Angela Ebeling
Assistant Professor of Biology
Education
- B.S., Chemistry, Wisconsin Lutheran College, 1999
- M.S., Soil Science, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 2001
- Ph.D., Soil Science, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 2007
Research Interests
- Phosphorus in the environment
- Managing organic wastes
Courses
- BIO 124 - Plant Science
- BIO 310 - Biostatistics
- BIO 324 - Botany
- ESS 182 - Environmental Science
Memberships
- Soil Science Society of America
Additional Responsibilities
- Environmental Club Advisor
- Pathways to College Summer Program Instructor
- Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) member
Extracurricular Activities
- Hiking
- Biking
- Camping
- Ultimate frisbee
- Library volunteer
- Evangelism caller
- Summer Bible School teacher
Research
Currently, my research is focused in two areas of soil and environmental science. In one project students analyze soil samples to look for the presence of a specific mineral, calcite. Their work will help establish a database important for making sure the required soil phosphorus test in Wisconsin is appropriate on all Wisconsin soils. In the other project, students set up soil and plant studies to see how effective biosolids (a (by)product of wastewater treatment plants) is at providing phosphorus to different crops – this research is key for protecting fresh water, reducing farmer costs, and helping with the reuse and recycling of "waste" materials.
Both projects involve lab work that familiarizes students with analytical and instrumental chemistry techniques. Learning concepts in biology, chemistry, physics, and soils is important to understanding the processes involved.
Study 1: Soil test phosphorus
There is one main soil test that is used in Wisconsin to see how much phosphorus is ready to be taken up by plants. In order to verify that it works on Wisconsin soils, students will be analyzing soil samples from around Wisconsin to look for the presence of calcite. If too much calcite is present in soil, this soil test (Bray P1) will not correctly predict how much phosphorus is available, and could cause farmers to spend money on fertilizers unnecessarily.
In this research, students will be able to work directly with soil samples and learn a variety of lab skills. They will experience real life environmental research activities such as drying, grinding, and weighing soils; using instruments to measure the levels of various nutrients and other important soil qualities; and putting the results together in a way that is meaningful for farmers and University of Wisconsin extension specialists. They will use soil samples from various sites; some they will gather from farmer's fields, some will be obtained from public and private soil testing labs.
The tests performed on the soil samples include pH, total inorganic carbonate, soil test phosphorus (=available P: Bray P1, Mehlich 3), total phosphorus, and calcite/dolomite determination. Students will become familiar with these laboratory methods and the chemistry and biology behind why they work. They will also have the opportunity learn scientific writing skills by summarizing their results and potentially be able to present their data at local, regional, and national meetings or conferences.
Study 2: Biosolids
Soil and water are two key resources that 1) are important for food and health and 2) are increasingly becoming misused and polluted. Treatment plants for wastewater clean your drain and sewer water before it is released back into lakes and streams. A "waste" product of treatment plants is a solid called biosolids. It contains the nutrients, organic matter, heavy metals, and other compounds that are cleaned out of the wastewater. There are both helpful and harmful materials in biosolids, but many of the harmful ones are removed during biosolids treatment, leaving it full of nutrients and organic matter, both of which are beneficial to growing crops. Instead of land filling or incinerating (burning) biosolids, another disposal option is to land apply it to cropland like you would manure or fertilizer – allowing the nutrients to be used by the growing crops.
In this research students will put biosolids from different wastewater treatment facilities on soil and grow a variety of plants in the greenhouse. They will be looking to see how well the biosolids provide nutrients to the plants, compared to fertilizer or manure.
Students will learn to organize and prepare greenhouse and incubation studies and to analyze the subsequent soil and plant samples gathered. They will also have the opportunity learn scientific writing skills by summarizing their results and potentially be able to present their data at local, regional, and national meetings or conferences.
Other Research:
For students interested in volunteering their time to campus environmental projects, there are also two on-going activities in which they can participate. One is the maintenance and upkeep of the WLC rain garden located on the northeast side of campus close to Wisconsin Avenue. Since it has only been established for a couple years, weeding quack grass and other unwanted plants, planting desirable species, and adding plant identification markers are still needed activities. Secondly, I have started an educational composting site outside the science building. Volunteers can promote this program to the rest of the faculty and students and help care for the individual piles.
Published Papers
Refereed Publications
Ebeling, A.M., L.G. Bundy, A.W. Kittell, D.D. Ebeling. 2008. Evaluating the Bray P1 test on high pH, calcareous soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 72:985-991.
Ebeling, A.M., L.R. Cooperband, and L.G. Bundy. 2003. Phosphorus availability to wheat from manures, biosolids, and an inorganic fertilizer. Comm. Soil Sci. and Plant Anal. 34:1347-1365.
Ebeling, A.M., L.R. Cooperband, and L.G. Bundy. 2003. Phosphorus source effects on soil test phosphorus and forms of phosphorus in soil. Comm. Soil Sci. and Plant Anal. 34:1897-1917.
Ebeling, A.M., L.G. Bundy, T.W. Andraski, and J.M. Powell. 2002. Dairy diet phosphorus effects on phosphorus losses in runoff from land-applied manure. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 66:284-291.
Extension Publications
Ebeling, A.M., L.G. Bundy, S.J. Sturgul. 2004. Phosphorus Movement from Land to Water. Nutrient and Pest Management Program. Univ. Wisconsin Madison Extension.
Kelling, K.A., L.G. Bundy, and A.M. Ebeling. 2003. When and Where to Apply Manure. Nutrient and Pest Management Program. Univ. Wisconsin Madison Extension.
Kelling, K.A., L.G. Bundy, and A.M. Ebeling. 2003. Management Options for Farms with High Soil Test Phosphorus Levels. Nutrient and Pest Management Program. Univ. Wisconsin Madison Extension.
Ebeling, A.M., L.G. Bundy, J.M. Powell, and L.D. Satter. 2002. Dietary phosphorus considerations in dairy management. Nutrient and Pest Management Program. Univ. Wisconsin Madison Extension.
Conference Posters (presenting author in italics)
"Paleoclimate reconstructions from a Miocene-aged soil in the Atacama Desert." A.M. Ebeling, R. Amundson, and W. Sharp. ASA-CSSA-SSSA-GSA International Meeting, Houston, TX; November 2008.
"Evaluating the Bray P1 test on alkaline, calcareous soils." D.D. Ebeling, A.M. Ebeling, A. Kittell, L.G. Bundy, and F. Blum. Poster Presentation. American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America-Geological Society of America (ASA-CSSA-SSSA-GSA) International Meeting Houston,TX; November 2008.
"Phosphorus source effects on soil phosphorus buffering capacity." A.M. Ebeling and L.G. Bundy. ASA-SSA-SSSA International Meeting, Seattle, WA; October 2004.
"Phosphorus forms and plant availability in soils amended with organic phosphorus sources." A.M. Ebeling, L.G. Bundy, and J.M. Powell. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meeting, Charlotte, NC; October 2001.
"Dairy diet phosphorus effects on phosphorus losses in runoff from land-applied manure." A.M. Ebeling, L.G. Bundy, T.W. Andraski, and J.M. Powell. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meeting, Minneapolis, MN; October, 2000.
Conference Papers
Ebeling, A.M., L.G. Bundy, A.W. Kittell, and D.D. Ebeling. 2006. Evaluation of the Bray P1 soil test on eastern red soils in Wisconsin. Proc. Wis. Fert. Aglime and Pest Mgmt. Conf. 45:296-302.
Ebeling, A.M., K.A. Kelling, and L.G. Bundy. 2002. Phosphorus management on high phosphorus soils. New Horizons in Soil Science: Soil and Water Management Meetings. Issue #12.
Ebeling, A.M., L.G. Bundy, T.W. Andraski, and J.M. Powell. 2001. Dairy diet phosphorus effects on phosphorus losses in runoff from land-applied manure. Proc. Wis. Fert. Aglime and Pest Mgmt. Conf. 40:58-69.
Bundy, L.G., T.W. Andraski, J.M. Powell, J.S. Studnicka, and A.M. Ebeling. 2000. Management practice effects on phosphorus losses in runoff. Proc. Wis. Fert. Aglime and Pest Mgmt. Conf. 39:23-34.
Miscellaneous
Ebeling, A.M. 2001. Phosphorus source effects on phosphorus losses in runoff, plant availability, and soil phosphorus. M.S. Thesis. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison.
Ebeling, A.M. 2007. Assessing available phosphorus in Wisconsin soils from additions of phosphorus fertilizer, manure, and biosolids. Ph.D. Thesis. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison.