Hello everyone,
I am seeking two motivated students to complete a masters program with a
thesis that examines the impact of public lands on stream water quality.
Details about the project are below. *The deadline to apply is Feb 1st. *
*_Title:_** Does a state park with a recreational reservoir provide
meaningful water quality improvements within an agriculturally dominated
watershed in SW Ohio?*
*_Abstract:_* The proposed research will determine how stream and
groundwater nutrient (TN, NO_3 -, NO_2 -, NH_4 +, TP, SRP, TN:TP) and
sediment (TSS, NVSS, POM) concentrations, conductivity, and pH are
influenced by undeveloped land and a small spillway reservoir in an
agriculturally dominated watershed. Specifically, we will quantify how
nutrient and sediment concentrations, conductivity, and pH change as
water flows from agricultural tile drains, through streams draining
agricultural land, then through Hueston Woods State Park, and lastly as
water discharges from Acton Lake. We will also compare groundwater
quality between agricultural and forested land cover. Utilizing mixed
effects modeling and multiple regression, we will determine how observed
changes in water quality parameters are influenced by vegetation cover
(NDVI), stream discharge, and stream characteristics (e.g.
geomorphology, flow length, landscape position). Findings will indicate
potential impacts of protected lands on water quality and may also aid
regional land use managers in identifying specific stream
characteristics and watershed areas that may have the greatest water
quality benefits if preserved.
-This interdisciplinary project will be completed with close
collaboration with the Miami Conservancy District and the Biology and
Geology Departments at Miami University.
- Students will work within the newly renovated Water Resources Lab
(overseen by Dr. Grudzinski) and Center for Aquatic and Watershed
Science at Miami University.
-The Water Resources Lab has interdisciplinary collaboration established
with various departments at Miami University including ~30 faculty and
staff affiliated with the Center for Aquatic and Watershed Science. See:
http://miamioh.edu/cas/academics/centers/caws/ for additional details.
-The Geography Department at Miami University (OH) provides competitive
prospective graduate students with two years of funding in the form of
teaching assistantships and summer scholarships. Student travel funding
is also provided to present research at local, regional, and national
conferences.
*
*
Degree: Master of Arts in Geography
Application Deadline: *February 1^st 2019*
For additional information or to schedule a visit to the department
please contact Dr. Bartosz Grudzinski at grudz...@maimioh.edu
<mailto:grudz...@maimioh.edu>. Dr. Grudzinski’s lab page can be found at
*Grudzinskilab.weebly.com <http://grudzinskilab.weebly.com/> *
Many thanks,
Bart
--
Dr. Bartosz Grudzinski
Assistant Professor
Department of Geography
Miami University, Oxford, OH
