EC38-118 Soil and Moisture Conservation in Nebraska

When the white men first explored Nebraska, they found little erosion taking place. They found the hills, particularly in eastern Nebraska, covered with a dense growth of grass, underlain with a thick mat of decaying debris. The valleys were even more densely covered with the water-loving grasses and sedges. The soil underneath the prairie was black and spongy, the result of centuries of accumulating humus. The valleys bordering the streams were boggy and abounded with springs. Clear water flowed constantly in the streams. The upland draws in the more favorable parts of the state were heavily covered with the big bluestem and slough grass. Springs occurred in many of these. Soil erosion in Nebraska has not progressed to as great an extent as in states to the east and to the south. This is because of the comparatively lower rainfall in Nebraska, because the land has been farmed for fewer years in this state, and because some Nebraska soils are comparatively less erosive. This extension circular covers factors which influence erosion, erosion control practices, and storage of soil moisture.

EC38-118 Soil and Moisture Conservation in Nebraska

When the white men first explored Nebraska, they found little erosion taking place. They found the hills, particularly in eastern Nebraska, covered with a dense growth of grass, underlain with a thick mat of decaying debris. The valleys were even more densely covered with the water-loving grasses and sedges. The soil underneath and prairie was black and soggy, the result of centuries of accumulating humus. The valleys bordernig the streams were boggy and abounded with springs. Clear water flowed constantly in the streams. The upland draws in the more favorable parts of the state were heavily covered with the big bluesteam and slough grass. Springs occurred in many of these. Soil erosion in Nebraska has not progressed to as great an extent as in states to the east and to the south. This is because of the comparatively lower rainfall in Nebraska, because the land has been farmed for fewer years in this state, and because some Nebraska soils are comparatively less erosive. This extension circular covers the factors which influence erosion, erosion control practices and storage of soil moisture.

Creating Meaningful Homework and Implementing Homework Presentations to Aid in Mathematics Instruction

In this action research study of sixth grade mathematics, I investigated the use of meaningful homework and the implementation of presentations and its effect on students’ comprehension of mathematical concepts. I collected data to determine whether the creating of meaningful homework and the implementation of homework presentations would have a positive impact on the students’ understanding of the concepts being taught in class and the reasoning behind assigning homework. The homework was based on the lesson taught during class time. It was grade-level appropriate and contained problems similar to those students completed in class. A pre-research and post-research survey based on homework perceptions and my teaching practices was given, student interviews were conducted throughout the research period, weekly teacher journals were kept that pertained to my teaching practices and the involvement of the students that particular week, and homework assignments were collected to gauge the students’ understanding of the mathematics lessons. Most students’ perceptions on homework were positive and most understood the reasoning for homework assignments.

The Impact of Green Supply Chain Practices on Supply Chain Performance

Supply Chain Management (SCM) has become a critical factor to sustain organization’s competitive advantages. In this regard, many firms and researchers have attempted to find out factors that affect either positively or negatively on SCM. Recently, Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) has been receiving the spotlight in many studies. Social and political concerns about the environment in Korea emerged in the early 1990s when Korean government established new environmental regulations in order to implement environmental management throughout the entire supply chain. The Korean government established national GSCM strategies. However, there has been minimal research on measuring GSCM performance among Korean enterprises. It is critical to conduct the research on the relationship between GSCM practices and supply chain performance among Korean firms. In this research, the relationship among Korean enterprises will be empirically tested. The supply chain performance measurement system includes three dimensions: resource, output, and flexibility.

A Land-Use and Water-Quality History of White Rock Lake Reservoir, Dallas, Texas, Based on Paleolimnological Analyses

White Rock Lake reservoir in Dallas, Texas contains a 150-cm sediment record of silty clay that documents land-use changes since its construction in 1912. Pollen analysis corroborates historical evidence that between 1912 and 1950 the watershed was primarily agricultural. Land disturbance by plowing coupled with strong and variable spring precipitation caused large amounts of sediment to enter the lake during this period. Diatoms were not preserved at this time probably because of low productivity compared to diatom dissolution by warm, alkaline water prior to burial in the sediments. After 1956, the watershed became progressively urbanized. Erosion decreased, land stabilized, and pollen of riparian trees increased as the lake water became somewhat less turbid. By 1986 the sediment record indicates that diatom productivity had increased beyond rates of diatom destruction. Neither increased nutrients nor reduced pesticides can account for increased diatom productivity, but grain size studies imply that before 1986 diatoms were light limited by high levels of turbidity. This study documents how reservoirs may relate to land-use practices and how watershed management could extend reservoir life and improve water quality.