Grazing Systems to Retain and Redistribute Soil Phosphorus and to Reduce Phosphorus Losses in Runoff

A study of phosphorus accumulation and mobility was conducted in eight pastures in the Georgia piedmont, USA. We compared two potential grazing treatments: strategic-grazing (STR) and continuous-grazing-with-hay-distribution (CHD) from 2015 (Baseline) to 2018 (Post-Treatment) for (1) distribution of Mehlich-1 Phosphorus (M1P) in soil and (2) dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and total Kjeldahl phosphorus (TKP) in runoff water. STR included rotational grazing, excluding erosion vulnerable areas, and cattle-lure management using movable equipment (hay-rings, shades, and waterers). After three years of treatment, M1P had significantly accrued 6- and 5-fold in the 0–5 cm soil layer and by 2- and 1.6-fold in the 5–10 cm layer for CHD and STR, respectively, compared to Baseline M1P. In STR exclusions, M1P also increased to 10 cm depth post-treatment compared to Baseline. During Post-Treatment, TKP runoff concentrations were 21% and 29% lower, for CHD and STR, respectively, in 2018 compared to 2015. Hot Spot Analysis, a spatial clustering tool that utilizes Getis-Ord Gi* statistic, revealed no change in Post-Treatment CHD pastures, while hotspots in STR pastures had moved from low-lying to high-lying areas. Exclusion vegetation retained P and reduced bulk density facilitating vertical transportation of P deeper into the soil, ergo, soil P was less vulnerable to export in runoff, retained in the soil for forage utilization and reduced export of P to aquatic systems

Engaging Adult English Language Learners in Distance Education: An ESL Program’s Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Traditionally, adult English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, also known as English as an Additional Language (EAL), deliver instruction through in-person classes rather than distance education, as was the case at Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC). However, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, distance education became a tool used at GPTC to engage students in learning while school campuses were closed. This paper gives details about how administrators, instructors, and staff at GPTC quickly built a distance education program for adult English language learners in response to the pandemic, including resulting challenges, insights, and successes. Research on the topic of distance education and its possible benefits for adult English language learners is explored in order to inform the efforts of building this type of program. The information provided can help guide other adult EAL programs seeking to incorporate distance education for adult English language learners. Keywords: adult ESL/EAL programs, language program administration, English language learners, distance education