@conference {JRN54420, title = {Knowledge, Learning, Analysis System (KLAS)}, booktitle = {2015 LTER All Scientist Meeting}, year = {2015}, month = {09/2015}, abstract = {

The goal of KLAS is to develop a new scientific approach that takes advantage of the data deluge, defined here as both legacy data and new data acquired from environmental and biotic sensors, complex simulation models, and improved technologies for probing biophysical samples. This approach can be implemented as a knowledge-driven, open access system that "learns" and becomes more efficient and easier to use as data streams increase in variety and size. We are in an early stage of KLAS, but we expect that it will adapts the scientific method to accommodate vast amounts of data, and make them accessible to a broad range of user via an open access with an iterative learning process. Also, we expect KLASS to transform ecology and environmental sciences by shortening the time lag between individual discoveries and leaps in knowledge by scientific community. New experiments can be strategically designed based on feedback from the hypothesis-data-analysis loop. The scope of KLAS is not limited to ecology and environmental sciences, it can be used to manage and process data for different fields. KLAS will be able to interconnect and reuse hypothesis, methodologies, data, process, and knowledge gained from previous experiments from one domain to another domain smoothly and transparently to the user.

}, author = {Geovany Ramirez and Debra C. Peters and Kris Havstad and Cushing, Judy and Craig Tweedie and Fuentes, Olac and Villanueva-Rosales, Natalia} } @conference {50425, title = {Knowledge Gaps in Assess and Predicting Grazing System Performance: Art or Science?}, booktitle = {Society for Range Management 59th Annual Meeting}, year = {2006}, month = {February 12-17, }, pages = {50}, address = {Vancouver, British Columbia}, abstract = {The adoption of research techniques associated with tame pastures has improved the community scale understanding of rangeland grazing systems. While our undertanding of grazing behavior, diet selection and intake has benefited by a more intensive approach, there is little evidence that livestock performance is improved by any rest/rotation scheme compared with continuous moderate stocking. Likewise, individual and community-based investigations of plant response to defoliation have increased our understanding of the physiological and morphological basis for changes in species composition. The result is we have a solid understanding of soil, plant, and animal responses to grazing systems at the community scale, and have developed from that understanding a predictive capacity as the basis for management decisions. That understanding has not translated into a widespread improvement in management outcomes attributable to the grazing system per se. However, many advisors and practitioners continue to insist that grazing systems have achieved miraculous economic, ecological, and social results. Perhaps this incongruity stems from lack of quantification of how management changes with adoption and how a more intensive grazing system might directly enhance (or improve perception of) productivity or the environment. In spite of our science, beauty remains in the eye of the beholder. We suggest that a more meaningful approach to compare grazing schemes might be in terms of competing technologies, such as adoption rate, success/failure rate, implementation cost, and change in management effort and lifestyle. From a physical science perspective, what is their impact on variables such as water and soil quality and biological diversity at landscape and watershed scales where quantifiable public, rather than private, benefits accrue? While each practitioner may be an artist, the value of grazing systems can best be assessed and predicted by our profession using improved science at large scales with attributes more in the public interest.}, keywords = {grazing, rangeland, tame pastures}, author = {Joel R. Brown and A.J. Ash} } @proceedings {50638, title = {Key concepts to improve the utility of ecological site descriptions}, year = {2004}, note = {CDROM: USDA-NRCS}, month = {June 13-18, 2004}, pages = {CDROM}, address = {Jackson, WY}, abstract = {Ecological Site Descriptions (ESDs) represent a major change in the format and conceptual basis for interpreting observed changes on range, pasture and forest lands and for providing technical and financial support for the application of land management practices. With the acceptance of the possibility of multiple stable states and multiple pathways among those states, basic relationships between plants should become an important organizing factor in determining how fundamental soil units are grouped together and interpreted for management. In this paper, we propose that changes to soil-plant interactions, especially feedbacks, should be considered as important organizing factors in determining which soil properties are the basis of ESD organization. Although there are few accepted guidelines for making these decisions, realistic hypotheses and rigorous testing is possible to resolve many of the uncertainties.}, url = {/files/bibliography/04-048.pdf}, author = {Joel R. Brown and Brandon T Bestelmeyer} } @conference {51062, title = {K-12 environmental science education on the US-Mexican border}, booktitle = {85th Annual Meeting, Ecological Society of America}, year = {2000}, month = {August 6-10, 200}, pages = {248}, address = {Snowbird, UT}, abstract = {

Environmental conflicts on the U.S.-Mexican border are increasing as populations grow, resources (especially water) become more limiting, and waste disposal concerns mount (e.g., low-level nuclear waste near Carlsbad, NM, and New York City sewage sludge outside Sierra Blanca, TX). The ability of the local population to evaluate potential options is limited by generally low literacy levels, including low ecological/scientific literacy. The Jornada LTER and the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range have recently developed a partnership with the nonprofit Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park in order to increase understanding of the arid and semiarid ecosystems dominating the border region. This partnership has generated a number of new programs that have effectively increased the number of students served by the LTER/ARS scientists. We are currently using a combination of structured field trips, school-based field measurements (school-yard LTER sites), and classroom visits to engage students. We are also working with teachers in several regional school districts to integrate these programs into the K-12 curriculum. Future plans include the development of a bilingual ecology curriculum for the Chihuahuan Desert and a permanent educational facility to be located in the park{\textquoteright}s 1000-acre field site.

}, keywords = {Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park, classroom, education, field trips, k-12 programs, partnership}, author = {Stephanie Bestelmeyer and P.W. Hyder and E.L. Fredrickson and Kris Havstad and Jeffrey E. Herrick and L. Huenneke and Atchley, J.} } @article {52478, title = {The K horizon: a master soil horizon of carbonate accumulation}, journal = {Soil Science}, volume = {69}, number = {2}, year = {1965}, note = {//LOCAL//NONE//}, month = {1965}, pages = {74-82}, abstract = {The designation "K horizon" is proposed for soil horizons so strongly carbonate-impregnated that their morphology is determined by the carbonate. Though these horizons display a variety of macroscopic forms, and range in consistence from soft to extremely hard, they all have a peculiar and diagnostic soil fabric, the K-fabric. In material with K-fabric, fine-grained authigenic carbonate coats or engulfs skeletal pebbles, sand and silt grains as an essentially continuous medium. The material breaks down or is markedly softened by acid treatment. The designation K2 is proposed for carbonate horizons of 90 per cent or more, by volume of K-fabric, and K1 and K3 designations are proposed for upper and lower transitional horizon-containing 50 per cent or more of K-fabric. Other soil horizons containing carbonate accumulations are noted by the ca symbol in combination with the appropriate master horizon designation.}, keywords = {article, articles, carbonate, accumulation, geomorphology, carbonate accumulation, journal, journals, soil, carbonate, soil, K horizon}, author = {L. H. Gile and F. F. Peterson and R. Grossman} }