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Research Areas
- Avian Ecology
- Ornithological research in the Department is taxonomically and geographically
diverse and interdisciplinary, although most work involves the study of basic avian biology and
ecology and its application to applied, conservation-related problems. Faculty and their students
in the program study songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl, and seabirds in places such as arctic
Canada and Alaska, the tropical islands of the Caribbean, the Great Basin wetlands of Utah and
California, and the deciduous forests of eastern North America. In association with the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Coastal
Field Station, a U.S. Geological Survey unit housed at URI, the NRS Department has also
developed an active coastal bird research program. Research focuses on bird physiology,
behavior, population dynamics, community ecology, landscape ecology, and restoration
ecology. Examples of recent and current projects include:
- effects of habitat and landscape
features on the avian community in forested wetlands
- relationships among migratory birds,
small mammals, deer, and ticks in the ecology of Lyme disease
- colonization patterns and the
evolution of the avifauna in Barbados, West Indies
- nutritional ecology and physiology of
migratory songbirds and geese
- spatial distribution of avian biodiversity hotspots
- impact of
salt-marsh restoration on Sharp-tailed Sparrows
- landscape patterns of breeding bird
diversity
- Biodegradation and Bioremediation
- Faculty and graduate students in the Department are involved in the evaluation of edaphic and agronomic factors that control microbial degradation of fluorinated organic contaminants, particularly in pooly drained soils. Department scientists are especially interested in the role that nutrient and water management practices and photochemical processes might play in enhancement of degradation. Bioremediation--the use of microorganisms to degrade organic contaminants in soil--is an increasingly popular, and relatively inexpensive, alternative to physical and chemical clean-up of soils. NRS researchers seek to understand how various factors can be manipulated to enhance both the rate and extent of bioremediation. They are particularly interested in the interaction between physical properties, biogeochemical processes, and the bioremediation of hydrocarbons in the soil.
- Forest Ecosystem Ecology
- The landscape of southern New England is a mosaic of forests
and wetlands strongly influenced by human activities such as widespread agricultural use during
the previous century, more recent forest management, and encroaching urbanization. While
Rhode Island is second in U.S. population density only to New Jersey, approximately 60% of the
state is covered by forests. These forests have tremendous value for recreation, supporting
diverse wildlife populations, producing a renewable supply of wood products, retaining and
neutralizing atmospheric pollutants, and ensuring a consistent supply of clean water. Departmental research projects include:
- the impact of fuelwood cutting on forest growth
and nutrient cycling
- the long-term legacies of agricultural land use on present forest
ecosystems
- the impact of pests such as gypsy moth, hemlock adelgid, and red pine scale on
forests
- the relationship between landscape heterogeneity and plant diversity
- the long-term influence of agricultural land use on ecosystem processes such
as organic matter accumulation and nitrogen cycling in forests recovering after agricultural
abandonment
- Landscape Ecology and Spatial Data Analysis
- The Rhode Island Geographic Information
System (RIGIS) project began in 1985 and is a cooperative effort between the Department and
a number of state agencies. The system uses the ARC/INFO geographic information system
computer package and carries out complex spatial analyses of natural resource parameters.
Data on geology, geomorphology, hydrology, soils, vegetation, wetlands, rare species, and land
use patterns in Rhode Island are available through this system. The Environmental Data Center (EDC) has hardware and software tools for processing satellite imagery and scanned
photography. The EDC also maintains a GPS Base Station, and provides GIS technical
support, training, mapping, and complex data processing for National Park Service field units
throughout the region. Other projects underway in the EDC include:
- modeling patterns of
biodiversity at local and landscape scales
- monitoring shoreline change along barrier beach
systems
- developing a model to identify priority coastal wetlands for restoration
- developing GIS
systems for municipalities, state agencies, and nonprofit conservation organizations
- assessing
wildlife-habitat relationships
- modeling the biophysical, economic, and cultural factors
effecting land use change dynamics
- Pedology
- Soils are the functional foundation of terrestrial ecosystems. Plants and animals alike are dependent upon the soil for many vital resources. Pedology is an integrated approach to studying soil as a collection of natural bodies. These studies examine soils at various scales ranging from microscopic (soil micromorphology) to landscape (soil-landscape relationships). Pedologic studies in the Department are focused on solutions to environmental issues and concerns relative to soil-ecosystem quality, wetlands, global climate change, groundwater pollution, and urbanization. Some examples of research include:
- the genesis of Fe and Mn redoximorphic features in hydric soils
- fluxes in carbon sequestration as a result of urbanization and land use change
- the role of carbon-related hydromorphic features in riparian denitrification
- the fate of heavy metals after saline intrusion of a freshwater coastal ecosystem
- the role of Fe-oxide coatings in the bioremediation of hydrocarbons
- the characteristics of shallow subtidal soils that control the distribution and abundance of submerged aquatic vegetation
- Soil Ecology
- The physical setting and dynamics of soil physical processes constrain the magnitude and type of microbial activities and ecological interactions involved in nutrient cycling. Department scientists are interested in the relationships between the physical properties and processes of soil ecosystems, the ecological interactions among soil fauna and microflora, and carbon and nitrogen cycling. Specific areas of interest include:
- the influence of soil distribution and dynamics of water-filled pores on grazing of microflora by nematodes and on carbon and nitrogen mineralization
- the ability of earthworms to engineer pore structure and thus microbial habitats
- the role of leaf litter and landscape position in controlling heat, water, and nitrogen fluxes in riparian forest soil ecosystems
- development of strategies for biological control of plant parasitic nematodes
- the quantitative description of the factors that control spatial distribution patterns of nematodes, microbial biomass and activity, nutrient removal processes, and enzyme activity
- Terrestrial Remote Sensing
- Remote sensing science and technology have been among the most rapidly developing scientific disciplines in the last two decades. Remote sensing is the measurement or acquisition of data about an object or scene by satellites or other instruments above, or far from, the object. Aerial photography, satellite imagery, and radar are examples. Remote sensing has significantly changed the style and technical content of earth science research. Department faculty and students explore different uses of remote sensing data in natural resources mapping and land management. A major focus of this research is the development of modeling mechanisms to bridge driving forces (both socioeconomic and natural factors) and the consequences of land-cover changes. The research attempts to explain the relations between driving forces and landscape dynamics so that human impacts on our ecosystems can be more effectively assessed. One current remote sensing project is designed to develop multiple innovative models in regional land-cover change studies. Other projects include the identification of natural communities and ecosystem monitoring using multispectral, multitemporal, multisensor remote sensing, in situ observations, and multisource GIS/GPS data.
- Watershed Science
- Watersheds are increasingly recognized as a fundamental unit for
ecosystem study and management. Watershed science integrates the fields of hydrology,
biogeochemistry, and landscape ecology. Watershed scientists examine the fate and transport
of water and waterborne substances in the uplands and wetlands that contribute to our aquifers,
lakes, and estuaries. A major research thrust of the NRS Department concerns the sources and
sinks of nitrate in coastal watersheds. In one recent project we evaluated numerous alternative
onsite wastewater treatment systems for their capacity to remove nitrate and minimize
degradation of fragile coastal ponds. In another project, Department scientists have used a
combination of field-scale, mesocosm, and laboratory microcosm approaches to examine the
role of riparian wetlands as "hotspots" for nitrate removal. We also develop GIS models and test
the validity of existing spatial data to identify high-risk locations for nitrate contamination.
- Wetland Science and Management
- The importance of wetlands to society has been clearly
demonstrated; among the key functions are habitat for wetland-dependent wildlife, flood storage,
water quality improvement, recreation, aesthetics, and open space. Department scientists study
multiple aspects of wetlands, including plant ecology, wildlife ecology, soil science, and
hydrology. In addition, they address the impacts of various types of land use on the integrity of
wetlands and develop management techniques that will assure the wise use of these valuable
resources. Recent and current department research in wetlands includes:
- the breeding
ecology of wetland-dependent songbirds
- development of field methods for accurately locating
wetland boundaries
- the influence of wetland hydrology on tree growth and forest community
composition
- the importance of bordering upland forests to forested wetland birds and
mammals
- freshwater and coastal wetland restoration
- assessment of wetland wildlife habitats
using geographic information system technology
- Wildlife and Conservation Biology
- Faculty and graduate students in the Department conduct
fundamental and applied ecological studies of wildlife. This research emphasizes the
relationship between wildlife and their environment at the scale of the individual, the population,
the community, and the ecosystem. Research is conducted in cooperation with public and
private natural resource organizations at local, state, national, and international levels. Examples
of recent and current research projects include:
- a long-term study of the ecology, genetics, and
behavior of the Agrimi, the endangered Cretan mountain goat
- faunal surveys in remnant patches of Atlantic forest in coastal Brazil
- population ecology of breeding colonial waterbirds on
Long Island, New York
- ecology of Snowy Plovers at Great Salt Lake, Utah
- nutritional ecology of
arctic-nesting geese in Canada and Alaska
- physiology and behavior of songbirds at stopover
sites during migration
- population dynamics of amphibians in Rhode Island vernal pools
- the influence of habitat and landscape features on avian species and communities in wetlands
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