile, and it requires the least proficiency in computer programming compared to other programming platforms. Excel, however, has several weaknesses: it does not directly support loops for iterative calculations, and it does not allow one cell to alter the contents of another cell. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop an Excel add‐in, called BuildIt, that overcomes some of Excel's weaknesses by: (1) providing a loop for repetitive calculations and (2) providing several operations (called actions) typically needed in building crop models. These actions are such as for numerical integration, initialization of variables, and solving differential equations using the Runge‐Kutta method, as well as for copying and manipulation of cell ranges. BuildIt was written in Excel's script language, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), but it does not require users to program in VBA to build their models. Several examples of models were used in this article to illustrate how BuildIt implements the infrastructure in Excel, and how it can be used to build models and run model simulations. With BuildIt, users are able to use Excel to build and run their mathematical models, without requiring any knowledge in VBA.
The decline of enrollments in agronomy programs across the United States has been a concern for more than a decade. In an effort to reverse this trend, the Agronomy Department at Iowa State University (ISU) launched the I'm An Agronomist marketing campaign in 2006. This article reports on these efforts and the change in the undergraduate agronomy student population at Iowa State University since the campaign's inception. In the spring of 2010, 106 more students were studying agronomy than in 2005. This was an increase of 91%. Prior to implementing marketing strategies, agronomy enrollment at ISU had been on a 6‐year decline. The campaign has also had the additional benefits of generating a sense of pride and excitement among department staff, students, and alumni. The execution of the marketing campaign has been accomplished through close collaboration between staff within our department including graphic artists, communication specialists, and those passionate about the topic. In designing our marketing strategies, we observed and learned from marketing approaches in widespread use. The most important elements in the development of our marketing campaign were a simple message, artistic style, branding, and advertising in smart locations. While direct connections between marketing efforts and enrollment increases are difficult to prove, the I'm An Agronomist campaign has coincided with a time of extraordinary growth in student numbers. The campaign has halso appeared to have had additional benefits with regard to internal morale and external relations.
