This project will develop a treatment practice design for removing contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) from stormwater runoff using biofiltration media. Guidance will be developed for stormwater managers statewide.
Long-term forest plot datasets are helpful for understanding the changing conditions and ecology of forestland over time. The USDA Forest Service produced statewide forest inventories in 1935, 1953, 1962, 1977, 1990, 2003, 2008, and 2013. Unfortunately, only the data from 1977 to the present is currently easily accessible and available in full.
Ecological restorations aim to aid the recovery of native ecosystems that have been degraded or lost. However, very seldom are restorations evaluated past the initial implementation phase to determine whether the efforts achieved their goals and the funds spent were a strategic conservation investment. Monitoring and evaluation of restorations can teach what works and what does not in order to advance restoration practices and increase the likelihood of success for future projects.
This project will develop planting guidelines for eastern hemlock, Minnesota's only endangered tree species from four different seed sources planted on four different sites across northeast and north central Minnesota.
We propose identifying hot spots of groundwater chloride pollution of surface waters due to excessive road salt use, which is a long term source increasing chloride impairment of surface waters.
The CREST team wants to create a mobile lab with innovative, engaging educational activities that would be used to travel to underserved, underrepresented schools and community events in Northwest Minnesota
Establish a statewide network to collect, analyze, and archive salvaged dead wildlife and build a foundation of biodiversity resources to track ecosystem-wide changes, monitor environmental health, and promote public education.
Sandhill cranes have expanded their range in Minnesota and elsewhere and as populations have expanded several states, including Minnesota, have initiated sandhill crane hunting seasons and other states are considering doing the same. Partially this is in response to increasing complaints of crop degradation by sandhill cranes.
Adding a year of grain/winter camelina production to Minnesota crop rotations provides a highly scalable market-driven clean-water solution; our pilot supply chains will accelerate wide adoption of this solution.
Advanced tools are needed which provide critical timelag and feedback information for making environmental policy decisions, as Minnesota prepares to launch the Groundwater Protection Rule and nutrient reduction strategies.
Microplastics suspended in and sinking within Lake Superior waters will be compared to help determine source and fate. The flux of microplastics from water to sediment will be determined.
Pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural nutrients serve important functions in crop production and the treatment of disease. However, these chemicals become pollutants when discharged into surface waters through wastewater, storm water, and agricultural runoff. There are natural processes, though, that help break down and remove these pollutants from water. One such process is the role that sunlight interacting with dissolved organic matter naturally present in surface water from decaying plant materials and algae has in transforming these contaminants.
Sustainable energy production is a major challenge facing our society. Solar energy is renewable and is a viable and attractive option. However, there are obstacles to widespread use. Current technology is expensive, making it difficult for businesses and homeowners to implement, and solar cells are commonly made using toxic and rare elements or using processes that require large amounts of energy. To become commonplace, solar cells must be inexpensive and robust, and they must be made of abundant, cheap, nontoxic materials.
Native trout require clean, cold water that usually originates from springs, but the springs feeding the 173 designated trout streams in southeastern Minnesota are under increasing pressure from current and expected changes in land use. This joint effort by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is working to identify and map the springs and the areas that feed water to these springs and to learn how these waters might be affected by development and water use.
Our primary objective is to understand how to harvest timber in the boreal forest in a way that enables species with limited movements to thrive in a changing landscape.
We will deploy acoustic detectors and revisit roost trees identified in our previous ENRTF project to measure effect of seven years of white-nose syndrome on Minnesota bats.
Northeastern Minnesota is home to several native, edible blueberries and related berries. This project will assess how land management practices impact the reproductive and genetic health of four key species.
Our project team will implement a rural, community-scale project, which demonstrates how a large flow-battery connected to solar and wind generation improves grid stability -- and enhances usage of renewables.
Our project team will implement a rural, community-scale project, which demonstrates how a large flow-battery connected to solar and wind generation improves grid stability -- and enhances usage of renewables.
This project seeks to provide data on insecticide contamination in the soil and the insect community across the state and the effect of sublethal insecticide exposure on insect reproduction.
To support teachers in addressing new science standards , we propose a series of workshops across Minnesota facilitating conversation about sustainability and water conservation, specifically integrating western science and Indigenous perspectives.
Producing new materials from regional plant byproducts for renewable solar energy. This project engages many students in environmental research; this homegrown technology will ultimately provide affordable energy to Minnesota families.
This project will promote responsible use of Minnesota's limited groundwater resources through the expansion of the existing Irrigation Management Assistance tool into a ~67 county, mobile-compatible web app.
We will produce, select, and evaluate how perennial flax provides ecosystem (pollinator) services for the environment while enhancing yield for oilseed, fiber, and nectar/honey production.
We will advance an ?off the shelf? technology to treat industrial wastewater onsite, turning pollutants into energy and treated water. This will lead to water quality benefits and cost savings.
The best way to prevent aquatic invasive species spread is to stop the transfer of water and living material between lakes. We will test how well boat cleaning methods work.
A newly discovered and highly toxic tire-derived chemical (6PPDq) may be impacting Minnesota's fish populations - we will optimize detection methods, determine occurrence in the environment, and evaluate risk statewide.
We will develop technologies that utilize indigenous microbes to convert waste plastics into useful chemical compounds and fuels, lowering the likelihood that these materials end up in our environment.
Production agriculture’s dependence on fossil fuel energy carries significant economic and ecological risks. The energy consumed within livestock facilities alone is the equivalent consumption of several large cities, and agriculture currently contributes approximately 14% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the state. As consumers increasingly demand low carbon footprint products, adoption of clean energy systems in crop and livestock production would position Minnesota’s agricultural sector with a competitive advantage.
As people use antibiotics and products containing antibacterial substances the bacteria that are resistant to the effects of these products survive and reproduce, thus creating a selection for antibiotic resistant bacteria. Many of these bacteria and the antibacterial substances ultimately make their way into the waste stream and are mixed together and concentrated at wastewater treatment plants, where they interact and can create further selection for organisms with antibiotic resistance to multiple antibacterial substances resulting in what are commonly known as “super bugs”.
