Brittany Kirsch, agronomy and horticulture master’s student specializing in soil and water sciences, made it rain last summer.
Brittany Kirsch, agronomy and horticulture master’s student specializing in soil and water sciences, made it rain last summer.
Awarded a National Science Foundation National Research Traineeship in 2018, Kirsch is working with University of Nebraska–Lincoln faculty in understanding resilience of agricultural ecosystems, particularly the Platte River Basin in Nebraska.
The first phase of Kirsch’s research used U.S. Department of Agriculture data to develop a bird’s eye view of the effect different cropping systems within watersheds across Nebraska have on water quality within that watershed. She is also investigating the impact weather patterns — specifically drought and flood periods — have on water quality in the watersheds. Generally, the data has shown higher concentrations of nitrate, phosphorus and suspended sediments in watersheds with a higher percentage of acres planted in corn and soybeans. Wetter years also tend to have higher concentrations of nitrate, phosphorus and suspended sediments.
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Image via University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
