SES hydrology Professor Abe Springer is collaborating with NAU Forestry faculty to study the impact of water use by encroaching trees and shrubs in meadow ecosystems surrounding Flagstaff. Changing vegetation means both changing habitat for wildlife and less water for springs and streams. Read more about restoration efforts at azcentral.
Research Themes
Cecily Combs: student research in geology connects rocks to water and biodiversity
Check out this great coverage of Cecily Combs’ undergraduate research! As a Geology major, Cecily worked with ecohydrologist Abe Springer to track the flow of monsoonal rains across forest restoration projects and in and out of our region’s springs. Learn more at NAU’s coverage of undergraduate research.
Springs: refuge in a warming climate
SES Professor Abe Springer contributed ecohydrology research to a major new study on priorities for spring conservation under climate change. The work is in collaboration with the Springs Stewardship Institute at the Museum of Northern Arizona as well as a long list of agencies, NGOs, and other schools. Read more at NAU News!
Where does the Grand Canyon’s water come from?
School of Earth & Sustainability hydrologists Natalie Jones and Abe Springer have been researching the origins of Grand Canyon spring water. Read more at: NAU grad student looking for clues in the mystery of the Grand Canyon’s water supply (NAU News), Searching For Grand Canyon National Park’s Water Source (KJZZ), and Tracking the Grand Canyon’s Mysterious Springs (Eos).
What past warming events can tell us about current climate change
Tune in to hear NAU Geologist Michael Smith talk to KJZZ’s The Show about past and future climate variation. Michael explains how detailed records from warm periods in the past (from the NSF-funded Green River Eocene Earth and Climate Observatory project) could help us to predict the where and when of current and… Read more
Environmental Sciences grad awarded best poster at the Society for Freshwater Science
Recent graduate Morgan Andrews (Environmental Sciences 2019) won the award for best poster in the applied research category at the annual national meeting for Freshwater Science in Salt Lake City, Utah, in May. Andrews started researching aquatic ecosystems in her junior year, and was supported by a Hooper Undergraduate Research Award working with Dr. Rebecca Best. She is… Read more