Effects of Land-Use Change on Soil Properties – Implications for Future Urban Development
Come analyze some dirty dirt!
Project is Not Currently Available
This project has reached full capacity for the current term. Please check back next semester for updates.
Project description
With 80% of the world’s population expected to live in cities by 2050, understanding how urban soils have changed from their native origins is crucial for urban planning and development. Specifically, soil hydrology is important because hydrologic parameters affect hazards such as flooding, contaminant transport, and structural integrity. Understanding changes in soil hydrology can help guide municipalities on ideal placement for new development projects, including green infrastructure. This project involves going to field sites across Buffalo that have undergone changes in land-use (i.e., former industrial facilities and vacant lots), taking soil samples, and comparing these samples to equivalent soils found at sites that have been stable (no land-use change). Analysis will include geophysical surveys, infiltration testing, structural analysis, and stormwater monitoring. The overall outcome is to determine how soil hydrology has been altered by land-use changes, which may guide urban planners on ideal project locations, and their long-term environmental impact.
Project outcome
By the end of this project, the student will be able to: find articles from peer-reviewed journals and synthesize information; conduct soil sampling and basic soil logging; set up and run geophysical surveys; keep a field notebook with detailed notes and sketches; understand field and lab safety procedures; properly prepare for field work; use the scientific method to develop and test a hypothesis using field and lab methods; analyze data and synthesize into a serious of figures, results, and conclusions; write and submit an abstract to a national conference; create and present a poster at a national conference.
Project details
| Length of commitment | About a semester; 3-5 months | |
| Start time | Summer (May/June) Fall (August/September) | |
| In-person, remote, or hybrid? | In-Person Project | |
| Level of collaboration | Individual student project | |
| Benefits | Stipend | |
| Who is eligible | Sophomores & Juniors who have taken or currently enrolled in GLY 303 |
Core partners
- Dr. Gina Pope
- Center for Geologic Hazards
Project mentor
Gina Pope
Clinical Assistant Professor
Geology
Phone: (585) 746-4604
Email: ginapope@buffalo.edu
Start the project
- Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
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Preparation activities
The specific preparation activities for this project will be customized through discussions between you and your project mentor. Please be sure to ask them for the instructions to complete the required preparation activities.
Keywords
Geology, Soil, Urban soil, Hydrology