Geologic atlases provide maps/databases essential for improved management of ground and surface water. This proposal will complete current projects and start new projects to equal about 10 complete atlases.
Sites contaminated with chlorinated industrial pollutants are a significant problem in Minnesota. We will determine the best way to stimulate bacteria for faster and more complete pollutant dechlorination.
Each year Minnesota municipal wastewater treatment plants generate large amounts of oily scum, concentrated liquid called centrate, and sludge. These waste streams are disposed of either in landfills or by burning or subjected to additional treatment. However, new technologies have shown potential to capture resource values from these waste products while lowering the treatment costs for these waste streams.
Create user-friendly, research-based energy storage guide and decision tools (print and web-based) for community-scale sites with renewable energy and do three geographically dispersed battery storage demonstration projects, through broad stakeholder-expert engagement.
DNR data show that fisher in Minnesota have declined 50% since 2000. Den sites may be limiting reproduction. We will test if den boxes can help the fisher population increase.
The potential of neonicotinoid insecticides to initiate algal blooms will be tested by measuring the
occurrence of neonicotinoids and their breakdown products in Minnesota’s surface and ground waters.
This project will establish a surveillance system to monitor wildlife health in Minnesota through development of information management and analytical systems utilizing wildlife rehabilitation data.
This project is to develop a small cheap purification system for community drinking water facilities to remove toxic contaminants. The technology is highly efficient to improve current drinking water quality.
Solar windows are a disruptive photovoltaic technology that virtually invisibly integrates with buildings. This renewable energy technology will increase photovoltaics adoption, reduce air pollution, and ameliorate climate change.
This project is to develop cheap clean solar energy by simple roll-to-roll manufacturing. Perovskite is a new photovoltaic material, very economical while maintaining high power conversion efficiency.
A biodegradable product will be developed to replace non-degradable petroleum based plastic used in vegetable and fruit production. This project, if funded, will revolutionize horticulture in Minnesota, and potentially worldwide.
Develop strategies and practical tools to identify conditions that minimize impacts to soil across a wide range of conditions to promote regeneration of diverse forests, wildlife habitat, and timber availability.
Energy storage systems for farms will be developed using wind-generated ammonia. Novel ammonia fuel systems will be tested in a farm grain dryer and engine generator displacing fossil fuels.
Minnesota’s natural resource professional workforce is much less diverse than its citizenry and many other professional fields. The benefits of a more diverse workforce are many, including the ability of organizations to increase innovation and creativity, attract higher qualified candidate pools, and ensure services that meet the diverse interests and needs of all citizens.
Pollinators play a key role in ecosystem function and in agriculture, including thousands of native plants and more than one hundred U.S. crops that either need or benefit from pollinators. However, pollinators are in dramatic decline in Minnesota and throughout the country. The causes of the decline are not completely understood, but identified factors include loss of nesting sites, fewer flowers, increased disease, and increased pesticide use. Fortunately, there are known actions that can be taken to help counteract some of these factors.
Over 527,000 acres of unmanaged woodlands are being used for livestock grazing throughout Minnesota. Managing these grazed woodlands based on the use of best management practices can provide environmental and economic opportunities, including improved water quality, maximized forage production, and higher-quality timber. The best management practices involved are commonly used in other parts of the country with other types of ecosystems, but have not been widely adopted in Minnesota due to a lack of knowledge and experience with implementing them within the ecosystems of Minnesota.
Wastewater treatment plants discharge effluent that contains contaminants of emerging concern, such as estrogens. Estrogens have been shown to cause ecological effects such as fish feminization and fish population collapses. Presently the treatment and discharge of estrogens into the environment via wastewater treatment is not regulated. However, it has been found that the extent of estrogen discharge from wastewater treatment correlates with how and how well nitrogen, which currently is regulated and will likely be more so in the future, is removed during the treatment process.
This research project will provide critical information regarding how to treat surface water (used by 25% of Minnesota's population) to prevent outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease and infections by Mycobacterium avium.
The project will evaluate the effectiveness and benefits/impacts of locally sourced woodchip, corncob, and iron-bearing minerals as alternative effective abrasive materials to lower salt use for protecting Minnesotas water resources.