Download Thesis Proposal Powerpoint

Team Carbon Sinks
Team: Jordan Adair, Marisa Cicale, Mark Hofberg, John
Junghans, Heather Kerrick, George Luo, Michael Mercado,
Sam Oliver, Sue O’Neill, Dan Remer, Matt Schulzinger, Ryan
Shofnos, Hannah Tolley, Wesley Tse
Mentor: Dr. Ning Zeng/Jay Gregg
Librarian: Marian Burright
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Team Carbon Sinks will develop an
effective, economically feasible, and
environmentally friendly method for
sequestration of carbon in dead trees.
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Agenda
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Background
Introduce project
Methodology
Conclusion
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Background
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Carbon Cycle
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Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change
• Created by the United Nations
• Published Fourth Assessment Report in
Spring 2007
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Statistics from 4th Assessment
• Increase in atmospheric CO2
concentrations over the past 50 years is
the result of human activity
• By 2100, temperatures will rise between
2-11.5 degrees F and sea levels will rise
88 cm without changes in human
activity
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Kyoto Protocol
• Part of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC)
• Goal is to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions
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Reducing Greenhouse Gases
• Alternative fuels
• Carbon Sequestration
• Carbon Sinks
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Introduction to Project
• Lack of research about sequestering
carbon naturally stored in wood
• Used Dr. Zeng’s research to explore how
to maximize forests’ carbon capacity
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Aim of Project
• Develop a process
that effectively slows
the natural
decomposition of
wood by depriving it of
oxygen
• Applicable throughout
North Atlantic Forests
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Basic Assumptions
• Sequestered carbon will have monetary
value in the future
• Companies or private land owners
should be easily able to reproduce the
process
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Hypothesis
• By placing biomass in an anaerobic
environment, it is possible to slow the
decay and effectively create a carbon
sink
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Methodology
• 76 Loblolly pine disks, 10
cm thick:
– 15 for submergence in water
– Bury the rest in 15 columns,
one disc at:
– 10, 40, and 80 cm
– Control on surface
• Measurements every 4
months
• Remove 3 columns, 3 discs
from water.
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Water submersion
• Oyster cage will hold
discs
• Will keep discs close
to, but not in contact,
with the bottom of the
pond
• Regular analysis of
water composition
more necessary than
soil analysis.
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Measurement
• Soil, water composition
• Measures of decay
• Mass
• Density
• Carbon content
• These factors will be re-examined upon
removal – discs will not be returned.
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Wye Research and Education
Center
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Eastern Shore
• Eastern Shore representative of
Northeast Coast
– Previously farmed land
– Most prevalent in Atlantic Coast area
• Facilitates future use of our method
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Current Status
• What we have already done:
– Found site
– Obtained wood to be buried/submerged
– Contact information for soil lab
– Developed experimental methodology
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Future Plans
• Begin actual experiment within the
month
– Bury and submerge wood
– Collect initial soil samples
• Contact soil labs, compare services
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Questions?
Thank you: Dr. Ning Zeng, Jay Gregg,
Marian Burright, Dr. Bruce James,
Dr. Wallace, Rebecca Thomas, and the
Gemstone staff
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