Monitoring changes in land use and land cover (LULC) is an important exercise that is effective in tracking the growth of urban landscape, modifications to small towns in rural areas, can be used as a corroborative evidence in measuring economic growth and socioecological change, and has been proven to be effective in gauging a host of other attributes that are connected to land. Small towns located relatively close to major cities or other key features in the United States have witnessed significant changes in spatial structure and form over the past few decades. Spring Hill, TN is one such example of tremendous growth; having witnessed a small population of 7,000 people in the early 2000’s skyrocket to close to 60,000 people in 2024. This phenomenal population change has affected the way in which the surrounding land is utilized, bringing with it environmental and socioeconomic impacts to the region. The main goal of this study is to measure the extent of change to LULC within and around Spring Hill, TN between 2000 and 2025 and try to understand the factors behind such changes. Specific objectives include (i) to gauge changes in LULC between 2000 and 2025 at three timesteps (2000-2010, 2010-2020, 2020-2025), and (ii) to understand the role of drivers responsible for LULC changes in the study area. Results of this study can provide invaluable information to urban and regional planners in the region.
Gamay Bay is located on the northeastern coast of Samar Island, which directly faces the Pacific Ocean and is regularly impacted by large storms and typhoons, leading to coastal erosion. Knowing more about the formation of Gamay Bay’s coastal plain can provide a better understanding of what factors were involved in the changing landscape as the bay was forming, and little ground penetrating radar (GPR) research has been done along Gamay Bay. To better understand the subsurface stratigraphy, GPR sends electromagnetic pulses into the near subsurface while a receiver measures the reflecting waves. Sensors and Software® pulseEKKO GPR System with 100 MHz antennae 1m apart was used with a 25cm step size along a 425m topographically corrected transect. Data was processed using EKKO Project software. Reflections are accurate to ~6.5m, show 5 erosional truncations with ~8o dip angles roughly 3m below the surface interpreted as large storm events, and subparallel complex sigmoid-oblique deposition patterns which are interpreted as beach progradation. The GPR data results will be used in future research to confirm sites of interest and numerically date the sands to construct a timeline of when the erosional events may have occurred.
The reconstruction a portion of the geomorphic past of Gamay Bay’s coastal plain in Northeast Samar, Philippines advances the understanding of past depositional and erosional events. Three separate sites in Gamay Bay were analyzed with ground penetrating radar (GPR). This study focalized on site two which displayed fluvial patterns. GPR reveals subsurface reflections interpreted as sediment layering. It sends electromagnetic (EM) radio wave pulses into the earth’s surface displaying subsurface images. GPR surveys were collected using a Sensors and Software® pulseEKKO GPR Pro with 100 MHz antennae. The transmitter and receiver antennae were placed 1m apart sending EM pulses at 0.25m intervals along a 400m transect. EM velocities calculated from GPR data ranged from 0.08-0.1m/ns which indicated moist sands. GPR data revealed a series of channel-like reflection patterns. Sediment cores reaching about 1m in depth were analyzed at areas noted from GPR data. Core analyses described subangular and well sorted sediments, a common indicator of a fluvial deposit. GPR and sediment core data in tandem provided support for the hypothesis that site two was a fluvial environment. The integration of GPR and sediment coring were successfully used in the identification of a buried fluvial channel system within Gamay Bay.
On June 24, 2024, following 17-20 cm of precipitation in the preceding three days, floodwaters avulsed around the western edge of the 114-year-old Rapidan Dam on the Blue Earth River. Upstream of the dam, on the interior side of a meander bend, the furious current of the river eroded away a mature floodplain forest, undergrowth, and an average of 5.5 meters of reservoir sediment. This freshly denuded area allowed for numerous plant species to recolonize this area once the flood waters receded.We conducted a “Bioblitz” using the iNaturalist platform, where a group of 9 observers went out and photographed as many plants as possible on an afternoon in August 2025 to study this new growth. Photographs included geotagged location and date/timestamps that iNaturalist uses to provide a suggested species that the user can confirm or provide an alternative suggestion. Crowdsourcing allows other platform users to confirm an interpretation. We assessed the change in plant coverage using PlanetScope satellite imagery (3-meter resolution), biomass using LiDAR and UAS structure-from-motion photogrammetry products, and the different species colonizing the area approximately 14 months after the event. We observed significant plant growth and an increase in coverage and biomass throughout the observation period.
On June 24, 2024, following three days (17-20 cm) of rain, floodwaters avulsed around the western edge of the 114-year-old Rapidan Dam on the Blue Earth River (BER). This event resulted in the river, which had been dammed since 1910, returning to a free-flowing state. To understand how the system has changed, we characterized river responses by comparing monthly satellite imagery with digitized banklines, a reconstructed surveyed surface from 1911 with digitized banklines, and one pre-failure elevation (April 05, 2024) and post-failure elevation (November 07, 2024) surface. Post-failure low-flow imagery showed the transition of the BER from a meandering, single-threaded channel to a braided stream, highlighting the high sediment load of freed reservoir material. Upstream of the dam, floodwaters and knickpoint migration had obliterated multiple vegetated islands. Hillslope failure, bank failure, and channel migration were prevalent throughout both the upstream and downstream reaches, as the system relaxed and adjusted towards its new baselevel. This change from a constrained to highly dynamic system helps illustrate the rapid nature of post-failure fluvial readjustment, a concern exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change-induced regional precipitation increases.
Composting is a common method to reduce the flow of solid waste to municipal landfills by repurposing it as a rich supplement and additive to soils. However, universities often struggle to provide options to generate a compost stream that are effectively and appropriately utilized. Past research has shown that university students are more likely to compost when they feel a sense of community and like their efforts are making a difference (within their locus of control). The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Administrative and Student Offices of Sustainability (AOS, SOS) have been managing a residence hall compost and pizza box disposal program in Suites (since Spring 2024), Bridgman (Spring 2025), Oakridge (Spring 2025), and Horan Halls (Fall 2025). Data has been collected, since installation, by AOS student interns, a GEOG 178: Planet Earth – Conservation of the Environment First-Year Experience (FYE) course (AY2025-26) and a subsequent GEOG 178 class (Spring 2026). Currently, over 1,350 lbs of food waste and 1,700 pizza boxes have been extracted from the Upper Campus waste stream. These FYE students characterized and quantified composting trends, while partaking in a high-impact experience in their first year of undergraduate studies.
