We will develop and test a novel, bio-based, fertilizer coating that slows nutrient release to reduce nutrient runoff from agricultural fields based on modified cellulose and lignin extracted from wood.
A long-term project to protect Minnesota's only population of ball cactus has begun successfully. To cement this success, population expansion/establishment will finish and long-term volunteer monitors will be trained.
Leveraging new statewide climate data, we will assess future change in the duration, frequency and magnitude of heavy precipitation and drought events and engage communities to prepare for these extremes.
We will develop a cost- and energy-efficient method of managing the concentrated saline waste from a municipal desalination plant, increasing the economic feasibility of centralized water softening and sulfate removal.
Establish network of automated radiotelemetry stations to monitor bird migration and local movements of a threatened species, and develop strategic plans for long-term use of infrastructure to monitor animal movement.
We will quantify and map antibiotic and antibiotic resistance gene contamination in Minnesota waters and soils and identify locations in need of mitigation to protect environmental, human, and animal health.
We will map habitat and diseases of urban foxes and coyotes to understand what they need to live and risks posed to people and pets, thereby demystifying them for residents.
Data is needed about which aquatic habitats moose prefer and how moose can potentially enhance nearshore lake foodwebs. This project will map critical aquatic habitats and measure lake foodweb effects.
We will determine how disease prevalence, diet, habitat use, and inter-species interactions of coyote and red fox populations change from urban to rural areas along the Mississippi River corridor.
We develop and demonstrate a practical tool for mapping aquifer recharge potential; conduct policy analysis; and use the tool to evaluate the recharge potential of several aquifers in Minnesota.
Continue monitoring forested peatland network for hydrology and wildlife including a new species, bog lemming. Add measures to quantify above and below ground carbon by age and forest type.
Waste streams often contain unutilized resources that if properly extracted or otherwise utilized could be used to provide additional sources of renewable energy or other benefits. Wastewater is one of the primary candidate waste streams because of its nutrient content and researchers have been developing technologies such as microbial fuel cells and algal-based biofuel production in order make use of these nutrients.
Many types of bacteria perform critical ecological functions, such as cycling carbon and other nutrients, which enable life to exist. In fact, humans harness these types of bacteria in certain engineered systems, such as wastewater treatment plants and landfills, to provide various benefits such as protecting surface waters from excess nitrogen, decomposing solid waste, and treating wastewater.
Develop and examine physical, biological, thermochemical, and photochemical methods for destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in landfill leachate.
We will evaluate the impact of microbial interventions during captivity on the raptor gut microbiome, both in terms of treatment efficacy during rehabilitation and subsequent environmental dissemination.
We will quantify the release of antibiotics from hotspots identified in our previous project to surface waters in Minnesota using field, laboratory, and modeling approaches to ultimately inform interventions.
Microplastics are ubiquitous and may contain chemicals of concern (COCs). We propose to determine the effect that microplastics have on the fate and transport of COCs in Minnesota waters.
We propose to double the size of a natural resource management tool, the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas, by including state agency observations and specimen records from four additional museum collections.
Funding is requested to accelerate high priority research that will protect Minnesotas wetlands, forests, prairies, and agricultural resources from terrestrial invasive plants, pests, and pathogens.
Terrestrial invasive species are species that are not native to a location and that pose critical ecological and economic challenges once they become established in that location. They come in the form of plants, animals, insects, pathogens, and microbes that can cause harm to natural habitat, urban landscapes, and agricultural systems. The problems posed by terrestrial invasive species continue to grow as existing infestations expand and new exotic species arrive, many of which are poorly understood.
The Center for Changing Landscapes was directed by the Minnesota State Legislature to create a long-range framework for an integrated statewide parks and trails system that provides information on the natural resource-based recreational opportunities available throughout the state. The detailed framework must include an inventory of existing regionally and statewide significant parks and trails, respond to recreational trends and demographic changes, and identify underserved areas, overused facilities, and gaps in the current parks and trails system (Minn. Gen. Laws 64.8 § 6).
The Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center (MITPPC) requests $7 million to fund up to 20 new, high-priority applied TIS research projects to improve Minnesota's natural and agricultural resources.
We will investigate the potential of natural microbes indigenous to Minnesota to biodegrade conventional plastics in the environment as a means for cleaning contaminated soils and waters across the state.
We propose to radio-mark and monitor movements of Minnesota trumpeter swans to provide foundational information necessary for management and conservation.
The Arboretum, consistent with the priorities of the LSOHC, successfully purchased 78.13 acres in Victoria, Minnesota adjacent to Arboretum property. The purchase will ensure the protection of the deepest lake in Carver County and valuable habitat for future generations.
