be expanded," Dr. Phillips said. "During the process, we've met
many other bay researchers, and it has peaked the interest of
other scientists."
The UNCP team will drill 20-30 foot holes in Carolina bays
in five counties around Robeson. They have hundreds to choose
from because the bays oval depressions dot the landscape
from New Jersey to Florida.
"There are no studies like this in North Carolina," Dr. Phillips
said. "Studies in Georgia and South Carolina indicate the bays
are about 100,000 years old."
"We're excited because this project deals with North
the last 100,000 years," he continued. "It gives us an idea about
what went on here in the recent past, geologically speaking."
With apologies to those who theorize that aliens or asteroids
formed the bays, Dr. Phillips' team will learn more about how
wind and waves shaped the landscape, probably during the
Glacial Maxima period and the later interglacial period.
"I cannot predict exactly how old the bays are, but we will get
a good idea," he said.
The research team will use a process called "optically
stimulated luminescence," which measures the solar radiation of
quartzite rock.
"What that means is the sun's radiant energy excited certain
elements in rock," he explained. "When that radiation stopped,
we have a ticking clock for measurement."
The UNCP team will be the first to read this clock in North
Carolina.
"I am very excited for the students," Dr. Phillips said. "The
grant will help us promote teamwork, confidence and hands-on
training with state-of-the-art scientific equipment."
One last mystery that Dr. Phillips revealed: Carolina bays are
not named for the Carolinas, where most of them occur, but the
Carolina bay tree that populates the bays.
at the University will push soil and plant research another step
forward.
On the far north end of campus this spring, Dr. Deborah
Hanmer, a biology professor and plant pathologist, and an
undergraduate researcher hovered around a 55-gallon barrel to
produce biochar.
On Earth Day, Dr. Hanmer cracked open the 30-gallon
interior chamber to find almost perfect charcoal.
Biochar was discovered in the soil of pre-Columbian people
in South America and dubbed "Terra Preta" by Europeans. The
soil demonstrated some remarkable characteristics including the
retention of nutrients after 1,000 years.
Research began two years ago when Dr. Hanmer began
purchasing biochar.
"Using different amounts of biochar, we tested to see how
soil would resist common plant disease," Dr. Hanmer said. "The
biochar we will make here will be used in a pesticide and a
nematode study."
Biochar is produced through the pyrolysis of biomass,
or in this case, the heating of wood in a nearly oxygen-free
environment. Sequestering carbon in biochar has peaked
scientists' interest in this age of global warming research.
UNCP's biochar production was made possible by a
contribution of materials, labor and consulting from Flow Farms
of Aberdeen, N.C.
"This method only takes about two to two-and-a-half hours to
produce biochar," said a representative who works at Flow Farms.
"We are learning how to use it in our gardens to produce organic
and vegan vegetables."
Dr. Hanmer's collaboration with Flow Farms came about
through the North Carolina Farm Center for Innovations and
Sustainability, headquartered in Fayetteville, N.C.
"Biochar is beautiful," Dr. Hanmer said, breaking a piece in
her hands. "You can see the entire structure of the wood.
"These tiny holes are critical to retaining nutrients," she said.
"We want to see what else it retains, like insecticide.
"We hope to learn more about the qualities of biochar in the
soil," Dr. Hanmer said. "Our students will learn science and have
publishable results."