Senior Honors Project Spring 2022

Environmental Restoration through the Process of Propagation and Reviving of Microorganisms Within the Soil:

Renewing a Degraded, Damaged, or Destroyed Ecosystem

Hayle Bobbie Trujillo

Nambe Pueblo

Native American Identity

Native American Identity was how Native Americans nowadays identify themselves. Native Americans live in a somewhat complex world meaning it can be hard to actually understand who we are and where we come from. We are learning to adapt to the world around us and within our Native Communities, but the ¨outside world¨, outside of our communities, plays a huge effect on our identity. We are learning the ways of nonindigenous people and taking it for our own, simply because if we don't adapt we won't survive the changing world around us. We get caught up trying to be a part of both worlds, the multi-cultured one and the one that feels like home for us because we are with our own people. Native Americans have to choose what tribe they feel that they associate with the most, which is easier for some rather than others. All Native Americans deal with some sort of intergenerational trauma because of history, some know our Native language and well others struggle to learn, same for religious dances and traditions. We Native Americans are taught the same values across many different communities things like respect or being able to give back within our communities are some of many values that are taught throughout communities.

Horse, Perry. (2005). Native American Identity. New Directions for Student Services.

Background Photo."Traditional clothing" Personal photo by Hayle Trujillo, 2015.

Sharing One Skin

“Sharing one's Skin” is about how we all belong to some sort of community. We have four main capacities that operate together, they are, the physical self, the emotional self, the thinking intellectual self, and the spiritual self¨. We connect every part of ourselves to the Earth, to one another, and everything around us. We have many emotional ties to things such as people, places, objects, etc.

Armstrong, Jeanette. “Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community,” in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds), The Case Against the Global Economy. San Francisco, CA, Sierra Club Books, 1996. Pp 460-470.

Background Photo."Ice Glaciers" Personal photo by Hayle Trujillo.

Agriculture

The first-ever farmers were Native Americans who had also taught themselves to run an efficient irrigation system. The first European people arrived at what they called the ¨new world¨, Native Americans were the first ones to teach them how to farm in order for their survival. Native American people were knowledgeable of the land because they have been there for years now. They have developed ¨sophisticated intercropping skills¨, for example, they would grow beans and corn together because beans would provide the nutrients that corn needed and the corn stocks would provide a place for the bean to grow and climb on.

Wills, John. "Agriculture." Encyclopedia of Texas Life, Gale, 2007. Gale In Context: Middle School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A164950474/MSIC?u=nm_s_santafeis&sid=ebsco&xid=9cc3a1a9. Accessed 8 Oct. 2021.

Background Photo."Yucca Plamt " Personal photo by Hayle Trujillo, 2022.

Drought in the United States: Causes and Issues for Congress

Drought happens across the world in many different countries. The article defines drought as ¨a lack of precipitation over an extended period of time¨. Currently there is no Federal Drought Policy that exists, and Congress has acted on only some of it, approving things such as the ¨National Integrated Drought information System¨. Drought is a recurring issue that usually results in the loss of agriculture which affects ¨local, regional, and national regions¨. In the year of 1930´s the Dust Bowl era had become severe and widespread, swapping out all crops and killing people and land animals.

Folger, Peter, et al. "Drought in the United States: causes and issues for Congress." Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, Congressional Research Service, 2013. Gale OneFile: High School Edition, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A332378838/STOM?u=nm_s_santafeis&sid=ebsco&xid=4694bac8. Accessed 8 Oct. 2021.

Background Photo."Drought" Personal photo by Hayle Trujillo, 2015.

What is ecological restoration?

Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of the ecosystems that have been degraded and destroyed. Farms aren't the only places where soils need restoring, places such as ¨prairies, wetlands, forests, and savannas¨ are all places that need aid. Many things that happen to the environment when not taken care of are the overwhelming number of invasive species that outcompete native species. Because of this change within plants, the ecosystem of the surrounding area begins to change. Removal of the invasive species is part of the ecological restoration and through this process, we then begin to collect and plant more seeds that are native to the surrounding areas. When rain fall comes a more healthy ecosystem will be able to maintain and withhold that rain fall ,unlike a one that is unhealthy.

¨What is ecological restoration?¨. Youtube, uploaded by Morton Arboretum, september 6th 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53pmijCaMIA .

Background Photo."Fall as came" Personal photo by Hayle Trujillo, 2021.

Soil Microbiomes and Climate Change

As Climate Change began to steadily grow throughout the years we are starting to see the changes more drastically throughout the world. Climate change has alternated everything, like ¨elevated temperature, increased drought, increased precipitation and flooding and increased fire frequency¨. Microorganisms play a huge role in being able to absorb the carbon that is in the atmosphere and store it within the soil. This process is called cycling of soil organic carbon also known as SOC. As scientists discover that without healthy microorganisms, the carbon that goes inside the soil also releases carbon back into the atmosphere. The huge uncertainty is that if this process of SOC releases more carbon will it continue to increase or decrease the CO2 levels that are in our atmosphere. The microorganisms within the soil ¨carry out the dichotomous roles of mineralization of SOC and stabilization of carbon inputs into organic forms¨. However, the amount of carbon that is released back into the atmosphere can be controlled by having more plant growth that uses the carbon as something it needs.

Jansson, Janet K., and Kirsten S. Hofmockel. "Soil microbiomes and climate change." Nature Reviews Microbiology, vol. 18, no. 1, Jan. 2020, pp. 35+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A608210691/AONE

u=nm_s_santafeis&sid=ebsco&xid=461f3ac5. Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.

Background Photo."Orange Blossoms " Personal photo by Hayle Trujillo, 2022.

Dryland Agricultural Ecosystems

Restoring the environment in the dryland ecosystem has increased the more people recognize that human vulnerability relies upon the environment and can be heavily impacted. All of these environmental issues can have an effect on our food security because the soil is no longer productive in dry ecosystems. The continuation of the degradation of our soils and climate change has a large impact on all the different types of ecosystems throughout the world. There are different forms of restoration practices that include ¨plants, animals, soils, and habitats¨ that all have an effect on one another. Restoration can look different depending on the ecosystem and how severe the damage is to the soil and the surrounding elements.

Miguel, M. Florencia, et al. "A meta-analysis contrasting active versus passive restoration practices in dryland agricultural ecosystems." PeerJ, vol. 8, 23 Nov. 2020, p. e10428. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A642549780/AONE?u=nm_s_santafeis&sid=ebsco&xid=75924c5f. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021.

Background Photo."New Mexico's Sunsets" Personal photo by Hayle Trujillo, 2022

Why Soil Matters

As humanity, we focus our attention on things such as fossil fuels and climate change but not as much as soil restoration. It takes about 500 years to naturally build one-inch topsoil and we're losing it at a rate of 17 times. Soil degradation happens by a number of different factors that are heavily increasing. Soil degradation is the decline in soil health as a result of misuse or poor management of soil. Soil types can vary depending on the location and the type of ecosystem. Soil contains many different things such as earthworms, fungi, bacteria, protozoa, arthropods, algae, and sometimes even small mammals, when the soil begins to die all of these living elements begin to become weak.

Over the last 200 years, the United States as a result of modern agricultural practices soil is being lost about 17 times the rate. Tillage kills the wealth of microorganisms as a result of many years of industrial cultivation practices. Fertilizers and chemicals which in turn alter the chemical makeup of the soil and make it even harder for essential organisms to survive. The more we degrade soils the more and more the United States is reaching a soil crisis.

¨Why Soil Matters¨. Youtube, uploaded by Our Changing Climate, 3rd November 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kZXulLobA8.

Background Photo."Plant Wall" Personal photo by Hayle Trujillo, 2022.

Climate Change and Soil Organic Matter in Scotland

The Scottish Government finally recognized that soils provide functions for the health of the environment and economy. Within the last decade that research was conducted including many different organizations across Scotland and collaborations with the United Kingdom.The research that was conducted was aimed to highlight finding and implications for Scotland's soil; to demonstrate strengths and weaknesses of the existing soil. Soil Carbon helps reduce the amount of carbon dioxide within the atmosphere this is known as Soil Organic Matter (SOM). Within the soil there is about four times the amount of carbon in the Earth's atmosphere . Soil Organic Matter decomposition is strongly impacted by temperature effects, multiple mineralisation processes and the microbial population, all needed for healthy soil restoration.Many ecosystem services rely upon the soil, therefore Robinson argued that “soil stocked should be better managed when addressing capital accounting within the Scottish government”.

Aitkenhead, M.J. "Climate change and soil organic matter in Scotland: time to turn over a new leaf?" Soil Research, vol. 59, no. 6, Aug. 2021, pp. 529+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A679284888/AONE?u=nm_s_santafeis&sid=ebsco&xid=27fff499. Accessed 16 Feb. 2022.

Background Photo."Forest Tree's" Personal photo by Hayle Trujillo, 2022.

Soil Biodiversity and Human Health

Biodiversity within the soil is being increasingly recognized as providing benefits to human health because it can control disease causing soil organisms. Biodiversity within the soil can provide clean air, water and food when maintaining soil in a way that's not harming the soil. Rescrach has been conducted showing that soil biodiversity can be restored and maintained if managed apporateley. Preservation and restoration of soils can help provide decreasing diseases and be able to provide medicine for humans, plants and animals. Soil-borne pathogens and parasites can have a great impact on human, plant, and animal health. Bacterium Bacillus Anthracis is a disease found throughout the USA commonly found in soils worldwide. Anthrax spores can live within the soil for weeks and even decades. When rain comes, those spores reach the top surface of the soil and attach themselves to roots and frasses that are fed on by grazing animals. Outbreaks have happened in Estern Colorado and Texas usually resulting in grazing animals dying off. In Namibia and East Africa the disease usually occurs in zebras.

Wall, Diana H., et al. "Soil biodiversity and human health." Nature, vol. 528, no. 7580, 3 Dec. 2015, pp. 69+. Gale In Context: Middle School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A436544347/MSIC?u=nm_s_santafeis&sid=ebsco&xid=4045e6a6. Accessed 17 Feb. 2022.

Background Photo."Tree" Personal photo by Hayle Trujillo, 2022.

Farming Evolved: Agriculture Through A Different Lens

Six and a half million pounds of the herbicide atrazine are applied to Iowa's crops every year. Humanity needs to learn how to farm without using chemicals and synthetic fertilizer, so we can keep those harmful chemicals out of our drinking water. Technology advances have allowed chemicals used in agriculture to be spread more effectively throughout crops, therefore masking the degradation of soils and polluting water. Technology has also allowed us to use antibiotics in our livestock, causing antibiotic resistance, and the ability for disease to affect human, and animal health more greatly.

“Farming Evolved: Agriculture Through A Different Lems.” Youtube, uploaded by TEDx Talks, july 30th, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ0wP9FJU1s.

Background Photo."Dead Sunflowers" Personal photo by Hayle Trujillo, 2022.