REU Site: Interdisciplinary Problem Solving in Human Dominated Wetland Ecosystems

这个新的REU网站强调参与代表性不足的群体，妇女和聋哑/重听学生在跨学科的地球系统研究，建立合作和沟通技能，解决复杂的环境问题。我们将利用湿地恢复作为一个透镜，通过它，每年夏天10名学生可以获得实践经验与科学和社会之间的互动，塑造生态系统的功能和服务。湿地的单位面积价值高于所有其他生态系统，因为它们提供了众多的生态系统服务。学生的研究将为现实的管理方案提供建议，这些方案认识到城市景观中生态系统恢复的固有局限性。该计划的一个核心组成部分是在科学传播方面培训本科生，然后在一些环境中传播环境研究，包括青年计划，社区活动和公民科学家。这既扩大了公众对湿地生态系统服务的认识，又提高了学生对STEM中概念知识和多样性挑战意识的信心。淡水湿地因其固碳、去除营养物质和提供栖息地等服务而受到重视，但也是温室气体的重要来源。随着景观迅速城市化，这些生态系统越来越受到复杂的环境力量（土地使用变化，污染，物种入侵，气候变化等）的困扰，需要考虑社会学的相互作用和景观异质性的跨学科方法来解决。在这个新的REU网站的研究项目将扩大创造和自然城市湿地的理解，与学生积极参与研究集群，包括以下方法：（i）地球化学和生态学，（ii）社会学反馈，（iii）地理空间模式和缩放。跨学科团队将被组装，解决的问题包括：（1）外部和内部驱动因素与生态系统结构和功能之间的关系，（2）“自上而下”与“自下而上”控制生态系统功能和人工湿地恢复成功的作用，以及（3）评估和缩放小，异质湿地生态系统结构和功能的效用和限制。该计划还将包括针对专业发展的关键领域的研讨会，并让学生接触跨学科的环境科学工具。参与者将通过一系列交流和推广活动向科学家和非科学家传播他们的研究成果。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This new REU Site emphasizes engaging underrepresented groups, women, and deaf/hard of hearing students in interdisciplinary earth systems research that builds collaboration and communication skills for solving complex environmental problems. We will use wetland restoration as a lens through which 10 students per summer can get hands-on experience with the interaction between science and society that shapes ecosystem functions and services. Wetlands are more valuable per unit area than all other ecosystems because of the numerous ecosystem services they provide. Student research will provide recommendations for realistic management options that recognize the inherent limitations of ecosystem restoration within an urban landscape. A core component of this program is training undergraduates in science communication and then disseminating environmental research in a number of settings, including youth programs, community events and to citizen scientists. This both expands public awareness of wetland ecosystem services and improves student confidence in their conceptual knowledge and awareness of diversity challenges in STEM.Freshwater wetlands are valued for services that include carbon sequestration, nutrient removal and habitat provisioning, but are also significant sources of greenhouse gases. As landscapes rapidly urbanize these ecosystems are increasingly beset by complex environmental forces (land-use change, pollution, species invasion, climate change, etc…) that need to be addressed with interdisciplinary approaches that consider sociological interactions and landscape heterogeneity. Research projects in this new REU Site will expand understanding of created and natural urban wetlands, with students actively engaged in research clusters that include the following approaches: (i) biogeochemistry and ecology, (ii) sociological feedbacks, and (iii) geospatial patterns and scaling. Interdisciplinary teams will be assembled that address questions that include: (1) the relationships between extrinsic and intrinsic drivers and ecosystem structure and function, (2) the role of ‘top-down’ vs. ‘bottom-up’ control of ecosystem function and restoration success in constructed wetlands, and (3) the utility and limits of assessing and scaling ecosystem structure and function in small, heterogenous wetlands. The program will also include workshops that target key areas of professional development and expose students to interdisciplinary environmental science tools. Participants will disseminate their research to scientists and non-scientists through a series of communication and outreach activities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.