WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSAL
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSAL
Project ID: 2002MN7B
Title: Biodiversity in Urban Ponds and Lakes: Human Effects on Plankton Populations
Project Type: Research
Focus Categories: Water Quality, Surface Water, Management and Planning
Keywords: N/A
Start Date: 03/01/2002
End Date: 02/28/2004
Federal Funds: $24000.00
Matching Funds: $39629.00
Congressional District: Four
Principal Investigator: Sterner, Robert Warner (University of Minnesota)
Abstract: This project will address two sorely neglected aspects of water resources research: 1) urban habitats and 2) biodiversity of small inconspicuous species. There is wide recognition that biodiversity is an important aspect of water quality, yet on several critical fronts, we lack sufficient scientific underpinning to make this goal a reality. There is little scientific data on effects of different environmental factors on biodiversity of small aquatic organisms. There has been little attention paid to the water resources closest to the large proportion of today's society that lives in urban environments. By undertaking serious study of biodiversity in urban ponds and lakes, this project will establish whether the combined influences of urbanization are deleteriously affecting the majority of the biodiversity within those habitats.