Bioremediation

Land Use

Trace Gases

Waste Management

Water Quality

Environmental Research Programs

research . innovation . scholarship . creativity

Crop and Soil Science are intimately linked to many aspects of environmental quality.

Bioremediation.

Bioremediation is the use of biological organisms to reduce or eliminate unwanted and potentially dangerous substances from the environment. These substances are often the result of mans' activities. Examples include: pesticides and herbicides, hydrocarbons, industrial chemicals, and heavy metals. Larry Boersma has worked on models that couple biodegradation with transport phenomena. Peter Bottomley studies the ecology of 2,4-D degraders and the biodegradation of halogenated organics. Van Volk is interested in the using plants for biomining.

Land Use.

Increasing urban pressures and changes in agricultural and forest management impact the uses of soils at the landscape scale. Herb Huddleston studies the integration of soils databases with GIS technology to address land use questions.

Trace Gases.

Soils produce several gases, such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, that influence atmospheric chemistry and climate change. Production of trace gases are dependent upon soil type and use. Larry Boersma is interested in linking soil physical properties to changes in soil carbon. David Myrold studies denitrification in soils.

Waste Management.

Large amounts of byproducts and wastes are produced by modern agricultural practices, other industries, and by households. Dan Sullivan studies the potential utilization of some waste products as soil amendments.

Water Quality.

The quality of surface and ground waters has been greatly impacted by mans' activities. Maintaining water of high quality is important for human health, agricultural and industrial productivity, and preservation of aquatic ecosystems. John Baham and Jerry Kling have studied the influence of natural soil processes on phosphorus loading in river systems. Neil Christensen, Richard Dick, and John Hart study the efficient use of fertilizers in agricultural production. Herb Huddleston has applied GIS to examine pesticide and herbicide distribution in soils. David Myrold, Dan Sullivan, Benno Warkentin have studied the impact of agricultural wastes on groundwater nitrate contamination.

Oregon Hydrology and Water Resources Database