Center for the Environment

Sensory Landscapes and Intelligent Monitoring (SLIM)

The availability of real-time environmental detection capabilities and monitoring networks is critical for answering questions about landscape-scale phenomena, developing simulation models, and making informed environmental decisions. Research in this area needs to address three overarching questions:

• How can we integrate a variety of instruments that allows us to cost effectively monitor contaminants and environmental indicators across different spatial scales and environments, and how is data collected from these sensors stored, retrieved, summarized, analyzed, visualized and integrated?
• How will environmental monitoring information can be integrated with real-time delivery tools and other types of geospatial data (e.g., distribution of land uses, population), as well as with economic valuation techniques, to inform policy and decision making?
• How can monitoring and early detection be integrated into industrial management decision making and the design of appropriate government policies.

New and ongoing SLIM-related projects and programs

1. National Air Emission Monitoring Study (NAEMS) -
   NAEMS will collect air emission data from representative livestock production facilities (swine, dairy, layers, and other) using sound scientific principles and proven instrumentation and methods. The data generated in this project will be used by the EPA is setting air emissions standards and will guide air quality regulations for confined animal feeding operations. The database will also serve as an important resource for air dispersion modelers and others trying to assess and reduce the impact large farms have on neighbors and the environment.

   Contact- Albert Heber, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

2. Mobile Microsensor Networks for Air, Soil, and Water -br /> Real-time "intelligent" detection of biological and chemical contaminants or changes in ecosystems that could indicate anthropogenic disturbance will allow for more immediate response and mitigation. A number of efforts are underway to develop portable in-field sensors and sensor networks for detecting a wide variety of contaminants and environmental parameters:

   Development of Multifunctional Nanoflow Microlaboratory Sensors for Bioanalytical and Environmental Sensor Devices
   Contact- Marshall Poterfield, Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Horticulture & Landscape Architecture

   Nanoporous Silicon Based Sensors and Sensor Arrays for Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds in Air
   Contact- Chan Lu, Agricultural & Biological Engineering and Chemical Engineering

   Wireless Sensor Network for Spatial Observations of Environmental Properties
   Contact - Jeff Evans, Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology

3. Ecological Acoustics Research: Monitoring Natural and Human Produced Sounds in the Environment (EAR) -
   Ecological acoustics refers to the sum total of all sounds in natural and human-dominated landscapes that originate from heterogeneous sources and that have ecological significance. Efforts are underway to develop wireless acoustic sensor networks for ecological studies.

   Contact- Bryan Pijanowski, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

4. From Genomics to Physiomics: Development of Tools for Environmental Assessment and Real-Time Sensing of Contaminants -
   Environmental assessment has traditionally relied on the use of bioassays where test organisms are chronically exposed to contaminated water, sediment, or soil and physiological effects on survival, growth, and reproduction are measured. Although such methods are useful for identifying potential environmental stressors, they provide little understanding of the mechanism of chemical toxicity. Without this understanding, it is difficult to predict toxicological responses across the diversity of animals present in ecosystems. In addition, bioassays are expensive and time consuming. This project seeks to address the critical need for surrogate measures of chronic effects for environmental assessment.

   Contact- Marisol Sepulveda, Forestry & Natural Resources and Civil Engineering