NRES

There is much more carbon stored in Earth’s soil than in its atmosphere. A significant portion of this soil carbon is in organic form (carbon bound to carbon), called soil organic carbon (SOC). Notably, unlike the inorganic carbon in soils, the amount of SOC, and how quickly it is built up or lost, can be influenced by humans. Since its advent about 10,000 years ago, agriculture has caused a significant amount of SOC to be released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change. 

Agricultural runoff from Midwestern farms is a major contributor to a vast “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico. Nitrogen, phosphorous and other farm nutrients drain into the Mississippi River, which empties into the Gulf, spurring algae to overpopulate and suffocating other aquatic life. Illinois is a main culprit in this ongoing environmental blight. News Bureau life sciences editor Diana Yates spoke with U. of I.

Ensuring long term sustainability is the goal of College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) professor Mike Ward’s ongoing work to track and study grassland birds that migrate between the United States and Mexico.  

“Many of the grassland birds that breed in the United States spend their winters in the Potosino Altiplano Region of San Luis Potosi in north-central Mexico. Because these species are declining, we want to understand their movement, the habitat they use, and their survival,” Ward says.

URBANA, Ill. – Just how much carbon is in the soil? That’s a tough question to answer at large spatial scales, but understanding soil organic carbon at regional, national, or global scales could help scientists predict overall soil health, crop productivity, and even worldwide carbon cycles. 

Classically, researchers collect soil samples in the field and haul them back to the lab, where they analyze the material to determine its makeup. But that’s time- and labor-intensive, costly, and only provides insights on specific locations. 

The Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE), in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES), invites applications and nominations for the Stuart L. and Nancy J. Levenick Resident Scholar in Sustainability Leadership for the 2022-23 academic year at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Associate Professor Jennifer Fraterrigo has been named Associate Director for Campus Sustainability in the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE).

URBANA, Ill. – Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers transformed agriculture as we know it during the Green Revolution, catapulting crop yields and food security to new heights. Yet, despite improvements in crop nitrogen use efficiency, fears of underperformance spur fertilizer overapplication to this day. Excess nitrogen then ends up in waterways, including groundwater, and in the atmosphere in the form of potent greenhouse gases.

URBANA, Ill. – Buying and maintaining forested land can be daunting if landowners don’t know how to manage it. Fortunately, a new University of Illinois outreach program is here to help.

URBANA, Ill. – Alexa Smith, a senior in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has been awarded the 2021 Lincoln Academy Student Laureate award.

URBANA, Ill. – Bat box designs vary widely, but many commercial varieties remain untested and risk cooking the animals they’re designed to shelter. Often small and painted dark colors, these boxes may rise to dangerous temperatures on sunny days in summer, putting mom and pup in harm’s way.