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<OL> <LI> Determine dominant environmental parameters and processes involved in
the fate and transport of manure-borne coliform bacteria at field and watershed
scales in a hydrological context. Develop predictive models of the fate and transport
of manure-borne coliform bacteria at field and watershed scales.
<LI> Determine prevalence and diversity of pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella
in watersheds with different land uses (urban/suburban, forested, animal agriculture)
in the mid-Atlantic area. Measure airborne dissemination and survival of pathogenic
bacteria and endotoxin from manures, compost, and wastewater treatment plant sludge.
Evaluate methods combining immunological and genetic techniques for detection of
water-borne pathogenic E. coli.
An integrated laboratory research, field research at hillslope and watershed scales,
and mathematical modeling will be used. The experimental research will include
evaluating effect of manure particulates on transport of coliform microorganisms in
soil, relating partitioning of coliform microorganisms between sediment and runoff to
soil texture, manure properties and flow rate, establishing dependencies of coliform
release rates from manure on rain intensity, manure type and composition, and manure
application method, evaluating predictive efficiency of laboratory data on manureborne
coliform survival data for the field conditions, assessing phosphorus as a
tracer of manure-borne transport in runoff; determining effect of background coliform
populations and field manure application on coliform concentrations in runoff from
fields and in a perennial creek in a riparian zone. Modeling research will include
determining dominant mechanisms of manure-borne coliform transport at pedon, field,
and watershed scales; develop and test models to simulate those mechanisms,
performing uncertainty analysis to evaluate the reliability of coliform transport
model predictions given available data on variation in input parameters, transforming
model computers codes to make them compatible to existing and under-development userfriendly
decision support tools.