Stroud Water Research Center
Less is known about Archaea than the other two domains of life on Earth (Bacteria and Eukarya), particularly the role they play in ecosystem functions and nutrient cycling (e.g., ammonia…
Plowing, disking, synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides have damaged the health of agricultural soils, resulting in reduced rainfall infiltration and storage, increased stormwater and pollutant runoff, degraded streams, and contaminated groundwater.…
Using glass microscope slides as tiny gardens to grow microbial biofilms, this project explored differences in microorganisms between three reaches of White Clay Creek with different streamside vegetation. Molecular DNA…
This project characterizes microbial soil health through detailed community structure of bacteria and fungi and determines the relationship of microbial structure with application of pesticides under conventional and organic cropping…
By examining the bacteria, Archaea, and fungi living in soils, this project will provide insights on how farming practices and land management affect the microbes that make soils healthy. This…
Ergothioneine, an amino acid that has scientifically proven benefits to human health, is exclusively biosynthesized by fungi and certain bacteria in soils. With coupled field testing and lab incubation experiments,…
In early 2020, stream bank fencing, forested buffers, and barnyard improvements were installed on Amish farms in Lancaster County, Pa. The farms are nested in a small watershed drained by…
The National Park Service National Capital Region Inventory and Monitoring Network (NCRN) has monitored stream water quality and quantity for more than 15 years in shallow streams located in 10…
This project investigates how different agricultural management practices influence water quality and soil health. Using Rodale Institute’s 37-year-old Farming Systems Trial and a recent transition to organic farming at the…
Nutrient export from rivers is closely tied to sediment plumes that form during storms. By using experiments and methods to peer inside these sediment plumes, this project will discover how…