Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

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    Assessing Nitrogen Contamination Potential via Remote Sensing
    (North Dakota State University, 2002) Seelig, Bruce; Beard, Larry W.; Mita, Dath
    A remote sensing-based cropland layer (CDL) was included in a group of natural and anthropogenic factors to assess the potential for nitrogen contamination of groundwater in Dickey County, North Dakota. The CDL, produced by the Spatial Analysis Research Section, USDA, NASS and the Cooperative Extension Service, NDSU, was used to determine areas of cultivation, corn or potatoes, and summer fallow. ARCVIEW was used to import the CDL image of North Dakota for 1998. The image was converted to a grid and clipped to the appropriate area of assessment. Compared to natural factors, many of the anthropogenic factors are subject to considerable change over time. Consequently, land use information from one season was modified using the ARCVIEW neighborhood statistics function to provide an estimate of land use probability. Mean values were calculated for areas of 1/2 mile radius with respect to cultivation, potatoes or corn, and summer fallow. These values were used to classify areas as low, intermediate, or high probability for these types of land use. The three land use probability layers were used in combination with other factors to determine groundwater sensitivity to nitrogen contamination.
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    Estimating Potential for Nutrient Delivery to Surface Water Resources in North Dakota
    (North Dakota State University, 2003) Seelig, Bruce
    The relationship between nutrients and water resources may be described in terms of availability, mobility, and accessibility. There are many factors that influence nutrient behavior in the environment and their interrelationships may be complex. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are the main plant nutrients that warrant concern with respect to surface water systems. Elevated concentrations of these nutrients contribute to eutrophication of streams and lakes. In many ways nitrogen and phosphorus work in tandem with respect to plant growth. The nutrient of least availability will limit plant growth. In aquatic systems it is generally recognized that an N to P weight ratio of approximately 10 is an indication of nutrient balance (Forsberg, 1980; Thomann and Mueller, 1987). N to P ratios less than 10 indicate N limitation, while greater than 10 indicate P limitation. The limiting nutrient will control biotic growth. In the northern prairies both N and P limited aquatic systems have been observed (Shubert, 1980; German et al., 1991). The impacts of nutrients on the trophic status of surface water in the northern prairies may be dependent on the status of either N or P and may vary with the season (German et al., 1991). The potential for either N or P to contribute to surface water degradation may be estimated by accounting for those factors that are most influential in determining nutrient behavior in the northern prairies.
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    Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Capstone Course Evolution at North Dakota State University
    (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, 2005) Bon, Tom A.; Kucera, Henry L.
    The approach to the department's capstone design course has changed considerably since the 1960s. The general evolution of the course has proceeded from extended laboratory exercises to individuals working on self-defined projects to team-based projects. Interactions between the capstone course and other courses have been attempted with varying success. This paper presents the development of the NDSU Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department' s capstone course and thoughts on possible future modifications to the course.