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The
Ecological Engineering
group at the
Desert Research Institute is focused on understanding and mitigating
the impacts of human activities on the natural environment. We conduct
fundamental and applied research with the goal of applying engineering
principles to understand and reduce adverse effects of human activities on
rivers, lakes, wetlands, springs, and estuaries.
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Featured Research
| Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the US and one of the most important water resources in the West. In January of 2007, Quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) were discovered in Lake Mead, for the first time west of the 100th meridian. This invasive species, and the related Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) have disrupted ecosystems in a number of waterways elsewhere in the US and have cost billions of dollars in control efforts. Given the seriousness of the recent Quagga mussel invasion for the ecology and economy of the broader region, and for the overall management of water resources, the primary goal of DRI's research is to study the ecology and biology of Quagga mussels and their impact on aquatic biodiversity and water quality in Lake Mead. |
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News
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DRI Researchers Travel to Japan - Kumud Acharya and Mark Stone traveled to Tottori Japan to provide a short-course on ecosystem restoration at the Arid Lands Research Center (ALRC). The researchers covered a range of topics including restoration principles, modeling tools, eutrophication, desertification, and climate change. Drs. Acharya and Stone also provided a public seminar and met with several faculty. The Ecological Engineering group is initiating a joint research project with ALRC researchers comparing material cycling by Salt Cedars (Tamarisks) in its native and invasive environments. |
