REU Site: Interdisciplinary Problem Solving in Human Dominated Wetland Ecosystems

Rochester Institute Of Tech, Rochester NY

Investigators

Abstract

This new REU Site emphasizes engaging underrepresented groups, women, and deaf/hard of hearing students in interdisciplinary earth systems research that builds collaboration and communication skills for solving complex environmental problems. We will use wetland restoration as a lens through which 10 students per summer can get hands-on experience with the interaction between science and society that shapes ecosystem functions and services. Wetlands are more valuable per unit area than all other ecosystems because of the numerous ecosystem services they provide. Student research will provide recommendations for realistic management options that recognize the inherent limitations of ecosystem restoration within an urban landscape. A core component of this program is training undergraduates in science communication and then disseminating environmental research in a number of settings, including youth programs, community events and to citizen scientists. This both expands public awareness of wetland ecosystem services and improves student confidence in their conceptual knowledge and awareness of diversity challenges in STEM. Freshwater wetlands are valued for services that include carbon sequestration, nutrient removal and habitat provisioning, but are also significant sources of greenhouse gases. As landscapes rapidly urbanize these ecosystems are increasingly beset by complex environmental forces (land-use change, pollution, species invasion, climate change, etc…) that need to be addressed with interdisciplinary approaches that consider sociological interactions and landscape heterogeneity. Research projects in this new REU Site will expand understanding of created and natural urban wetlands, with students actively engaged in research clusters that include the following approaches: (i) biogeochemistry and ecology, (ii) sociological feedbacks, and (iii) geospatial patterns and scaling. Interdisciplinary teams will be assembled that address questions that include: (1) the relationships between extrinsic and intrinsic drivers and ecosystem structure and function, (2) the role of ‘top-down’ vs. ‘bottom-up’ control of ecosystem function and restoration success in constructed wetlands, and (3) the utility and limits of assessing and scaling ecosystem structure and function in small, heterogenous wetlands. The program will also include workshops that target key areas of professional development and expose students to interdisciplinary environmental science tools. Participants will disseminate their research to scientists and non-scientists through a series of communication and outreach activities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.