Progress 08/01/06 to 07/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The C:N autoanalyzer purchased through this grant has been used to assist us in achieving the goals and objectives of the three three projects discussed in the initial proposal. Project 1 - INVASIVE SPECIES RESEARCH: the autoanlyzer has been used to measure total carbon and nitrogen concentrations in Rhamnus (European buckthorn) biomass, commercial mulch, soils collected along an urban-rural gradient,corn nutrients, and urban forest tree leaves; Project 2 - LINK BETWEEN RHAMNUS CATHARTICA AND EURASIAN EARTHWORMS: We currently are separating the impact of earthworms from the impact of Rhamnus in laboratory mesocosms. One of the measurement responses is changes in C:N ratio. The mesocosms are now set up, and we are currently measuring C:N ratios in the soil; Project 3 - ANALYSIS OF DISTRIBUTION, DIVERSITY AND SOIL PROPERTIES ASSOCIATED WITH AN URBAN FOREST COVER IN CHICAGO'S LINCOLN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD: We surveyed over 4000 trees in Lincoln Park and measured C:N in a subset of
soils collected from beneath four tree species of varying health condition. Data from these projects are being disseminated to a wide local, regional and national audience. It should be noted that much of our research involves collaboration with members of Chicago Wilderness (CW), a coalition of 180 reserach, management and landowning agencies. Some of our data have been incorporated into a proposal to ULTRA - Urban Long-term Research Area. This is a USDA-FS initiative. In addition, our data have been incorporated into the Research Agenda developed by the Chicago Wilderness Science Team. This agenda sets priorities for research into conservation of biodiversity and appropriate land management practices. Furthermore, data for Project 3 will be incorporated into a presentation at the 2008 Soil Science Society of America meeting in Houston, TX. The most exciting output has been development of a strong collaboration with scientists and graduate students at Northwestern University and the
Chicago Botanic Gardens, who are investigating strategies for conservation and management of biodiversity.
PARTICIPANTS: Project Members: DePaul University (Individuals) - Dr. Liam Heneghan (Co-PI) Environmental Science Program,(Projects 1, 2, 3); Dr. James Montgomery (Co-PI),Environmental Science Program (Project 3); Lauren Umek, Ecological Research Coordinator, Environmental Science Program (Projects 1, 2, 3); Kimberly Frye, graduate student in Environmental Science Program (Project 3); Vanessa Coffman, Will Warner, Ryan Wietholter, Chelsea Carey - undergraduate students in Environmental Science Program working on their senior thesis field project (Projects 1, 2, 3). Note: as this grant was solely an equipment grant, not salaries were requested. Collaborators and Contacts - Dr. Jim Tang, research scientist, Chicago Botanic Gardens; Joe Salerno, graduate student at Northwestern University and Chicago Botanic Garden; Duane Ambroz, graduate student at Northwestern University and Chicago Botanic Garden. Training - All DePaul individuals and Mr. Ambroz were trained in the use of the C:N
autoanalyzer.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences served by the project included the Chicago Wilderness coalition, undergraduate environmental science majors at DePaul (names listed above), and graduate students and faculty at Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Gardens (names listed above). Specific efforts designed to cause a change in knowledge included formal training, by Margaret Workman, Laboratorian in the Environmental Science Program, of the use of the autoanalyzer for environmental science students and the Mr. Duane Ambroz. In addition, other DePaul faculty in the Chemistry Department have trained with Ms. Workman on the use of the autoanalyzer for their respective research projects.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: There were no project modifications
Impacts
Project 1 - we have demonstrated that mulch prepared from an invasive shrub (R cathartica) differs in C:N from commercially available mulch (cedar) and then when these are applied to soil in the context of an extensive restoration project. A significant, albeit preliminary, outcome of this project is that we now know that mulches of quite contrasting "quality" have implications for the soil biota and thus plant community structurd and function. Project 2 - we have established a mesocosm experiment that evaluates nutrient cyling in soils under invasive plants with and without invasive earthworms. The C:N data allowed us to establish the initial conditions of the soil. Project 3: extensive work on our Urban Forest plots have provided us with a comprehensive portrait of the nutrient quality of both the canopy and the soils. A signficant outcome of this project is that there were poor correlations among a suite of soil quality indicators, including C:N, and the relative
health condition of the trees. This indicates that the soil ecosystem can be somewhat "disconnected" from the above ground ecosystems. This should be expected given the high level of physical and chemical disturbance in urban soils.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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