Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Ecosystem Indicators of Productivity of Lithic-Mulched Fields

博士论文改进补助金：石质覆盖田生产力的生态系统指标

• 批准号: 1836626
• 负责人: Ronald Towner
• 金额: $ 2.29万
• 依托单位: University of Arizona
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-08-15 至 2019-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1836626&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Improvement; Grant; Ecosystem

This project investigates Pre-Columbian agricultural fields which relied on runoff irrigation technologies unique to the ancient southwestern United States. Understanding how runoff irrigation and water management influenced vegetative productivity is critical to understanding the widespread occurrence of this technology in certain parts of the region and has implications for understanding how humans have shaped contemporary ecosystems. In addition to contributing to a scientific understanding of the function and persistence of runoff irrigation technology, this research addresses questions about the benefits for the application of traditional farming practices in the modern day. Because these features developed in a water limited environments, and are known only through archaeological research, facts regarding their character and function contribute information important to agriculture in present day drylands and have implications for water diversion and conservation. Finally, the project will contribute to undergraduate student training in field and laboratory techniques in he fields of archaeology and environmental science. The relative productivity of ancient runoff irrigated fields will be measured at scales ranging from centuries to single years in northern New Mexico. Particular focus will be given to fields that were mulched with pebbles and cobbles. Fields of this type are particularly abundant, and the technology was apparently well developed in this area. Soil and vegetation characteristics have been documented for other dryland field types in the Southwest, but few comparable studies have been conducted on rock-mulched fields. The study will rectify this knowledge gap and generate data that will allow comparison across the Southwest. Year-to-year changes in the width of growth rings for trees established on fields will be measured to determine how water conserving features may buffer trees from periodic droughts. Relative levels of organic material in soils, which are derived from plant matter, track how water conserving features alter plant productivity over the last few centuries. Together, soil chemistry and tree-rings will help answer questions about how ancient agricultural investments continue to effect contemporary ecosystem productivity, and the role this infrastructure played in supporting the large communities of northern New Mexico from 1300 A.D. until Spanish contact in the 1600s.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目调查了哥伦比亚前的农业领域，该领域依靠径流灌溉技术是美国古代西南部的独有的。了解径流灌溉和水管理如何影响营养生产力对于理解该技术在该地区某些地区的广泛发生至关重要，并且对了解人类如何塑造当代生态系统具有影响。除了对径流灌溉技术的功能和持久性的科学理解做出贡献之外，该研究还解决了有关现代在传统农业实践中的利益的问题。由于这些特征在有限的环境中发展，并且仅通过考古研究才知道，因此有关其特征和功能的事实对当今旱地的农业有贡献，并对水转移和保护具有影响。最后，该项目将为HE考古和环境科学领域的现场和实验室技术的本科生培训做出贡献。 古老的径流灌溉场的相对生产率将以从几个世纪到新墨西哥州北部的几年来衡量。将特别关注用鹅卵石和鹅卵石覆盖的田地。这种类型的领域特别丰富，这项技术在该领域显然已经开发得很好。已经记录了西南旱地其他田间类型的土壤和植被特征，但是很少在岩石覆盖的田地进行类似的研究。该研究将纠正这一知识差距，并生成数据，以允许整个西南部进行比较。将测量在田野上建立的树木的生长环的年度变化，以确定节水特征如何缓解周期性干旱的树木。土壤中有机材料的相对水平是源自植物物质的，它跟踪了在过去几个世纪中植物生产力如何改变植物生产力。土壤化学和树木共同将有助于回答有关古老的农业投资如何继续影响当代生态系统生产力的问题，以及该基础设施在支持新墨西哥州北部庞大社区的西班牙人从1600年开始的西班牙接触到1600年的西班牙接触中所扮演的作用。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定任务和审查的范围。