| Abstract |
Varying levels of the resource Manganese can have many different effects such as chlorosis of the leaves, plant mortality, and increased decomposition of leaf litter. Red maple saplings were planted in different soil types and grown in a greenhouse in order to measure manganese uptake into the tree leaves. My objective for this project was to analyze soil samples from the different treatments, containing either manganese dissolved in water, manganese oxides, manganese in pyrite-containing shale, or a control group with sand and peat. My role in this project is to grind the samples with a SPEX 8000M mixer/mill, press them into pellets, and analyze them using an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer to measure soil chemistry, including the total Mn concentration.
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| Modified Abstract |
This presentation will examine the differences between varying levels of Managenese among many different soil types. Soil types such as; manganese dissolved in water, manganese oxides, manganese in pyrite-containing shale, a control group with sand and peat were tested. My role began with grinding soil samples into a specified (∓ 15g) mass, to allow the fine fragments of soil to fit through a 75μm sieve. After grinding, the samples are pressed into a pellet, and analyzed under an X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometer to look at the chemical makeup of the sample. |
Biographical Sketch
My name is Michael Crowell. Since a young age I have been interested in the environment, weather, and the atmosphere. It is my ambition to strive towards achieving a higher education, and pursue a Ph.D. My career goals are aimed to work doing research in the field of Atmospheric Science or Climatology. The skills and knowledge gained working in this lab under Dr. Elizabeth Herndon and Sydney Laubscher have proved to be extremely detailed and helpful in my pursuit of this amnition.