Welcome to the Aquatic Ecosystem Ecology Lab at UNL
UNL's Aquatic Ecosystem Lab is a jointly run research program with principal investigators Dr. Amy Burgin, Dr. Steve Thomas and Dr. Terry Loecke. All of our work falls under the realm of ecosystem ecology, which integrates the fields of microbial ecology, biogeochemistry and ecology to understand how nutrients and energy move in environmental systems. We use tools from analytical chemistry, microbiology and molecular biology to better understand how microbes control ecosystem-level nutrient fluxes. Questions asked in our research program have valuable connections to current environmental concerns including global change, the effects of land-use change on ecosystems and aquatic eutrophication. Our research program evaluates the importance of microbial processes in an ecosystem context, bridging the gap between lab-based studies of microbiology and ecosystem flux studies. We pursue mechanistic questions that span the basic-applied spectrum. Funding for our work comes from NSF (DEB-Ecosystems), the USDA and the EPA, as well as state sources including Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality and Nebraska Environmental Trust.
Lab News!
9/6/2013 Lincoln Star Journal story about our co-aerial ecologist grant:
http://journalstar.com/news/local/education/unl-researchers-developing-water-collecting-copter/article_74cc9981-f8d8-5a63-93ff-75fe9474c846.html
9/4/2013 UNL Press Release about recently funded co-aerial ecologist project (unmanned aerial water sampler) being developed by collaborators in computer science (NIMBUS) and our Aquatic Ecology group:
http://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/unltoday/article/detweiler-elbaum-lead-project-build-water-sampling-drone/
9/2013 The lab would like to welcome its newest master student Kaycee Reynolds, who will be working on the RAPID study. if you see her around welcome her to Huskerland!!
8/4/2013 Our RAPID N Pulse project was a featured story in the Cedar Rapids Gazette: http://thegazette.com/2013/08/04/farm-fertilizer-runoff-wreaking-havoc/
8/2013 Our very own, Valerie Schopfer graduated with a M.S. this month. If you see her around the hallways of Hardin Hall give her a pat on the back.
http://journalstar.com/news/local/education/unl-researchers-developing-water-collecting-copter/article_74cc9981-f8d8-5a63-93ff-75fe9474c846.html
9/4/2013 UNL Press Release about recently funded co-aerial ecologist project (unmanned aerial water sampler) being developed by collaborators in computer science (NIMBUS) and our Aquatic Ecology group:
http://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/unltoday/article/detweiler-elbaum-lead-project-build-water-sampling-drone/
9/2013 The lab would like to welcome its newest master student Kaycee Reynolds, who will be working on the RAPID study. if you see her around welcome her to Huskerland!!
8/4/2013 Our RAPID N Pulse project was a featured story in the Cedar Rapids Gazette: http://thegazette.com/2013/08/04/farm-fertilizer-runoff-wreaking-havoc/
8/2013 Our very own, Valerie Schopfer graduated with a M.S. this month. If you see her around the hallways of Hardin Hall give her a pat on the back.