DISES: RUI: Emplacing Algal Blooms to Advance Sustainability Theory and Praxis (EMBAST)

该项目研究导致淡水系统中有毒藻类大量繁殖的社会和环境条件。有害的藻类水华影响世界各地的淡水系统，给工业、娱乐和公共卫生造成数十亿美元的经济损失。通过研究人员和社区组织之间的伙伴关系，调查湖泊系统的历史、社会文化、政策和生态特征的作用，以确定有毒藻类大量繁殖的关键社会和环境驱动因素。该项目通过发展定位可持续发展的概念来推动可持续发展科学研究的理论和实践，该概念提出可持续发展的解决方案必须基于特定地区的历史、文化和生态。该项目为45名本科生提供了高影响力的研究体验。项目活动产生的更广泛影响包括政策简报、为区域利益攸关方举办的讲习班、一个巡回多媒体弹出式展览、K-12教学资源、一个有博客的项目网站和流行媒体文章。蓝藻水华是通过一系列相互关联的社会和环境条件发展起来的。远端土地所有者的土地使用决定助长了藻类大量繁殖，导致关键行为者与影响地之间脱节。这种负面的空间外部性对制定有效的政策解决办法以减少藻类水华的流行和减轻其影响构成了特别的障碍。研究人员和社区组织将通过应用以现场研究方法为基础的理论方法，共同发展社会和环境实践。该项目综合了政策和法规文件的分析、档案研究、环境条件的空间分析、参与者观察、面对面和在线调查、焦点小组、访谈以及水质和水华严重程度的采样和分析，以形成预测蓝藻水华严重程度的预测模型。在制定基于地点的政策解决方案时，使用叙述性日记、组织图和焦点小组讨论的数据来考虑不同利益相关者的观点。通过应用以安置为基础的框架，该项目作为人与地方之间的持续对话，促进了可持续发展的基本发展。除了理论贡献外，对有毒蓝藻水华的实证研究将产生新的方法，用来检查和解决这一重要的环境问题。一大批本科生将通过参加项目研讨会、数据收集协议培训和公共教育材料开发，接受可持续发展科学和环境政策解决方案开发方面的培训。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project studies the social and environmental conditions that contribute to toxic algal blooms in freshwater systems. Harmful algal blooms affect freshwater systems worldwide and result in billions of dollars in economic losses to industry, recreation, and public health. The role of historical, socio-cultural, policy and ecological characteristics of lake systems are investigated through partnerships between researchers and community organizations to identify key social and environmental drivers of toxic algal blooms. The project advances the theory and practice of sustainability science research by developing the concept of emplaced sustainability, which proposes that sustainability solutions must be based in the histories, cultures and ecologies of specific places. The project provides high-impact research experiences for 45 undergraduate students. Broader impacts resulting from project activities include policy briefs, workshops for regional stakeholders, a traveling multimedia pop-up exhibit, K-12 teaching resources, a project website with blog, and articles in popular media. Cyanobacteria blooms develop through a set of interrelated social and environmental conditions. Land use decisions by distal land owners contribute to algal blooms resulting in a disconnect between critical actors and the place of impact. This negative spatial externality poses a particular obstacle to developing effective policy solutions to reduce the prevalence of algal blooms and mitigate their impact. Researchers and community organizations will co-develop social and environmental practices through application of a theoretical approach grounded in place-based research methods. This project integrates analysis of policy and regulatory documents, archival research, spatial analysis of environmental conditions, participant observation, in-person and online surveys, focus groups, interviews, and sampling and analysis of water quality and bloom severity to inform a predictive model to forecast severity of cyanobacteria blooms. Data from narrative journaling, histomapping, and focus group discussions are used to consider perspectives of diverse stakeholders in developing place-based policy solutions. Through application of a framework grounded in emplacement, this project furthers fundamental development of sustainability as an ongoing dialogue among people and places. In addition to theoretical contributions, empirical research on toxic cyanobacteria blooms will generate novel methodologies with which to examine and address this important environmental problem. A large cohort of undergraduate students will receive training in sustainability science and the development of environmental policy solutions through participation in project workshops, training in data collection protocols and development of public education materials.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.