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Video shows where nature’s kidneys get their name

August 4th, 2016 by

David Kovacic from the Illinois Natural History Survey says constructed wetlands are “more fail safe” than some of the other nitrogen loss reduction practices highlighted in the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Through droughts and floods, heat waves and early frosts, these shallow depressions placed at the edge of farm fields remove an annual average of 25-60 percent of the nitrogen in water carried through tile lines.

Those reductions are key for water quality in Illinois and downstream. By most estimates, the Prairie State is the largest contributor of nutrients to the Gulf of Mexico dead zone. More than 400 million pounds of nitrate-nitrogen leave the state through the Mississippi River system each year. And according to the science assessment at the root of the state’s strategy, the bulk of that comes from the tile-drained region of central and northern Illinois.

Hear more from Kovacic, along with University of Illinois’ Lowell Gentry and The Nature Conservancy’s Maria Lemke, on the benefits of constructed wetlands in the latest video from IISG and the Illinois Water Resources Center.

Special thanks to University of Illinois Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service for their contributions.

 

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Purdue University Extension.

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Coastal protection is not limited to concrete, rocks, and steel. Coastal protection solutions exist on a spectrum, ranging from softer “green” solutions to harder “gray” structures.

Nature-based coastal solutions fall between green and gray techniques, providing multiple benefits to people and habitats.

Our three-part video series, Nature-Based Coastal Solutions in the Great Lakes, is now available to watch. Learn how nature-based coastal solutions, including nature-driven and hybrid approaches, can protect shorelines while supporting ecosystems and communities.

Watch the 3-part video series at the link in bio.

(Photo credit: Liz Spitzer, Illinois State Geological Survey, Coastal Research Group)

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17873389053437520
Coastal protection is not limited to concrete, rocks, and steel. Coastal protection solutions exist on a spectrum, ranging from softer “green” solutions to harder “gray” structures.Nature-based coastal solutions fall between green and gray techniques, providing multiple benefits to people and habitats.Our three-part video series, Nature-Based Coastal Solutions in the Great Lakes, is now available to watch. Learn how nature-based coastal solutions, including nature-driven and hybrid approaches, can protect shorelines while supporting ecosystems and communities.Watch the 3-part video series at the link in bio.(Photo credit: Liz Spitzer, Illinois State Geological Survey, Coastal Research Group)

Managers and researchers can be faced with a need to classify the risk of new crayfish invaders. Rapid assessment tools, such as the Science-based Tools for Assessing Invasion Risk (STAIR), can assist in this process by providing a streamlined framework for analysis and decision-making.

Join us for an ICC webinar with John Bieber from Loyola University Chicago to learn how rapid assessment tools are used to classify invasive species risk and how STAIR can support invasive crayfish management.

Learn more at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17849711064650127
Managers and researchers can be faced with a need to classify the risk of new crayfish invaders. Rapid assessment tools, such as the Science-based Tools for Assessing Invasion Risk (STAIR), can assist in this process by providing a streamlined framework for analysis and decision-making.Join us for an ICC webinar with John Bieber from Loyola University Chicago to learn how rapid assessment tools are used to classify invasive species risk and how STAIR can support invasive crayfish management.Learn more at the link in bio.