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Research within the Department can be categorized into eight broad areas
as described below.
Minnesota has diverse climatic factors, land use,
land cover, soil and geologic materials, and landscapes. The diverse
range in Minnesota climate, soil and landscapes, and land use/land
cover (broadly grouped as agroecoregions) have a unique impact on
Minnesota's soil and water resources.
The exchange of heat and mass between the Earth's surface and atmosphere can have important consequences for climate and the way in which ecosystems function. We use biometeorological techniques to better understand the biophysical processes and feedbacks that control heat and mass transfer near the Earth's surface.
Research in this area includes: carbon dioxide concentration
in the atmosphere; agricultural impacts of frozen soils; and meteorology
and transport processes at approximate scale of a typical farm field.
Many chemical pollutants are involved in environmental
cycles that are affected by natural and anthropic activities. Examples
include the global carbon dioxide cycle and the evolution of other greenhouse
gases; the worldwide proliferation of agricultural chemicals and
industrial byproducts; and the anthropic disturbance of natural
cycles.
Researching the effect of residue management on delivery
of pollutants to surface tile inlets by surface runoff, delivery
of pollutants to the field edge by surface runoff, and nitrate leaching
losses.
Faculty members in our department have produced instructional multimedia
modules for educational purposes. These modules can be accessed online via our website.
Please stop by and try them out.
Faculty members in our department collaborate extensively
with colleagues in other countries, often through USAID or internationally-funded
collaborative research projects. Major project activities are currently
underway in Ecuador, Egypt and Morocco.
Soil organisms impact all aspects of soil quality
and fertility, and contribute to sustainable agricultural production.
In turn the number, diversity, and function of organisms in the
soil can be affected by human activities and by natural and induced
soil stresses.
Minnesota is well known for its abundance of water resources as the "land of 10,000 lakes". The state is proud of its fish and wildlife habitat and has a large and profitable tourist industry. Minnesota is also blessed with valuable cropland and ranks sixth nationally in farm income. Protecting water resources while maintaining acceptable agricultural production levels is important to Minnesotans. Several faculty members have been working on quantifying the mechanisms of non-point source pollution as well as developing management practices that alleviate this pollution.
Goals of these research endeavors are to optimize
nutrient management in our cropping systems to maximize nutrient
use efficiency and farm profitability, while minimizing negative
environmental impacts.
The department has major research programs in precision
agriculture, pedology, and soil resource assessement.
Projects are currently supported by
National Science Foundation,
United States Department of Agriculture,
United States Environmental Protection Agency,
United States Agency for International Development,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration,
Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources,
And other state and local agencies, commodity groups, and private companies.
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