Research Areas in Environmental Sciences

Solutions to contemporary Environmental problems often transcend disciplinary boundaries, and the wide variety of opportunities in education and research reflects an interdisciplinary approach to Environmental sciences. Researchers adopt many different techniques and approaches to probe and solve Environmental problems. The Environmental Science faculty are active in a diversity of research endeavors, including: biology, chemistry, aquatic toxicology, remote sensing and land use analyses, Environmental modeling, earth resources, Environmental policy, ground water, and archaeology. A few specific examples illustrate opportunities for students:

 

Aquatic Toxicology and Reservoir Limnology

UNT has one of the best aquatic toxicology laboratories in the Southwest. The lab is equipped to conduct acute and chronic toxicity tests with freshwater and marine organisms, and conducts research for a variety of industries and municipalities on the effects of chemicals on aquatic life. The reservoir limnology program conducts water quality research on rivers and reservoirs throughout Texas. The program has vehicles, boats, and sampling equipment for conducting intensive water quality surveys. Analytical capabilities are available for analyses of water contaminants.

 

The Center for Remote Sensing and Landuse Analyses

The Center for Remote Sensing and Landuse Analyses (CRSLA) applies remote sensing technologies and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to land use and water resources issues. The center uses state-of-the-art computer facilities to conduct basic and applied research on remote sensing data collection, image enhancement, classification and analyses. The primary thrust is to find interrelationships between local or regional land use patterns and water quality. The Center has a fully equipped Earth Resources Data Analysis System (ERDAS) and ARC/INFO capabilities.

 

Ecological Risk Assessment

UNT has one of the only facilities in the Southwest designed to assess, under field conditions, the effects of new chemicals and pesticides on aquatic ecosystems. Consisting of 48 aquatic testing ponds and 52 1,000 and 10,000 liter microcosms, the Water Research Field Station (WRFS) is specifically designed to assess the impacts of agrichemicals on aquatic populations and communities. The research conducted at the WRFS is designed to assess the hazards of chemicals prior to their use in the general environment. The Field Station is supported on campus by a biological and residue analysis laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment such as computer interfaced gas chromatographs.

 

Environmental Chemistry

The Environmental Chemistry Laboratory conducts research on the fate of chemicals in the environment. This lab has modern analytical equipment for the analysis of metals and organic chemicals in water and soils. The laboratory examines the physical and chemical processes that control the distribution of chemicals in soil, surface water, ground water, and the atmosphere. Modern chromatography and spectroscopy instrumentation for the measurement of organic and inorganic contaminants are available.

 

Environmental Archaeology

UNT has faculty experienced in the design and implementation of cultural resource management projects. The emphasis is on reconstruction of past environments and cultural ecology as part of archaeological research. Quaternary geologic studies are supported by a sediment-soils laboratory, which has full capabilities for mechanical, chemical and mineralogical analyses of samples from archaeological sites and natural deposits. A comparative osteology lab maintains an extensive collection of animal skeletons for zooarchaeological research and forensic analysis. An off-campus lab includes facilities for artifact washing and cataloging, detailed analysis, and artifact curation.

 

Environmental Modeling

This laboratory develops and uses mathematical models and computer simulations for the assessment of risks and impacts of anthropogenic stressors on Environmental and ecological systems. Research is carried out at the local, landscape, regional and global scales. The main themes are: linking of Environmental models to Remote Sensing/GIS and application to landscape and regional dynamics; global change effects on tropical forests and savannas; integration of modeling to policy science and relation to Environmental issues and development; integration of modeling with other technologies like optical sensors, data acquisition electronics, and high performance computers.

 

Water Research Field Station

The Water Research Field Station (WRFS) is one of the only facilities in the Southwest designed to assess under field conditions the effects of pesticides on aquatic ecosystems prior to their general use in the environment. Station facilities include a half acre feeder pond and 48 individual 0.1 acre experimental ponds. In addition the site has 26 2,000-liter and 26 10,000-liter testing vessels for smaller scale experiments.
Field station research is supported on campus by a biological and residue analysis laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment such as computer interfaced gas chromatographs. Field station personnel also are involved in basic research on these systems.