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Using the aquatic species Daphnia, commonly referred to as “water fleas,” scientists at North Carolina State University (NC State) determined that exposure to the pesticide pyriproxyfen impacted multiple generations, ultimately resulting in more...
Published by the Soil Science Society of America and targeted to high school students, "Know Soil Know Life" challenges readers to see soil not as inert "dirt" but as living material that carries out critical functions for people and the environment.
"Dr. R. Wayne Skaggs, a National Academy of Engineering member and retiring William Neal Reynolds and Distinguished University Professor of biological and agricultural engineering, with his wife, Judy, has created an endowment to support the continued research in his field of water, soil and plant systems management. The Wayne and Judy Skaggs Endowment for Water Resources and the Hydrology of Poorly Drained Lands was created Nov. 9 at N.C. State University’s McKimmon Center. The endowment was signed as part of festivities in commemoration of Skaggs’ career. ..."
CALS Biological & Agricultural Engineers at NC State University have received $267,173 from the NC Department of Environment & Natural Resources to implement stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) for the Roberson Creek Watershed near Pittsboro, NC. Engineers for this project are Drs. Karen Hall; William Hunt, III; Daniel Line; Kristopher Bass; Jean Spooner; James Blackwell; and Ryan Winston. Here's how the authors describe their project: "The Robeson Creek Watershed is impaired for Total Phosphorus and Habitat Degradation. This project will implement stormwater BMPs recommended by both the 2003 TMDL implementation plan and the 2010 Robeson Creek Watershed Restoration Plan to help meet goals of reducing peak stormwater flows, "Total Phosphorus (TP), Total Nitrogen (TN), total suspended solids (TSS), and improve and maintain aquatic habitat. Focus will be primarily on the Little Creek subwatershed. A stormwater wetland, a bioretention area, buffer plantings, and cisterns will be installed along a critical continuous segment of Little Creek tributary 1A that captures stormwater from urban development and a large parking lot in Pittsboro. "Water quality sampling will be placed upstream and downstream of BMPs to determine effectiveness. An innovative upflow filter that targets Phosphorus removal will be installed on a farm pond that drains to Robeson Creek. Water quality monitoring will also occur upstream and downstream of this BMP to determine nutrient removal effectiveness. As recommended in the restoration plan, the ongoing educational campaign of the Robeson Creek Watershed council will be continued with quarterly stakeholder meetings, tours, workshops, newsletters, and informational signs at BMP locations."
The Dean visited the Marine Aquaculture Research Center, Smyrna, and the Center for Marine Aquatic Science and Technology, Morehead City, NC, visiting with more than 30 alumni, supporters, and CALS faculty. The Dean asked supporters “to help validate what we need to do as a college,” as CALS moves through its strategic planning process. He learned about MARC, where researchers are exploring aquaculture with salt water species, such as blue crabs; environmentally friendly water handling in aquaculture; sturgeon aquaculture; hybrid striped bass feed research; wind energy self-sufficiency research; local seafood marketing efforts, and more. Visit the CMAST web site: http://www.cmast.ncsu.edu/
"This event will provide the tools you need to start or expand an earthworm and vermicompost production operation. You will also learn the latest research on the effects of vermicompost and extracts (tea) on plant growth and disease suppression, how growers are effectively marketing earthworms and vermicompost, the different technologies being utilized, and how a large greenhouse grower is using vermicompost with remarkable results. At this conference there will be ample opportunities to get answers to your questions from industry experts and other growers." Event runs Nov. 5-6, Friday Center, UNC-Chapel Hill Who should attend? Earthworm Growers | Farmers | Composters | Nursery Owners | Greenhouse Growers | Soil Blenders | Orchard Owners | Entrepreneurs | Livestock Operators | Extension Agents | Solid Waste Managers | Landscapers | Consultants | Food Service Managers Click title above for registration. Contact Information: Rhonda Sherman
Conference Chairperson
and Extension Specialist,
NC State University
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Phone:(919) 515-6770
Email: sherman@ncsu.edu
Ulva Island rain forest in New Zealand. It's clear that cutting down rain forests to plant crops, however fulfilling in the short-term for a farmer, is a disaster..."
CALS Extension Solid Waste Specialist & researcher, Rhonda Sherman, explains how to compost food waste using environmentally-friendly earthworms. Color photos. Advantages of vermicomposting: • Reduces the amount of garbage that needs to be collected from your home, and thus, it may reduce your garbage collection bill;
• Produces less odor and attracts fewer pests than putting raw food scraps into a garbage container;
• Saves the water and electricity that kitchen sink garbage disposal units consume;
• Requires little space, labor, or maintenance;
• Allows you to compost food discards indoors year-round;
• Produces a free, high-quality soil amendment (vermicompost);
• Spawns free earthworms for fishing.
Scientists have assumed that elevated CO2 would stimulate the beneficial plant root fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizae (AMF), to sequester carbon in the soil. This study challenges that assumption, and predictions based upon it, of carbon balance in future climate change. USDA funded the study. Drs. H. David Shew (Plant Pathology) & Thomas Rufty (Crop Science) co-authored with Drs. Fitz Booker & Kent Burkey, of CALS & the USDA Agriculture Research Service. The first author is former NC State graduate student, Lei Cheng; and postdoctoral researchers Cong Tu & Lishi Zhou also co-authored. The article appears in Science for 31 August 2012: Vol. 337 no. 6098 pp. 1084-1087
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1224304
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Laura Taylor, professor of agricultural and resource economics, has been selected as one of 50 American Council on Education Fellows for the 2013-14 academic year.
Agricultural sustainability is one of the key challenges for societies throughout the world.
Much has changed in the 15 years since state officials first got serious about finding a cleaner way to treat the waste from North Carolina’s 9 million-plus hogs. But much hasn’t. But Dr. Williams, who is closely involved in the regulatory process, states that a new waste treatment system "seems to meet nearly every criterion to be named an official 'Environmentally Superior Technology' under the 2000 [Smithfield, NC] agreement"; and while the method may need tests for ammonia removal capacity, the technique is promising.
CALS Biological & Agricultural Engineers and Agricultural Economists have received a grant of $203,775 from the NC Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DNER) for Phase II of a project in Cary, NC. Phase I created rain gardens and other rainwater harvesting systems at schools. The next phase of the project will focus on stormwater controls along greenways and in community parks. Project researchers are economists, Dr. Christy Perrin, Dr. Patrick Beggs & Dr. Layra Taylor, and engineers, Dr. Kristopher Bass & Dr. William Hunt, III. Here's how the researchers describe their project: "The Black Creek Watershed Association (BCWA), coordinated by NC State University with technical assistance from the Town of Cary since 2006, has achieved several milestones in its pursuit of delisting Black Creek from the 303(d) list of impaired waters. "An initial watershed assessment and restoration plan was completed in 2009, followed by acceptance of the plan by EPA in lieu of a TMDL. The assessment showed that the creek is impaired by high volume and velocity stormwater runoff flows that have altered the natural flow regime and negatively impacted biotic communities. The partnership created a residential outreach and engagement program that resulted in many residential practices that are reducing stormwater runoff through backyard raingardens, and wetlands. "Public stormwater retrofits have been installed at schools, a neighborhood clubhouse, and a private greenway. In-stream flow monitoring and modeling produced 3 years of data and a hydrologic model for assessing target runoff reductions. This proposal will leverage successes achieved to reach a new significant landowner audience- commercial and institutional landowners. "BCWA is known through public outreach events and networking with members' organizations (Rotary clubs, homeowners' associations). The network will help to convene a commercial/institutional steering committee to develop and implement an outreach, sponsorship, and recognition program. A retrofit project will be identified and implemented on a commercial property, and retrofits that were previously identified within the project BMP Site Atlas will be constructed on Town of Cary and Wake County schools properties. Simple changes to existing bioretention will be installed and monitored to increase infiltration. "Additional stream flow monitoring and modeling will further hone a retrofit target by testing pre-post BMP flows, and will test a new milestone of disconnecting 200 acres of imperviousness to reach effective 10% impervious cover in the watershed. Ultimately, this project will lead to a greater capacity of the community to fund and implement stormwater retrofit projects, and to better understand the type and cost of retrofits needed to move towards a more natural stream flow regime."
CALS Dean, Richard Linton, toured the Eastern 4-H Environmental Education Conference Center. "The 250-acre facility, opened in 2001, is North Carolina’s newest 4-H camp and conference center. Lee Scripture, center director, explained to the dean that it “fulfilled a promise that was made to the people of North Carolina when they closed one on Roanoke Island in the 1960s. The promise was to open a new center to serve this part of the state.” "And fulfill that promise, the center has: Extensive boardwalks and nature trails give visitors the chance to get close to nature as they explore woodlands, meadows, pocosin forests, wetlands, creeks and rivers. The center operates year-round, serving both children and adults, Scripture added." To learn more: http://eastern4hcenter.org/
Uncovering solutions to construction erosion, sediment, and turbidity Melanie McCaleb, researcher & Extension Associate in the Soil Science Department's Erosion, Sediment and Turbidity Control Group (ES&TC) at NC State University discusses the unpredictability of erosion research and her group's impact on the addressing issue. (Starts p. 17)
Through dynamic research, education and outreach programs, North Carolina Sea Grant links university researchers to the people, businesses and governments that manage, use and enjoy coastal and marine resources. "Ecologist Susan N. White, currently director of the Hollings Marine Laboratory in Charleston, S.C., will be the new executive director for North Carolina Sea Grant and the Water Resources Research Institute of the University of North Carolina upon the retirement of Michael P. Voiland in December. "Susan brings a strong science background, as well as leadership working with a mix of partners and stakeholders," notes Vice Chancellor Terri L. Lomax of North Carolina State University, where the two state/federal partnership programs are headquartered. "She will be a great leader for Sea Grant and WRRI programs here that have strong traditions of assisting and guiding communities, businesses, organizations and the public," Lomax adds. Sea Grant focuses on the ecosystems and economies of the coastal region, while WRRI supports research and training related to freshwater topics statewide." NC Sea Grant web site http://www.ncseagrant.org/ Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI), of the University of North Carolina System, at NC State web site http://www.ncsu.edu/wrri/
A group of NC State researchers have studied whether livestock production can keep up with population growth. Economist, Dr. Kelly Zering notes findings that modern agricultural animal production can be sustainable, with the right investments.
New report from the Council on Agricultural Science & Technology (CAST) Excerpt from CALS news article by Natalie Hampton: As the world’s middle class nearly triples in number, demand for meat, dairy products and eggs is expected to rise by as much as 100% by 2050. The question is, can agricultural production meet that demand without causing extensive environmental damage? An NC State University professor was among a group of U.S. academics who addressed this question in the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology Issue Paper, Water and Land Issues Associated with Animal Agriculture: A U.S. Perspective. Dr. Kelly Zering, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in Agricultural and Resource Economics in NCSU's College of Agriculture & Life Sciences (CALS), chaired a group of five university faculty and a consulting environmental engineer who explored the issue of increased livestock production and environmental impacts. Their paper responded to a 2006 issue paper of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, Livestock’s Long Shadow. Free download of report, here: http://www.cast-science.org/publications/?water_and_land_issues_associated_with_animal_agriculture_a_us_perspective&show=product&productID=261302
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