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Who are we?
The Laboratory of Soil Ecology and Microbiology started as a
collaborative effort between Josef Görres and José Amador
in the Dept. of Natural Resources Science at the
University of Rhode Island.
People currently associated with the
lab include Professor Jose Amador, Research
Associate Janet Atoyan, graduate students Joe Fetter and
Ed Avizinis, and undergraduate student Claire Staines. Josef, now
a faculty member at
the University of Vermont, continues to collaborate with us.
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What do we
do?
Our research spans many aspects of the ecology and
microbiology of soil, water and wastewater. We are interested in understanding
the interplay among microorganisms, flora and fauna, and the
physical environment, and how this affects the
biogeochemical processes they carry out, as well as their fate.
This knowledge can be used to address a variety of contemporary environmental
problems, from greenhouse gas emissions from soils to
identifying the source of bacterial contamination in surface
waters.
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Current research
projects include:
- Integration of novel
molecular and chemical bacteria source tracking methods
into current water quality assessment protocols in Rhode
Island
- Examination of the factors that control
the fate of pathogenic bacteria and viruses in
septic system leachfield soils
- Analysis of the effects of squid-based organic
fertilizers on soil and water quality and soil
fertility in turf
- Evaluation of the role of earthworms
in production of greenhouse gases in agricultural
soils
- Assessment of the effects of coffee
cultivation practices on the role of earthworms
in C and N cycling.
- Examination of the impact of eelgrass
on retention and persistence of bacterial indicators
of human fecal contamination in subaqueous soils.
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On
the education side our focus is on:
- Use of Problem-Based
Learning in undergraduate education
- Providing experiential
learning opportunities for undergraduate students
- Developing online
versions of face-to-face courses
- Using innovative approaches to improving student engagement in
large lecture courses
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To contact us:
Laboratory of Soil Ecology and Microbiology
024 Coastal Institute in Kingston
University of Rhode Island
Kingston, RI 02881
Voice: 401.874.2902 | Fax: 401.874.4561
E-mail: jamador@uri.edu
URL: www.uri.edu/cels/nrs/seml/index.html
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Laboratory of Soil Ecology and Microbiology | 024 Coastal Institute, University of Rhode Island, Kingston RI 02881
Voice: 401.874.2902 Fax: 401.874.4561 | Copyright © 2008 |