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Kathleen Kavanagh
Forest Resources
208/885-2552
katyk@uidaho.edu |
Forest
Canopy Transpiration:
In many
ecosystems a significant portion of incoming precipitation is
transpired by the dominant vegetation. The northwestern U.S.A. is
unique in that soil moisture recharge occurs during the winter when
forest canopy transpiration is limited by temperature and humidity.
However, climate change models predict a shift in the seasonality of
precipitation in this region along with milder temperatures and
potential tree species shifts. These changes may lead to a shift in
the magnitude of transpiration from the forests carpeting the
mountainous watersheds of the west. This shift in the water cycle
could result in a decline in water yield from forested watersheds.
We have data on the transpiration flux rates from forest canopies
across a range of tree species, forest ages, climate conditions and
slope positions. The REU student will work on parameterizing
existing process models such as Biome BGC which will allow us to run
several climate change scenarios to forecast how changes in
precipitation patterns may impact transpiration fluxes from forest
canopies. This work will be done primarily in the lab on a computer
although there will be opportunities to work at our field sites
where we are measuring forest transpiration and other parameters. |
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John Marshall
Forest Resources
208-885-6995
jdm@uidaho.edu |
Net Primary Productivity of an
Instrumented Forest in Northern Idaho:
Forest canopies exchange water vapor
for carbon dioxide through sub-millimeter-scale pores in their
leaves. The exchange ratio determines the rate of photosynthesis and
therefore sets the ultimate limit on productivity. Understanding the
controls over this ratio is critical to predict and explain the
relations between water yield and wood production. MCEW comprises an
intensively-instrumented set of nested watersheds, managed under a
range of silvicultural regimes. Preliminary research at the MCEW has
focused on the timing and distribution of water yields, and on the
sediment load in the streams. Little work has been focused on
estimates of forest production, which represents a significant
component of the total carbon cycle on the site. The only work so
far has been to install litter traps along elevation transects
within each of the study watersheds. Litter traps provide an
estimate of the carbon flux through the canopy as leaves are
produced and shed. The objective of this project is to combine the
litter trap data with measurements of biomass accumulation in the
trees and thus estimate net primary production aboveground. The REU
student will learn how to measure the components of net primary
production by combining standard forestry techniques (variable
radius plots) for the overstory trees, ecological techniques for
estimating understory production (fixed radius plots and allometric
equations), and will learn to process the litter data. The student
will work closely with a team of other REU students, graduate
students, post-doctoral fellows, and faculty members in the
investigation of the coupling of carbon and water fluxes at MCEW.
The project will be conducted at a range of scales and intensities,
from single points to analyses of whole transects, and from bulk
productivity to species-specific estimates. The students will also
assist and interact with other interdisciplinary scientists who
study water fluxes and other aspects of ecohydrology. |
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Timothy Link
Forest Resources
208/885-9465
tlink@uidaho.edu |
Ecohydrology of Heterogeneous
Forest Canopies: Advancing Scientific Understanding to Develop
Innovative Management Approaches to Sustain Water Supplies:
In the interior
Pacific Northwest, many municipal water supplies originate as
snow in forested upland watersheds. Many of these areas are
located in the winter rain-snow transition zone and have
accumulated large fuel loads as a result of historical fire
suppression. These areas are susceptible to effects of climate
change on snowcover and runoff processes and are at risk of
catastrophic wildfire. As a result, there is a need to develop
innovative, science-based management approaches to sustain water
flow and quality while reducing the risk of wildland fire
hazards. Most management approaches for these areas focus on
even canopy thinning or removal, however recent research has
indicated that the creation of a discontinuous canopy structure
may be a more effective means to sustain water resources. A
large volume of knowledge exists on the mass and energy dynamics
of homogeneous canopies, but little is known about the
fine-scale dynamics in heterogeneous forests. The objectives of
this project are to determine the patterns and dynamics of
canopy rainfall interception soil water content across forest
canopy discontinuities. The REU student will learn how to
measure canopy and soil hydrologic properties, and to install
and operate hydrometeorological and soil water content sensors.
The REU undergraduate will become an integral member of a team
of other REUs, graduate students, and faculty conducting
investigations in the Palouse Basin focused on water resources
sustainability. The student will also assist and interact with
other interdisciplinary scientists who are studying other
aspects of the system, to gain breadth as well as depth in their
REU program.
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Jan Boll
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
208-885-7324
jboll@uidaho.edu |
A Program in Hydrology and Water
Quality to Support and Evaluate Watershed Restoration:
We educate future
hydrology and water quality experts as we improve our understanding
of water and pollutant transport in Pacific Northwest watersheds. We
study the watershed of Paradise Creek (adjacent to UI campus) as an
outdoor laboratory for teaching and research on hydrology and water
quality issues for both students and the public. Our research
questions are: Do we understand the natural system well enough to
formulate the theoretical equations describing the natural system?
Can sophisticated models be field validated? Specific objectives
include: (1) establish a field data collection program for
developing models and evaluating watershed restoration activities;
(2) develop a family of regionally applicable GIS-based distributed
water and contaminant transport models; (3) determine the level of
complexity required to evaluate watershed restoration activities
using uncertainty analysis in model predictions and existing models;
and, (4) assist government agencies in evaluating Best Management
Practices and performing risk analysis under different climate and
land use change scenarios. These objectives are complemented by our
focus on community outreach and integration of education with data
collection in the watershed. The REU undergraduates will assist in
implementation of an existing hydrologic and/or water quality model
using Paradise Creek data, design (and some execution) of a field
data collection program for GIS database construction, and/or
investigating the hydrologic connectivity to determine how landscape
elements are connected to Paradise Creek. |
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Christopher Peery
Fish and Wildlife
208/885-7223
cpeery@uidaho.edu
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Evaluation of a restored stream
in Northern Idaho:
In this project we partner with
the Coeur d’Alene Tribe to evaluate the ongoing restoration of
Benewah Creek, a third order stream in Northern Idaho that
drains into Coeur d’Alene Lake, and ultimately into the Columbia
River. Stream impacts from diversions, land-use practices,
development, etc. have interrupted natural ecological processes
within most watersheds, most notably annual flow patterns,
temperatures and interactions with groundwater. Significant
effort and funding is being directed towards restoring degraded
rivers and streams in the West. However, evaluation of these
restoration efforts has received less attention. The REU student
will measure key habitat characteristics of restored and
unrestored stream segments; measure fish and macroinvertebrate
abundances in restored and unrestored stream segments, and
summarize data and evaluate effectiveness of restoration
methods. By the end of the project, s/he will acquire an
understanding of scientific methods and experience collecting
field data using a variety of methods including data recorders,
stream survey methods, snorkel and electrofishing surveys, and
benthic invertebrate sampling.
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Robert Mahler
PSES
208/885-7025
bmahler@uidaho.edu
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Biological assessment of the Clear
Creek watershed in Idaho County, Idaho:
The Clear Creek watershed, located near Kooskia, Idaho, is 24,421
hectares in size, with land use dominated by forestry and
agriculture. There is a hatchery on the steam segment which is an
important water body for migrating fish. The student will use
macroinvertebrates as the assessment tool. An integral part of this
research project will include close work with Dr. Mahler, and an
experienced graduate student. The research experience will consist
of both field measurements and sampling, and consequent laboratory
identification of collected materials. The student will also be
exposed to data compilation and analysis. |
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Matthew Morra
PSES
208/885-6315
mmorra@uidaho.edu
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Wetlands as Sinks for
Metals in Mining-contaminated Coeur d’Alene Basin Soils:
Mining activities within the Coeur
d’Alene (CDA) Basin have resulted in large areas of metal
contamination far beyond the designated Bunker Hill Mining and
Metallurgical Superfund Site, contaminating the CDA River and CDA
Lake. It will be impossible to remove and dispose of contaminated
sediments within the CDA Basin and Lake CDA, and thus management
decisions that protect the environment and human health are
required. Our objective is to determine the potential for ponds
located within the floodplain of the CDA River to act as a sink for
Cd, Zn, As, Cu, and Pb mobilized during seasonal changes in
surrounding soils. We will achieve this goal by characterizing
changes in soluble metal concentrations in ponds located in the
contaminated floodplain. Total metal concentrations in the sediment
of contaminated ponds within the Coeur d’Alene Basin will be
determined. Pond waters will be secured on a monthly basis and total
metal concentrations measured. We will ultimately 1) determine if
wetlands in metal-contaminated areas can be used as contaminant
sinks, 2) delineate spatial and temporal variables that control the
extent of metal sequestration, and 3) elucidate the responsible
biogeochemical processes. Expectations include a willingness to
work in both the field and laboratory, a familiarity and
appreciation for environmental chemistry, and a strong motivation to
conduct publishable research. |
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Frank Wilhelm
Fish and Wildlife
208/885-7218
fwilhelm@uidaho.edu |
Improving surface water quality by reducing algal blooms:
The goal of our project is to examine the mechanism(s) by which
long distance circulation prevents or mitigates the occurrence of
algal blooms in surface waters. Many of these blooms produce
toxins that can kill humans and livestock. Because of
anthropogenic activities, the occurrence of algal blooms is
increasing in water bodies world-wide. Our project will use a
hypothesis-driven approach to examine several competing hypotheses
to explain how water circulation prevents or mitigates blooms.
We will partition off large areas of a lake in northern Idaho to
form experimental units that will be manipulated to test these
hypotheses. Students can expect exposure to state-of-the-art
technology in lake management, interactions with university
researchers, graduate students, industry professionals, tribal and
state agency staff, as well as the public. The project will
entail both field and laboratory work. Expectations include:
enthusiasm and willingness to stretch your mind, driver's license,
experience with small boats and outboard motors, willingness to work
under variable weather conditions; some experience in limnology or
aquatic ecology helpful. |
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Susan
Childers
Geological Sciences
208/885-4289
childers@uidaho.edu |
Biological and Geochemical
Influences on Arsenic Speciation in a Geothermal Environment:
The goal of this project is to determine the impact of biological
and geochemical processes on arsenic oxidation in surface waters of
geothermal origin. The project incorporates procedures routinely
used by geochemists, microbiologists, and molecular ecologists.
Specifically, geochemical parameters including pH, temperature and
oxygenation status are monitored in the field and the effect on
arsenic oxidation will be modeled. Microorganisms involved in the
biological oxidation of arsenic will be collected and characterized,
and molecular techniques will be employed to assess the significance
of the microorganisms in environments undergoing arsenic oxidation.
An REU undergraduate will be involved in a highly interdisciplinary
project and will learn and perform skills applied in both physical
and biological disciplines.
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Barbara Williams
Bio & Ag Engr.
208/885-9436
barbwill@uidaho.edu
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Biomineralization within soil to
mitigate seismic induced liquefaction:
Under this project, a team of Idaho faculty researchers with
expertise in groundwater transport, geotechnical engineering, and
microbiology will develop a technique to inject microbes into soil
and induce them to produce minerals to help protect the soil against
liquefaction (becoming quicksand) during a seismic event. This
objective is complemented by our commitment to incorporating
undergraduate researchers and under-represented students such as
Native Americans in our research programs. The REU student will work
with Dr. Barbara Williams, an MS student, and research support
scientist, Dr. Robin Nimmer, to perform column experiments of
microbe transport in soil, including destructive sampling of depth
distributions of the microbes and the desired reaction products. The
student will gain experience in sample preparation, porous media
flow, practical fluid mechanics, programming of data-loggers,
maintaining high data quality, interpretation of test results, and
lab teamwork/communication skills. This lab team maintains their
notes on a wiki (online shared-access web page), an exciting and
state-of-the art means of facilitating documentation and
communication. |
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Research
Experience for Undergraduates