NO. 1
envision
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
SPRING 2011
Renewable New Ground In
Breaking
Energy
envision NO. 1
FALL 2010
breaking new ground in
renewable energy
EDITOR/DESIGNER Kintija Eigmina PHOTOGRAPHERS Cyril Chemali Edwin Remsberg UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM Natural Resources Management Soil and Watershed Sciences Environmental Health Ecological Technology Design GRADUATE PROGRAM Wetland Science Soil and Watershed Sciences Ecological Technology Design FACULTY Lowell Adams Andrew Baldwin William Bowerman Frank Coale Mark Dubin Gary Felton Daniel Fisher Reggie Harrell Bob Hill Bruce James Patrick Kangas Edward Landa Stephanie Lansing Paul Leisnham Joshua McGrath Ray Miller Bahram Momen Brian Needelman Marty Rabenhorst David Ross Adel Shirmohammadi Trish Steinhilber Prabahkar Tamboli David Tilley Bob Tjaden Lance Yonkos Ray Weil MARKETING COMMITTEE Gary Felton Kintija Eigmina Stephanie Lansing Kimberly Monahan Gary Seibel David Tilley Zara Dowling ADDRESS Department of Environmental Science & Technology 1109 H.J. Patterson Hall University of Maryland College Park, Maryland 20742 301.405.1306 (P) www.enst.umd.edu facebook.com/enst Published by ENST, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. Send correspondence to Kintija Eigmina, keigmina@umd.edu
Dear Alumni, Friends, and Colleagues: The Department of Environmental Science and Technology strives to advance fundamental environmental science and to lead in the development of novel ecological innovations. Our faculty includes international and national leaders in the fields of soil science, ecological engineering, wetland science, bioremediation, and natural resource management. We endeavor to work towards balancing economic advancement and to surpass historic boundaries. This year, one of our remarkable collaborations is Dr. Ray Weil and Dr. Stephanie Lansing’s renewable energy project. It promises to develop a new technology of mixing dairy manure and forage radishes to produce biofuel. Projects like this make our Department a perfect place to study the cutting-edge environmental techniques that will contribute to a sustainable future. ENST is grabbing the attention of student enrollment on the University of Maryland campus and continuing to grow at a rate faster than we expected. In fact, our undergraduate program in Environmental Science and Technology, which was officially launched in Fall of 2008, has reached 150 students. In Spring, we congratulated our first graduating class and look forward to seeing them succeed as environmental stewards. Along with our achievements comes the challenge of being able to continue to deliver a quality educational experience to an expanding student population. Step-by-step, we will accomplish this through excellence in scientific discovery, technological development, education, and our outreach programs.
William W. Bowerman Dr. William W. Bowerman, Professor and Department Chair
CONTENTS
FEATURE
2 Forecasting Responses of Coastal Lands to Sea-Level Rise 4 Farmers, Fertilizers, Water Pollution 5 Fighting The World’s Worst Invader in Your Maryland Backyard 6 Breaking New Ground in Renewable Energy 10 Soil Judging Team 11 Mission “Great Oaks” Accomplished 12 Team of 12 to Design Edible Wall 14 Norwegian Catch 15 The Algal Ecotechnology Center 16 Envision Notes
6 Breaking New Ground in Renewable Energy Dr. Stephanie Lansing and Dr. Ray Weil are testing dairy manure and forage radishes to develop a new technology that could enable corn silage-based dairy farmers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient runoff and environmental impacts while producing a renewable biofuel. SPRING 2011 I ENVISION
Blackwater encompasses over 25,000 acres on Maryland’s beautiful Eastern Shore.
Since 1938, approximately 8,000 acres of marshland have been lost in Maryland’s Blackwater National Wildlife.
Blackwater is a sanctuary for the Bald eagle, the Delmarva Fox Squirrel and the Peregrine Falcon.
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FORECASTING RESPONSES OF COASTAL LANDS TO SEA-LEVEL RISE From Louisiana to Maryland, from Delaware to New Jersey, the world’s most valuable ecosystem- coastal marshes, are threatened by sea level rise. An experienced team of faculty and graduate students from the Department of Environmental Science and Technology (ENST) are studying Chesapeake Bay coastal marshes along the Nanticoke River and at Blackwater Wildlife Refuge.
130 ACRES PER YEAR DISAPPEARING According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, since 1938, approximately 8,000 acres of marshland have been lost in Maryland’s Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge alone, vanishing at a rate of nearly 130 acres per year. Dr. Andrew Baldwin, associate professor and wetland ecologist, explains that “the causes of the degradation include vegetation death and collapse of the root zone, increased rate of decomposition, drawdown of the water table, and decreasing sediment loads.” As a result, vertical accretion, the building up of a marsh, has not been as fast as the rate of sea level rise. STUDENTS + FACULTY TAG TEAM To understand the responses of tidal freshwater marshes to sea level rise, Dr. Baldwin and ENST graduate students Jenny Allen, Jenna Clark and Leah Beckett have been examining short and longterm rates of accretion and elevation changes since 2007. The team installed surface elevation tables and marker horizon plots along 20 miles of the salinity gradient in the Nanticoke River in Maryland and Delaware. “The preliminary findings indicate
elevation decreases along the gradient, with the highest rates of elevation loss in brackish marshes despite high rates of accretion,” says Dr. Baldwin. In a similar study, Dr. Brian Needelman, associate professor and soil scientist, is investigating ways of optimizing organic matter accretion through improved design and management of tidal marshes. “Organic matter accretion is critical because marshes must raise their elevation in order to keep pace with sea-level rise,” explains Dr. Needelman. “We are going to lose many of our coastal marshes in this century due to sea-level rise, but by maximizing accretion rates we can slow this loss and allow marshes to migrate inland.” Dr. Needelman and ENST graduate students Wesley Bickford and George Geatz conducted a field study at Blackwater and learned that prescribed burns will ultimatly stimulate increased plant growth through removal of the canopy. Their findings indicate that while these marshes will be lost to rising sea levels, the beneficial effect of canopy removal through burns may impede their pace of loss.
Photos (left to right): Dr. Andrew Baldwin, Jenna Clark, Leah Beckett, Dr. Brian Needelman, Weisley Bickford, George Geatz, Jenny Allen. SPRING 2011 I ENVISION
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FARMERS, FERTILIZERS,
WATER POLLUTION Poultry litter and human biosolids have been commonly used as fertilizers for decades. However, at the Wye Research and Education Center, aquatic toxicologists Dr. Lance Yonkos and Dr. Daniel Fisher are studying the environmental fate and effects of contaminants found in these fertilizers.
FERTILIZERS - A MAJOR WATER POLLUTANT While fertilizers help increase crop productivity, excess nutrients from their application are considered to be a major pollution problem. Additional contaminants found in poultry litter include natural reproductive steroids and pharmaceuticals, such as antibiotics administered for disease prevention and growth promotion. Biosolids are also used as fertilizers and are the product of human waste treatment in sewage plants. Since this process does not remove all contaminants, biosolids contribute to the increased levels of antibiotics found in soil. “The Delmarva Peninsula is one of the most densely concentrated poultry producing areas in the US,” explains Dr. Fisher. Most of the region’s litter is disposed of by applying it as organic fertilizer to fields. Antibiotics and steroids have been found in litter, soil, runoff, and receiving waters; suggesting a potential for a severe water quality problem in surface and ground waters throughout the Chesapeake Bay region.
SIMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR EARTHY PROBLEMS In laboratory fish studies, Drs. Fisher and Yonkos have found some worrying results. “Elevated steroid levels caused the appearance of a female egg-yolk protein in adult male fish and feminization of sex tissues in larval male fish,” explains Dr.Yonkos. The researchers have since taken their work into the field, and the study of wild fish populations uncovered for the first time, the presence of intersex largemouth bass in the lakes of the Delmarva Peninsula. More recently, the researchers have been looking to control the runoff of contaminants from agricultural fields. “We have found that tillage practices have dramatic effects on the overland transport of contaminants following precipitation events,” notes Dr.Yonkos. During initial rain events, and after litter application, fields managed using conventional and turbo-tillage produced lower steroid and antibiotic concentrations in runoff than those managed using no-till conservation tillage.
PHOTOS (from top): (1) Dr. Fisher preparing sample collection bottle. (2) Freshwater crustaceans used for toxicity testing. (3) Dr. Yonkos measuring temperature in frog tanks.
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Drs. Fisher and Yonkos are currently investigating a promising “sub-surface litter injection procedure.” If proven successful, this procedure would dramatically reduce the runoff of overland nutrients, steroids, and antibiotics into receiving waters, thus leading to a significant pollution reduction in the Chesapeake Bay.
Dr. Paul Leisnham, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology, has spent only two years in Maryland, but has already learned the serious public health threats that the Asian Tiger Mosquito brings to this region. To fight against this invader, Dr. Leisnham has developed a collaborative mosquito control strategy between mosquito professionals and Marylanders in urban neighborhoods of Washington DC and Baltimore City.
FIGHTING
40 COUNTRIES IN 30 YEARS The Asian Tiger Mosquito is an imported pest and serious public health threat in the northeastern and greater eastern United States. Native to the East Asian region, “this species was first introduced to America into Texas in the 80s, through the import of used tires from Japan,” explains Dr. Leisnham. Today, the Asian Tiger Mosquito can be found in more than 30 U.S. states and 40 countries. It is thought to be one of the fastest spreading animal species worldwide. “The mosquito has even been nominated among 100 of the “World’s Worst” invaders,” says Dr. Leisnham. “At least 11 viruses have been isolated from specimens in the field including Dengue, Chikungunya, West Nile virus, Japanese Encephalitis virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus, and LaCrosse virus.”
THE WORLD’S WORST INVADER IN YOUR MARYLAND BACKYARD
WHY WASHINGTON DC AND BALTIMORE? The Baltimore-DC region is at a higher risk of imported cases of exotic diseases since it is an important hub for global travel and trading. “Both cities also have high rates of HIV infection in comparison with national averages, including those living with AIDS, often exhibiting greater vulnerability to vector-borne pathogens than non-infected individuals,” says Dr. Leisnham. Moreover, current abatement methods for the Asian Tiger do not work. This is explained by the fact that the species grow in a vast array of small discrete water-collecting containers that lie across a patchwork of limited-access private land, and thus renders them too numerous to visit. Community-based involvement is vital to reduce these containers. Dr. Leisnham is thus leading a citizen science program to resolve this issue through print and web-based educational material. Researchers from Universities are teaming up with public health agencies and foundations to develop and evaluate different education strategies, among diverse socioeconomic status and cultural groups. Preliminary analyses of collections from residential backyards in 2010 indicate that households with at least a college degree have less water-holding containers and mosquitoes than households with no college degree. Further analyses will uncover if this trend holds for specific mosquito species and examine relationships between public knowledge, attitudes and practices to inform intervention strategies.
The Asian Tiger Mosquito has become a significant pest in many communities because of its close association with humans. Learn more at www. enst.umd.edu/tipntrash
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BREAKING NEW GROUND
IN
RENEWABLE
ENERGY
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ENVISION I SPRING 2011
Did you ever imagine that radishes could be used to produce renewable energy? No one saw it coming. However, Dr. Stephanie Lansing and Dr. Ray Weil in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology are testing dairy manure and forage radishes to develop a new technology that could enable corn silage-based dairy farmers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient runoff, and environmental impacts while producing a renewable biofuel.
BIODIGESTER – CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY “A biodigester provides an oxygen-free environment
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for microorganisms to break down waste material and produce methane biogas as a by-product of these metabolic processes,” explains Dr. Lansing, a national expert on low-cost digester design. “The produced biogas is about 60 to 70 percent methane, and can replace “natural gas” used in our homes for heating and cooking, thus eliminating the need for propane and charcoal.” The product of this digestion process, which is rich in nutrients, but low in pathogens, organic pollutants and odor, can be used as a fertilizer for agricultural fields.
Dr. Weil and Dr. Lansing have merged two innovative technologies: small-scale anaerobic digesters with forage radish cover crops in order to decrease nutrients reaching the bay while enhancing the energy production in smaller scale digestion systems.
“The produced biogas is about 60 to 70 percent methane, and can replace “natural gas” used in our homes for heating and cooking, thus eliminating the need for propane and charcoal.” Worldwide, there are more than 40 million small-scale anaerobic digesters and over 20,000 medium to largescale digesters, located mainly in China and India.
Dr. Lansing and Ph.D. student Ashley Belle overseeing construction of small-scale digesters to provide waste treatment, odor control, and renewable energy for dairy farmers in the region.
The U.S. has only 140 digesters in the entire country, with the overwhelming majority employed by largescale dairy farms. In 2007, Maryland had 663 dairy farm operations, of which 90% were classified as small to medium sized farms with less than 200 cows. Rising concerns over the environmental impacts and water quality degradation resulting from improper manure management, has prompted Dr. Lansing and her team to design a cutting-edge, low-cost anaerobic digestion system intended for small and medium size farms located in temperate climates like Maryland.
Planted in late August, these radishes can take about 150 pounds per acre of nitrogen out of the soil by mid-November. SPRING 2011 I ENVISION
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According to Dr. Lansing, “The system is a modification of Taiwanese plug-flow digester design, which is utilized widely for organic wastes in southeastern Asia and Latin America.” THE RADISH - DETOXIFYING & REJUVENATING THE SOIL The forage radish, also known as a Daikon type radish, is an Asian vegetable that is used as a cover crop. It was introduced to the northeast region of the U.S. in the year 2000 by soil scientist Dr. Weil. Cover crops provide major environmental benefits, as they reduce nitrogen leaching by efficiently capturing and recycling excess soil nitrogen. Cover crops also alleviate soil compaction and dramatically suppress early spring weeds. Furthermore, harvest of the forage radish removes phosphorus from the soil, thus remediating phosphorus-saturated soils, common on dairy farms. “Dairy farmers are increasingly planting this tap-rooted cover crop after they harvest corn silage in August or September,” says Dr. Weil. Dr. Lansing and Dr. Weil are studying for the first time the benefits of co-digesting radish with manure. “This combination of manure and radishes has never been done before in an anaerobic digester,” says Dr. Lansing. According to them, this novel Growing below the thick fleshy part of the radish root is a thinner, but much longer taproot system that penetrates deep into the soil profile, cleaning up nitrates from six feet or more underground during its fall growth period.
JAN.
FEB.
JANUARY- APRIL
Radish Roots Decay 8
ENVISION I SPRING 2011
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
APRIL- AUGUST Corn Grown For Silage
JUNE
practice should increase biogas production during the winter period when it is most needed. It will also provide safe removal of the nitrogen and phosphorus, previously extracted from the soil by the cover crop.
“This combination of manure and radishes has never been done before in an anaerobic digester.” “Farmers will be getting many benefits from planting the radish in addition to the energy from the digestion,” adds Dr. Lansing. “Recycling expensive nitrogen fertilizer, alleviating soil compaction, significant suppression of weeds, savings on herbicide cost; and, in Maryland, a subsidy payment for planting the cover crop, are
Dr. Weil holds one of the largest specimens he found in early November, from the 10-acre-field of forage radish on the USDA dairy farm in Beltsville. The soil clinging to the root shows where the root was below ground; often a third or more of the fleshy root grows above ground where it can be harvested for co-digestion with manure.
just a few of the benefits.” Seeds for the radish will cost $10 to $40 per acre, COST The team’s innovative low-cost digester aims to make digesters available in the future to a majority of small and medium-scale dairy farmers in the U.S.
AUG.
SEPT.
$10,000 to $15,000, which is far more affordable than the million-dollar models currently marketed in America.
OCT.
NOV.
DEC.
RADISH TIMELINE IN RECYCLING SOIL FOR CORN CULTURE
JULY
and the building of the biodigester will cost from
AUGUST- JANUARY Forage Radish Grown
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SOIL JUDGING PERFECTED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
The University of Maryland’s Soil Judging Team placed fourth overall and second in group judging in the Northeast Regional Soil Judging contest, which took place in the Ridges and Valleys of Centre County, Pennsylvania in October 2010. Soil judging is much more than collecting various soil samples. It is a process that involves immense knowledge of soil properties, to accurately gauge morphological features found throughout the soil.
“This year, the team was excited to find clay-rich limestone soils, an array of alluvial soils with buried organic and argillic horizons, and colluvial soils with fragipans, and paleosols,” says team’s coach Dr. Brian Needelman, an associate professor in ENST. There are more than 70,000 types of soils in the U.S. “Soils are complex ecosystems that exist right under our feet and most people never notice them,” says soil judger Amanda Garzio, Environmental Science and Policy major. Amanda is interested in soils because soils are unique and diverse.
Students competing on the 2010 team were: Kelly Boeckl, Matthew Bright, Brian Campbell, Cheryl Carmona, Gwendolyn Davies, Isabel Enerson, Rohey Jobe, Mark Matovich, Daniela Miller, Chris Palardy, and Andrew Sailo.
Brian Campbell was the team’s top individual finisher, placing seventh out of 60 participants. The Soil Judging team, which consisted of 11 students, were required to describe the characteristics of a soil profile by identifying the color, texture, consistency, structure, and other properties of each soil horizon. Students were also asked to make interpretations about the soil, such as its classification, its parent materials, its suitability for different land uses, and its water holding properties.
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“Soils are an underappreciated aspect of our lives, which provides us with food, feed, and living space.” Indeed, soil science is a key factor in food production and agriculture, and is at the forefront of environmental issues such as land use, soil contamination, ground water quality, and waste disposal. Students interested in getting involved with soil judging should enroll in the course ENST 308 Field Soil Morphology (fall semesters) or contact Dr. Brian Needelman and Dr. Martin Rabenhorst.
MISSION “GREAT OAKS”
accomplished It was an old and dying oak, belonging to his grandfather, that inspired soil science doctoral student David Ruppert to grow oaks from acorns. What started as a 175-acorn-trial in the University of Maryland’s Greenhouse in 2006, has today become a large-scale seedling operation, providing over 700 seedlings to individual citizens, the City of Greenbelt, the Anacostia Watershed Society, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chapter of the Isaak Walton League, and more.
The Great Oaks of Maryland project, Ruppert says, is not really about oaks. “It is about providing the irreplaceable and diminishing ecosystem services of native trees in our landscape.” 600 oak species exist on earth, and there is no better tree to plant than an oak to maximize diversity among insects and songbirds. Great Oaks of Maryland takes this knowledge, and with the help of over 30 volunteers, grows seedlings and provides community education that enables citizens to sustainably manage urban forests. Right now is high time for oaks and hickories in the landscape. “There are plenty of large trees one can find, but young trees beyond the seedling stage are uncommon,” points out Ruppert. “We have about 50 years before the oaken canopy will be in steep decline.” In some communities, such as Catonsville- Maryland the decline of oak trees has already begun, and in many recently created communities, foodweb-productive trees like oaks have been left out. “We need to worry about this problem today because sustainable forestry takes years to plan,” concludes Ruppert.
FROM GREAT OAKS TO GREAT PRAIRIE Due to hard work and outstanding support from teachers and colleagues, Ruppert was recently appointed to an assistant professorship at Texas A&M University - Kingville, where he will teach soil science courses, conduct research, and mentor students. “There are few oaks in South Texas, but plenty of citrus, cotton, sorghum, rangeland and coastal marsh,” says Ruppert. “It is going to be great to get to know mollisols and vertisols up close in the context of a university with well established relationships with farmers, ranchers and conservationists.” As for the Great Oaks project, Ruppert is leaving it in the hands of a very talented team of undergraduates, who, with the support of Dick Weismiller, will advance the program further. The next step for the team will be to secure funding for Great Oaks to pay its own way at the UMD Research Greenhouse Complex. While in South Texas, Ruppert will be promoting a different kind of sustainability issue. “When I arrive in June, I’ll transform the project to ‘The Great Prairie.” To learn more about the project, visit www.enst.umd.edu/greatoaks or e-mail David Ruppert at greatoaksmd@yahoo.com Photo: David Ruppert.
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team
of
to design
EDIBLE WALL
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A TEAM OF 12 TALENTED STUDENTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WILL DESIGN A GREEN WALL FOR A SOLAR-POWERED HOUSE, NAMED WATERSHED, THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S ENTRY INTO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY’S 2011 SOLAR DECATHLON. WATERSHED WILL EMBRACE AN ECOSYSTEM MODEL AND DRAW INSPIRATION FROM NATURAL SYSTEMS, SUCH AS THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED, WHICH STRETCHES OVER 64,000 SQUARE MILES OF MARYLAND, DELAWARE, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA.
“The green wall is to be completely edible and completely vine-based, so plant selection is key for the project.”
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KEY ELEMENT -- EDIBLE WALL To be built on the National Mall in September 2011, WaterShed will be formed by two rectangular units capped by a butterfly roof, which is suited to capturing and using sunlight and rainwater. Moreover, what might set the UM team apart from the 20 other college teams taking part in this competition, is an edible green wall, also known as a living wall or vertical garden, which was inspired by Dr. David Tilley’s research. “The WaterShed’s green wall will be part of an integrated living system that will help save water and make use of it on site to create edible and medicinal products, clean water and an eye-catching outer facade,” tells Dr. Tilley. Tested in the Ecosystem Engineering Design Lab in ENST and supported by a grant from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Dr. Tilley’s green wall research promotes vertical gardens that reduce energy consumption and improve the environmental performance of a building. For more details on the contest, visit www.solardecathlon.org or http://2011.solarteam.org
MICHAEL SATOH worked on creating a design for an edible green wall on WaterShed. The wall, located on the Western facade of the house, is meant for both shading the neighboring kitchen from the western sun and providing a local source of food for the house’s inhabitants. “The green wall is to be completely edible and completely vine-based, so plant selection is key for the project,” says Michael. Crossvine, Trumpet Honeysuckle, Carolina Jessamine, American Bittersweet are just a few species being considered for the wall. SCOTT TJADEN constructed a working model of the treatment wetland to test its capabilities. It consisted of a replica of the two roof materials (solar panels and green roof) and two wetland models that function differently. These two roofs will affect runoff differently to the wetland and surrounding areas with respect to water retention (green roof) and direct runoff (solar panels). “The wetland will run through the spine of the house and help to filter the rain and greywater produced by the house,” explains Scott. “This scale model of the house’s functionality has allowed the whole team to further our thoughts and design work.” ISABEL ENERSON has invested her efforts in the species selection and educational value of the wetlands. The east wetland was selected to mimic a tidal marsh, while the west wetland remains a working example of grey water filtration. “Wetlands are a part of our environment that are incredibly important and provide a diverse array of ecosystem services,” enthuses Isabel. “With this house, we have a chance to celebrate and educate individuals about both the natural vitality of wetlands and their ability to recycle grey water into a resource for irrigation and internal plumbing.”
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NORWEGIAN CATCH Environmental science and technology undergraduate student GRANT HUGHES-BALDWIN satisfied both his love for travel and his passion for marine ecology by studying abroad for a semester at the University of Oslo in Norway.
photos clockwise: (1) Grant Hughes-Baldwin standing on one of the most stunning backdrops in Lysefjord. (2) Traditional Norwegian sledge ride. (3) Christmas decoration in the Oslo’s Karl Johan’s Gate. (4) Sunrise over Oslofjord.
“I chose Norway as my destination due to its unique society and its unadulterated nature,” says HughesBaldwin. “Even more, it gave me the opportunity to travel to nearby countries and experience a diverse spectrum of cultures, which sets apart the Nordic countries from the rest of Europe.”
about the diverse marine life that populates the Norwegian waters, particularly the Northern cod, herring and jellyfish. “It was fascinating to discover the advantages some fish benefited from, and that subsequently determined the water column they can survive in successfully, ” says Hughes-Baldwin.
Bordering the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, Norway is the perfect place to study the different aspects of marine pelagic ecology, benefitting from a long coastline drawn by the numerous fjords that characterize the Norwegian landscape. “I started off by studying about the oceanography of the entire region, followed by studies of phytoplankton,” notes Hughes-Baldwin. Phytoplankton represent the algal photosynthesizing component of the plankton. They form the beginning of the food chain for aquatic animals.
Hughes-Baldwin’s research tasks also included gathering water samples from the Oslofjord, aboard a research vessel. “We tested water quality with respect to oxygen levels, nitrogen levels, and overall visibility due to primary productivity, ” explains Hughes-Baldwin. He also collected samples of phytoplankton, zooplankton, copapods and algae for further studies to be performed in the lab. I took home one of the cod we caught on the first cruise,” shares Hughes-Baldwin, adding that he cleaned the fish and prepped it for cooking all by himself. “I ate my own Norwegian catch!” proudly smiles Hughes-Baldwin.
Hughes-Baldwin was enthusiastic to learn more 14
ENVISION I SPRING 2011
Learn more at www.enst.umd.edu/algalcenter
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The center consists of a set of collaborators, from academia, industry, and governmental and nongovernmental organizations, who have agreed to work together to advance the algal-based ecotechnologies. Collaborations are facilitated by a website administered in the Environmental Science and Technology Department at the University of Maryland at College Park. The web site is a clearinghouse for publications, project descriptions, and informational materials about the ecotechnologies.
I/WE WISH TO MAKE AN OUTRIGHT GIFT OF $______________
The algal biomass that is harvested from these systems can be used in productive ways, such as a feedstock for biofuel generation or as a fertilizer, thus supporting local economic development. The systems are ecologically-engineered by using lowquality, solar energy as their main driving force, with smaller amounts of high-quality, purchased energies and materials used only to amplify the algal growth.
Help Keep ENST Growing! Your Gift Will Support Scholarships for ENST Students!
says Dr. Patrick Kangas, founder of the AEC.
DIRECT GIFT
The Algal Ecotechnology Center (AEC) is an organizational unit for advancing the design and implementation of ecologically-engineered, algal-based technologies for water quality management and economic development. These kinds of ecotechnologies utilize natural or “wild” assemblages of algal populations for uptake of pollutants, such as excessive nutrient concentrations, into “The initial focus for the their biomass during growth. These pollutants are AEC is the Chesapeake removed from the water by periodic harvesting Bay watershed but the intention of the center is of the algae. Dissolved oxygen also is produced to advance the ecotechthrough photosynthesis by the algae, which adds to nologies both nationally their role in water quality management. and internationally,”
PLEDGE
THE ALGAL ECOTECHNOLOGY CENTER
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ENVISION NOTES Young Haitian models t-shirt donated by ENST student group, RESTORE.
Join RESTORE, the ENST Society! RESTORE enhances the educational experience of society members and other students by providing the opportunity to participate in educational, service, recreational, and social activities related to environmental science and technology. Founded 20 years ago, RESTORE was previously named The Natural Resources Management Society. The society attends and coordinates a variety of eco-minded activities on and off campus, including tree planting, stream clean-ups, Green Festival, and other enrichment events. Recently, RESTORE donated their t-shirts to the underprivileged children at the Partners In Health (PIH), a rural hospital complex in Haiti. “The thought that we were able to reach children in need gave us a warm feeling of fulfillment,” says Karly Epp, RESTORE president. Environmental Science and Technology students interested in joining the society should contact Kimberly Monahan at kmonahan@umd.edu
Environmental science student Christine Wertz snorkeling on Belize Barrier Reef, one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.
Tropical River Ecology Course in Belize Research on tropical ecology and resource management has been conducted on a river in central Belize for nearly 20 years. An important focus for the work has been a travel-study course in which University of Maryland students visit Belize during either spring break or the summer months. This is a research course, so in addition to lectures and field trips, students contribute to the overall research goals and conduct their own independent projects. A number of trials of sustainable development options have been attempted over the years, including the creation of a “rainforest” business to help market local products, a restoration program for mahogany trees and, most recently, the development of conservation-based games for the local schools. “The presence of relatively intact forests and watersheds provides a head start and gives hope that sustainable systems of man and nature can be achieved,” says Dr. Kangas, who has taught this course to more than 150 students. For more information, contact Dr. Kangas at pkangas@umd.edu
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Brazilian students at the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory on Maryland’s Eastern Shore learn how to necropsy a striped bass from the Chesapeake Bay.
Natural Resources Management in Brazil Since 2006, ENST professor Dr. Lowell Adams has played a lead role in a student exchange program between the University of Maryland and two universities in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro and Fluminense Federal University. “The exchange program focuses on ecology and natural resources management,” explains Dr. Adams. Every other year, a group of Brazilian students accompanied by their professors visit Maryland. In the alternating years, a similar group from Maryland travels to Brazil. Dr. Adams has hosted three such groups at UM and has taken two groups of Maryland students to Brazil so far. Nine students visited UM last summer to learn about academic programs and research, and were introduced to many surrounding parks, labs, NGOs, and other institutions. For more information, contact Dr. Adams at ladams4@umd.edu
ENVISION NOTES
Peng recognizes her mentor, Dr. Andrew Baldwin, as the faculty member who has impacted her the most. She has worked in Dr. Baldwin’s Wetland Ecology and Engineering Lab, where students and faculty come together to study wetlands.
Diane Peng, ENST undergraduate student, has been chosen as a 2011-2012 Merrill Presidential Scholar. The prestigious Merrill Presidential Scholars Program honors the University of Maryland’s most successful seniors and their designated University faculty for mentorship that leads to stronger collaboration between the University and K-12 schools. Peng has maintained a 4.0 grade point average while double majoring in Environmental Science and Technology, and General Biology. “She is an amazing, exemplary student whose accomplishments speak for themselves,” says Kimberly Monahan, ENST Undergraduate Program Coordinator, who serves as Diane’s academic advisor. “Despite her many skills and responsibilities, she is humble, good-natured, and well-liked among her peers.”
Dr. McGrath’s research and extension programming focus on comprehensive adaptive agricultural nutrient management, agricultural drainage, sensor-based variable rate fertilizer application, manure management in no-till cropping systems, manure storage to reduce nutrient losses, and environmental persistence of manure borne anti-microbial compounds.
Dr. Joshua McGrath, an assistant professor in ENST, has been awarded the 2010 Inspiring Young Scientist Award by the American Society of Agronomy. This prestigious and competitive award recognizes worthy earlycareer professionals who have made an outstanding contribution toward sustaining agriculture through environmental quality research, teaching, extension or industry activity. To support his work, Dr. McGrath has acquired nearly $3 million in external funding from federal and state agencies, industry associations, and private foundations. Clearly, his integrated research and extension program is addressing critical agronomic and environmental issues and providing practical solutions in an aggressive and timely fashion.
Bickford navigating the Blackwater River at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, the site of his Master’s research on the use of Prescribed Fire as a tidal marsh management technique.
Wes Bickford, wetland science graduate student, has been awarded a highly competitive NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship. “This fellowship is an excellent way to gain upper level experience and actually make an impact on wetland and coastal management at the state level, says” Bickford. “I am extremely excited for the opportunity.” The fellowship program provides a two-year on-the-job education and training experience in coastal resource management and policy and provides project assistance to state coastal zone management programs. Beginning in August, Bickford will be working with Dorina Frizzera of the New Jersey Coastal Management Office in Trenton, New Jersey. His primary focus will be to assess the potential use of Living Shorelines in New Jersey, focusing on costs, benefits, and barriers to implementation.
SPRING 2011 I ENVISION
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DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY College of Agriculture & Natural Resources 1109 H.J. Patterson Hall College Park, MD 20742-8724
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