Myroslav’s research quantified differences in soil organic matter (SOM) across seventeen reclaimed well pads and adjacent undisturbed big sagebrush areas (reference areas). Two 80-meter transects were established at each site, extending 40 meters into the reclaimed well pad and 40 meters into the reference area. Along each transect, six soil samples were collected from both disturbed and reference zones at depths of 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm. After air-drying, the samples were analyzed using a loss-on-ignition protocol to quantify the percentage of soil organic matter. Resulting data were analyzed using R to produce the following results.
Myroslav Bur – Western Resource Fellow | Myroslav Bur is a Yale College undergraduate studying Chemistry, with a focus on soil chemistry and sustainable agriculture. He is particularly interested in agricultural systems that emulate natural ecosystems, and how soil dynamics shape plant communities in arid landscapes. Through studying the sagebrush ecosystem of the American West, he hopes to better understand plant-soil interactions in dry environments and apply this knowledge to both conservation and agricultural resilience. In his free time, Myroslav enjoys reading scientific literature while drinking home-brewed full-leaf tea. See what Myroslav has been up to.
