Research Accomplishment Reports 2007

Soil and Water Quality in Kentucky

M. Coyne
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences

 

Project Description

The goal of this research and academic program is to address critical problems in soil and water quality in Kentucky, which includes contamination of surface waters by fecal bacteria and detection of fecal contaminants, efficient use of nitrogen and transformations of the soil nitrogen, and effects of xenobiotic contaminants. It is also to raise scientific literacy and engagement in international agriculture programs. In the past year we have carried out the following studies related to this objective:

1. Demonstrated the potential for use of labeled (15-n) bacteria  to evaluate fecal bacteria transport through karst.
2. Demonstrated the use of molecular probes for nirs and nirk (nitrite reductases) to evaluate denitrifier population structure in the vicinity of fragipans.
3. Evaluated the efficacy of subsurface flow in riparian environments to remove nitrate from waste effluent.
4. Demonstrated the potential for antibiotic resistance analysis as a method of biosource tracking and evaluated its use in two Kentucky watersheds.
5. Evaluated fecal sterols and bile ascids as biomarkers for animal wastes.

Impact

The applications of labeling bacteria for karst transport have implications for evaluating Lexington's ongoing response to storm water treatment and have been incorporated into submitted proposal to evaluate water flow through karst in central Kentucky. Research on subsurface nitrate removal will help to better demonstrate the utility of wetlands and riparian buffer for stream protection. Antibiotic resistance and biosource tracking research will help to target scarce resources for remediatig or mitigating non point source pollution in watersheds.

Publications

Rakshit, S. , Matocha, C.J. , and Coyne, M.S. Coyne. 2008. “Nitrite Reduction by Siderite.” Soil Science Society of America Journal. (Accepted for publication.)

Tyagi, P., Edwards, D.R., and Coyne. 2008. “Distinguishing Between Human and Animal Sources of Fecal Pollution in Waters – A Review.”  International Journal of Water. (Accepted for publication. )

Tyagi, P., Edwards, D.R., and Coyne, M.S. Coyne. 2008. Use of sterol and bile acid biomarkers to identify domesticated animal sources of fecal pollution. Water, Air, Soil Pollution. 187:263-274.

Handayani, I.P., Coyne, M.S., Barton, C. and Workan, S. 2007. "Soil Carbon Pools and Aggregation Following Stream Restoration in a Riparian Corridor: Bernheim Forest, Kentucky." Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Restoration. (Accepted for Publication.)

Luo, W., D'Angelo, E.M. and Coyne, M.S. 2007. “Organic Carbon Effects on Aerobic Polychlorinated Biphenyl Removal and Bacterial Community Composition in Soils and Sediments”. Chemosphere. (Accepted for publication.)

Tyagi, P., Edwards, D.R., and Coyne, M.S. 2007 “Statistical Model Approach with Sterol and Bile Acid Biomarkers to Identify the Sources of Fecal Pollution.” EWM  07-0223. International Journal of Environment and Waste Management (IJEWM). (Accepted for publication.)

Tyagi, P., Edwards, D.R., and Coyne, M.S. 2007. Use of selected chemical markers in combination with multiple regression model to assess the contribution of domesticated animal sources to fecal pollution in the environment. Chemosphere 69:1617-1624.

Ipsilantis, I. and M.S. Coyne. 2007. Rhizosphere and bulk soil microbial community response to hexavalent chromium.  Journal of Environmental Quality 36:638-645.

Matocha, C.J. and Coyne, M.S. 2007. Short-term response of soil iron to nitrate addition. Soil Science Society of America Journal 71:108-117.

Luo, W., D'Angelo, E.M. and Coyne, M.S. 2007. Secondary plant metabolites and surfactant (hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin) effects on polychlorinated biphenyl biotransformation and microbial community structure in soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 39: 735-743.

Coyne, M.S. 2008. Biological denitrification. p. 197-249. In J.S. Schepers and W. Raun (ed.) Nitrogen in agricultural systems. Agronomy Monograph 49. ASA-CSSSA-SSSA,  Madison, WI.  (In press. )

Popa, D. and Coyne, M.S. 2007. Soil microbiology: The life beneath your feet. InstantPublisher. Collierville, TN. ISBN 978-1-59872-872-9. 241 pp.