UF IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences

We still have a lot to learn about stormwater ponds and the ecosystem services they do/don't provide.
They are definitely more than flood control mechanisms! 🌧🌊⛈

Natural ponds remove nitrogen more effectively than stormwater ponds Summer brings daily storms in the Sunshine State, and with the rain, you need to control flooding in some neighborhoods. Florida is swimming in 76,000 stormwater ponds. Designed to control flooding, stormwater ponds are not as effective as natural ponds at removing nitrogen, a pollutant that can go....

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Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

More information and registration:
https://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/best-management-practices-lab/extension/2024-h**p-field-day/

Checkout the latest Ona Report - ‘Potassium Fertilization of Pastures and Hayfields’ by Dr. Maria Silveira. https://rcrec-ona.ifas.ufl.edu/news-and-publications/publications/other-publications-and-resources/ona-reports/

This Ona Report was published in the July 2024 issue of The Florida Cattleman & Livestock Journal.

Early employer registration for the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Career Expo is open through August 14th! 🐊📚

On October 10, the college will be hosting its annual Career Expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom.

Our CALS Career Expo is a great opportunity for employers to network and start recruiting promising CALS students as potential employees, so be sure to save the date!

Sign up now for discounted registration fee! Visit www.cals.ufl.edu/careerexpo to register.

New research:
Fresh Leaf Spectroscopy to Estimate the Crop Nutrient Status of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) via Springer Nature

"Spectral reflectance could be used to monitor total nutrient concentrations in potato petioles/leaves."

Fresh Leaf Spectroscopy to Estimate the Crop Nutrient Status of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) - Potato Research Estimating leaf nutrient concentration in field crops is essential to increase crop yield by optimum fertiliser application. Notably, these practices become more critical for short-cycle crops like potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), where conventionally, laborious in-field plant sampling and laborator...

Are you a graduate student whose considering your next move? Check out this FREE webinar that will provide you with some guidance on 'Navigating the Transition: from PhD to Industry.' Register to attend: https://ow.ly/MJ5K50SClyC

New research:
Smart fertilizer technologies: An environmental impact assessment for sustainable agriculture

"The focus should be on developing -specific strategies by integrating multiple smart fertilizer technologies to best optimize their potential to help minimize the negative environmental impact of at reasonable costs."

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2024.100504

What a great milestone for Dr. Wilkie and this project!

Composting effort marks 15-years of sustainability, education, and community-building After 15 years of promoting sustainability at UF, the Student Compost Cooperative is being renamed the Compost Cooperative and Gardens (CCG).

An awesome community composting collaboration!

UF/IFAS Extension partners with pizzeria to teach composting basics As a soil biologist and agent for UF/IFAS Extension Nassau County, David Hébert teaches everything from selecting compostable food items to identifying microorganisms. Most recently, he’s done so from within a bustling Fernandina Beach shopping center. Hébert’s affiliation with Amelia Plaza be...

Congratulations, Dr. Jango Bhadha, on your International Service Award from Epsilon Sigma Phi - The Extension Professionals’ Organization!
Earlier this year, Dr. Bhadha was involved with a three-day training
program in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to address the challenges of excess and lack of nutrients used for agricultural production.

UF IFAS Everglades REC - Belle Glade

University of Florida experts explain how chemistry changes as a result of elevated carbon dioxide levels in the and outline how acidification can harm Florida’s marine life.

UF experts warn of potential peril caused by ocean acidification The world’s oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which does not bode well for Florida’s 825 miles of coastline. Carbon dioxide can contribute to ocean acidification — a reduction in the pH of the ocean — which puts some forms of marine life such as oysters, clams, sea...

Congratulations to Dr. Silveira on this great honor!
ASA, CSSA, and SSSA
UF IFAS Range Cattle Research and Education Center

UF soil scientist named SSSA Fellow The Soil Science Society of America named Dr. Maria Silveira, UF/IFAS Dept. of Soil, Water, & Ecosystem Sciences prof., a 2024 SSSA Fellow.

Attention students! We've got a great scholarship opportunity to share from the CA/NV SWCS Chapter. The chapter is requesting applications for two $1,000 scholarships (one undergrad and one graduate scholarship available). You're eligible if you:

1. Are enrolled in a full or part time undergraduate or graduate curriculum with a declared major related to soil and water resources at an
accredited college or university within California or Nevada.

2. Have a cumulative college or university grade point
average of 2.5 or better on a 4.0 scale.

Do you qualify for this scholarship opportunity? Apply here: https://ow.ly/Le1c50Sz6aE
Deadline is July 26, 2024.

California-Nevada Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society

“We can’t break down , and a lot of microorganisms can’t break it down, either... So there are a lot of questions about how it is affecting the environment and whether it’s something that could impact our microbial communities,” said Tracey Schafer, an assistant research scientist for the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida and UF IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences.
via Springer Nature's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment

UF study reveals environmental impact of artificial sweeteners A new University of Florida study demonstrates how sucralose affects the behavior of microbial communities in aquatic environments.

We are fortunate to have these four talented faculty members! Congratulations!!

Wishing you a happy and safe Independence Day! 🇺🇸

“Our ultimate goal is to make farming more sustainable, not just for today, but for future generations,” explained Dr. Sunny Liao, associate professor of soil microbial ecology in the UF IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences.

UF IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC)

Researchers to study the impact of crop rotation and grazing on soil health and productivity UF/IFAS researchers will study the impact of crop rotation & grazing on soil health & productivity with the goal of enhancing sustainability.

💦💦✅

Join Our Private Well and Septic System Webinar Series Are you curious about private wells and septic systems? Our three-part webinar series has you covered!

Ways to water: Drip Irrigation One of the most effective methods of irrigation, drip irrigation gently delivers water right to the roots where plants need it most.

Registration for fall NaviGATORing CALS sessions is open! Any high school junior or senior interested in exploring campus, majors in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and learning more about pathways to UF should register for our Sept. 19 or Sept. 20 sessions. Participants will hear from current students, attend a class, tour campus, and more.
Save your spot. Registration closes Sept. 6: https://bit.ly/3VoEh85

National Learn-About Composting Day! Today is National Learn-About Composting Day! According to the USDA, food waste in the United States is estimated to be 30-40 percent of the country’s food supply. This adds up to approximately 133 billion pounds of food waste per year. In our everyday lives, we do not realize how this can impact ...

Looking for a grad class to take this fall? Join us for AEC 5541 to develop real-world outreach.

Check out some of our past electronic field trip programs developed through this course!

Streaming Strawberries: https://streamingscience.com/streaming-strawberries/
From the Ground Up:
https://streamingscience.com/from-the-ground-up/

UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication
UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
UF School of Natural Resources and Environment
UF IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences SFFGS
UF College of Journalism and Communications
University of Florida College of Education
University of Florida

"Conserving forested not only protects valuable habitat; it could help stabilize the . "

The West’s wetlands are struggling. Some have been overlooked altogether. - High Country News Wetlands are carbon-storage powerhouses — and many are unmapped.

Excellent news! A great way to protect shorelines and coastal communities.

Catch up on what's happened in the UF IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences this past semester!
Our newsletter is available here:
https://go.ufl.edu/myakkasp24

Julia Barra received the Gerald O. Mott Award from ASA, CSSA, and SSSA. Julia is a Ph.D. student with a research focus on understanding how agroecosystems management impacts soil health and crop nutrition. Dr. Gabriel Maltais-Landry is her advisor and Dr. Chris H. Wilson (UF Agronomy) is the co-chair of her committee.
Congratulations, Julia!

All UF IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences Extension faculty members provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public through educational programs. Sometimes it's through publications and fact sheets, but often they're in the field, like Dr. Cheryl Mackowiak, pictured here among the crops near the UF IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) where she works. As an associate professor of nutrient management and water quality, the focus of her Extension program is to promote good soil stewardship. Dr. Mackowiak hopes to provide an understanding and appreciation of soil fertility and its interaction with other environmental influences on plant mineral nutrition.

The Cooperative Extension Service turns 110 years old this month. It was created through the Smith-Lever Act to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public through educational programs.
Dr. Jehangir "Jango" Bhadha is a UF IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences associate professor of soil, water, and nutrient management at the UF IFAS Everglades REC - Belle Glade.
As part of his Extension program, he attends the South Florida Fair, which was held earlier this year. He talked with students about sustainable agriculture and showed them some of the aquatic plants that grow in farm canals in south Florida. He also discussed the importance of soil health and sustainability as it relates to farming in the region.

Check out the latest update! 👀
Climate Change: Effects on Salinity in Florida's Estuaries and Responses of Oysters, Seagrass, and Other Animals and Plant Life
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SG138