University of New Hampshire Research

Could a common plant with a funny name be a “green” alternative to chemical fertilizers? Assistant professor Anna O’Brien and her team are exploring the potential of aquatic duckweed as a sustainable "green manure" to replace chemical fertilizers in agriculture. This shift aims to reduce harmful runoff of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which contribute to ecological problems such as algal blooms and water toxicity. “Chemical fertilizers provide quick nutrient boosts, but when mismanaged can also lead to adverse environmental impacts. Green manures instead release nutrients slowly and support microbial activity, thus enhancing benefits to plants,” said O’Brien. “We chose duckweed as a possible green manure because it’s a native plant in New Hampshire, it’s naturally abundant in our waterbodies and research shows that it can recapture nutrients in runoff and agricultural wastewater.” UNH students, including microbiology graduate student Alyssa Daigle and undergraduate students like Matthew Farbaniec, played a crucial role in this research over the summer. “I have learned so much and have gained research skills that will be useful throughout my academic and professional career,” shares Matt. “In my master's work under Dr. Anna O’Brien, I integrated this interest into our green manure project, examining how cyanobacteria in duckweed could affect crops. I feel I’ve grown tremendously as a scientist over this past year,” says Alyssa. Read more in our Fall 2024 issue of THRIVE: https://lnkd.in/gUZUup8V Check out Matt’s Spotlight: https://lnkd.in/gC-UEn27 University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Research UNH Graduate School

Thanks New Hampshire Public Radio for covering this this New Hampshire Sea Grant-funded research project on #Lumpfish distribution in the Gulf of Maine: https://lnkd.in/eCV9XTYG Explore the interactive lumpfish map by visiting: https://arcg.is/XG9r5 Seacoast Science Center #Aquaculture #ClimateChange

Microplastics pose a threat to Great Bay Estuary – a vital ecosystem at the heart of coastal New Hampshire. UNH researchers Bonnie Brown and Gregg Moore, with the help of graduate and undergraduate students, are leading crucial studies on how these tiny pollutants affect our estuary. Their work is helping us understand where microplastics come from, where they settle and how long they stay in our waters. Great Bay isn't just any body of water. It's a critical habitat for marine life, a natural filter for our oceans and an essential resource for our region's growing shellfish industry. Our research teams are creating models to track these pollutants, giving local aquaculturists, fishers and environmental managers the data they need to protect this precious ecosystem. Because when it comes to preserving Great Bay for future generations, every tiny particle matters. UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture University of New Hampshire Research

Have you seen a coyote lately? These predators — the most successful in North America — are on the rise. One surprising contributor to their increase? Human hunting. “Intensive coyote removal can obviously reduce populations in the short-term, but removal can also result in younger coyote populations with higher reproduction and immigration rates,” says Remington Moll, assistant professor of natural resources and the environment and the lead author of a new study. Using data from a network of more than 4,500 camera traps set up across the country by the SNAPSHOT USA project, the study found more coyotes in places where hunting was allowed. The study also found the presence of larger carnivores, such as black bears and pumas, influenced coyote numbers in a habitat-dependent manner. In forested areas, black bears limited coyotes, but pumas had the same influence in more open environments. Learn more about coyotes and their interactions with humans and other predators: https://lnkd.in/g9yvyA9d ??: SNAPSHOT USA UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture

True to our promise of sustainability, University of New Hampshire has built a giant "water battery" on campus to make summer air conditioning more efficient and, ultimately, less expensive. Dave Brooks and UNH energy director Adam Kohler, PE take a deep dive into our new thermal energy storage tank. https://lnkd.in/efKF3z4R

UNH is leading a major new project that will help predict space weather — solar wind caused by explosions on the sun — that creates both beautiful auroras here on Earth but can also interrupt power grids, satellite communications and other critical technology infrastructure. ???? NASA, on behalf of NOAA, awarded UNH researchers $24.3 million to build two sensors for a high-priority alert system that will monitor the effects of space weather and the solar wind, a supersonic flow of hot particles known as plasma, from the sun. The sensors, used for NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center alert system, will help identify and give a ‘heads up’ warning of any concerns in as fast as 10 minutes. “This allows us to use our scientific expertise to help address vital national safety interests and build on UNH’s long history of scientific and operational missions, expanding the range of the UNH Space Science Center’s strong proficiency and skill in space instrumentation,” says lead researcher Lynn Kistler, professor of physics and astronomy and director of UNH’s Space Science Center. ????: NASA Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e6VehgEC UNH College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

How did UNH become such a space-weather hotbed? In his Concord Monitor Granite Geek column, Dave Brooks talks to space scientist Harlan Spence, director of UNH's Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, for some insights. "UNH researchers were eager to be part of this fascinating new field and as a land-grant university?with emphasis on practical research, they soon got contracts for building scientific instruments. Over the years as NASA has expanded its need for information gathering, that expertise has built on itself." More: https://lnkd.in/e3JaaNgZ

It was another banner year for research funding: In FY24, our researchers secured $252 million in competitive grants and awards for nearly 1,000 high-impact projects that solve problems in New Hampshire and across the globe. That’s a $42 million increase from the previous year, and more than double since 2019. “This steady increase in research funding expands UNH’s capacity to address local and global challenges and explore the frontiers of land, sea and space in service to the state of New Hampshire and the world,” says Marian McCord, senior vice provost for?research, economic engagement and outreach?. The funding came from federal agencies, state collaborators, business and industry and private foundations and supports projects that will advance renewable energy from waves and tides ??; explore growing food within forests ??; track tick-borne diseases ???; consider recycling cosmic junk that’s floating in space ??? and much more. Learn more about these and other projects:?https://lnkd.in/ef_wjWGH UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture UNH College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Read more about the 20-year partnership between UNH and NOAA National Ocean Service to prevent, manage and mitigate oil spills and other disasters: https://lnkd.in/eRdfn_2Z Nancy Kinner Kathy Mandsager - NOAA Affiliate

The UNH Institute on Disability, a trusted source for research and statistics on the community participation of people with disabilities, partnered with the Kessler Foundation for a new survey of supervisors in the hospitality industry. Released during National Disability Employment Awareness Month , the survey focused on restaurant and traveler accommodations. Some key takeaways? Proactive recruitment, effective partnerships and targeted accommodations are critical to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. “Proactively recruiting workers with disabilities leads to greater job success, with 50% of successfully performing employees having been recruited through intentional efforts," says Andrew Houtenville, research director for the IOD and professor of economics. "Partnering with disability organizations and state vocational rehabilitation agencies is an effective hiring strategy, with 84% of companies finding these partnerships successful in filling positions." Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/ebU9Xj4f UNH College of Health and Human Services (CHHS)