I would like to thank Dr. Burns for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this project. This journey has been an adventure that I will always treasure. The advice and guidance he provided throughout this project have been invaluable. It was a privilege to be a part of his lab group and learn to be a researcher and engineer from him. I am sincerely and heartily grateful to Dr. Helmers for taking me on as a graduate student and allowing me to grow as a person, providing insight into researching soil and water systems, providing an example of how to run a research program, and for helping me through the struggles of this project. Thank you Dr. Raman for giving me the opportunity to experience a different part of academia, for allowing me into your classroom and providing insight into how to organize a class, to run a class room, and for letting me put your advice into practice by running the lab. I also truly appreciate you insightful comments and the big-picture perspective you always brought. Dr. Horton for teaching me to appreciate the beauty of soil; the complexity of those little grains never cease to amaze, and for helping me to realize that those little pieces of mineral have the power to change the world. Finally I'd like to thank Dr. Castellano for introducing me to the world of ecology and inspiring me to think about and utilize ecological concepts in my pursuit of understanding and improving agriculture. I appreciate all the support, guidance, and advice you all have given and the opportunity I've had to learn with you. I'd like to thank my family for their love and for being part of my life. Your support and encouragement have got me to where I am today. I'm so thankful for everything you have done for me, the advice and guidance you've given me, and always supporting and understanding my desire to continue on with my education and pursue my dreams. To my in-laws, thanks for welcoming me into your family, for becoming such a big part of my life, and sharing in the memories these last few years. To my friends here at Iowa State thanks for the memories, the great times, and the road trips together-highway 80 from coast-to-coast and we're still friends, can you believe it? Thanks for the discussions, on my projects and yours, the chances to bounce ideas off each other, and always knowing you were there for me. Finally to my wife Kristine, thank you for being there for me through this all, for supporting me, and for all your love. I know it's been a tough journey, but we finally made it-let the next one begin.