The Fremont State Lakes System is a heavily used recreational resource in eastern Nebraska. Eight of these lakes suffer eutrophication related impairments and an additional seven show signs of becoming impaired in the near future. One (Fremont Lake #20) was recently renovated and restored to water quality standards. Renovation of an additional 15 of the lakes is planned for the fall of 2012 to restore water quality and prevent future impairment. This study will gather pre-project and post-project information on fishery composition, bathymetric structure and water quality parameters to assess the effectiveness of the renovation methods implemented. The study also will analyze interactions among the renovation methodsandassessthe potential long-term response of the biotic community to the renovation. This information will be useful in designing future lake renovation projects and developing long-term management plans for renovated lakes.

Since 1987, the High Plains Regional Climate Center (HPRCC), housed within the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has provided timely climate services and conducted applied climatological research focused on the High Plains of the U.S. The HPRCCA in the states of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, however the Center has increasingly provided national leadership in the development of data dissemination systems, data QC systems, climate data user interfaces and applied climatological research products.

i. Available facilities at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The School of Natural Resources (SNR) is within the Institute of Agricultural and Natural Resources (IANR) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (a land-grant institution). SNR is a dynamic and interdisciplinary school that houses six integrated faculty areas: Applied Climate Science, Applied Ecology, Geography and GIS Science, Geology and Soils, Water, and Human Dimensions. Along with these faculty areas are six Centers, including HPRCC, within the School of Natural Resources focusing on drought, water, global change, remote sensing, and conservation and survey. Some of the primary focus areas of SNR research are: drought monitoring, mitigation, and impacts, climate variability and change, natural and managed ecosystem science, and decision-making capabilities. The Office of the Nebraska State Climatologist is also housed in the department and allows for direct interaction with HPRCC staff. In addition, SNR has hired an Extension Educator in Climate Variability and Change and this person is expected to have regular interactions with HPRCC and will be able to assist in ensuring our products reach a wide audience, especially within the region. Co-location within an academic department enables the HPRCC to leverage resources for computer network infrastructure, administrative support, office supplies, etc. The HPRCC staff enjoys many of the benefits of a large research university. Employees have access to the university's highly respected library program for both personal and professional development. Being integrated into SNR, HPRCC employees enjoy seminars, training, and social activities hosted by the school. Collaborations among colleges within IANR and the wider university also benefit the HPRCC. HPRCC research programs have benefited from various faculty members within SNR, such as Dr. Steve Hu's expertise in climate information and decision-making, the drought expertise of Dr. Don Wilhite, Dr. Michael Hayes, and Mr. Mark Svoboda, and interactions with faculty in Computer Science and Engineering Department, Biological Systems Engineering, and Agronomy. In addition, the HPRCC provides employment opportunities for many of the department undergraduate students and those in the meteorology program with the Department of Geosciences at UNL. This not only gives students valuable experience in climate service and climatological research, but it enhances the HPRCC staff with highly motivated, technically adept, student staff. Interns have been successful with many aspects of HPRCC activities, such as basic climate services, climate monitoring, outreach and education, and applied research projects. HPRCC staff is actively engaged in educational outreach activities across the region. These are aimed at all levels of education, from elementary classroom visits to hosting workshops with National Weather Service employees. Some events are fostered by contacts and working relationships with UNL outreach professionals in the Nebraska Water Center, the National Drought Mitigation Center, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cooperative Extension.

UNL will perform chlorophyll analyses for NDEQ's Statewide Ambient Lake Monitoring Network in the years 2012-2013. These analyses will involve fluorometric determination of chlorophyll a concentrations for up to 28 lakes per year, sampled monthly from May through September, plus 2 additional quality assurance samples, for a total of 150 samples per year.

Schoengold: The overall objective of the research is to compare data on actual groundwater trading and banking decisions with analytical models to improve existing economic models and inform policymakers about the potential economic and ecological results from developing more active groundwater trading programs. The analysis will consider groundwater trading along two dimensions, spatially and temporally. We will examine the utility of existing economic models in measuring the benefits of intraseasonal water trading across space, and develop and parameterize dynamic economic models of interseasonal water trading.

Ress: As research results supported by USGS and other state and federal agencies become available, it is critically important to inform the public, policy decision-makers, and water resource managers. In addition, federal, state, and private organizations, as well as industry and the general public need readily available information regarding contacts for water resource related questions and additional information, new federal and state policies, educational opportunities through the university, and other water-related issues. Thus, the primary aim of this Information Transfer Plan is to better inform citizens and agency personnel concerning water resource quality and quantity issues of health, economic, and esthetic importance. The specific objectives are to publish a newsletter (Water Current) six times during the year, including an estimated distribution of 3,000 copies, and to produce and publish special educational and informational materials dealing with timely and important water issues throughout the year using high quality graphics and print-quality materials.

Admiraal: Over the last century, channel erosion in the Midwest has greatly accelerated due to the straightening of stream corridors composed of highly erodible soils. When a stream is straightened, the slope of the stream is artificially increased. In the Midwest, where coarse bed materials are uncommon, the increase in slope is usually balanced by an increase in bed and/or bank erosion. The problem of bed erosion is prevalent in Nebraska because most streams have a bed layer with an erodibility that is only moderately less than the erodibility of the soils that make up the sub-soils below the bed layer. Slight increases in channel slope can form enough excess energy in the flow to break through the bed layer into the more erodible sub-soils, and a perturbation point that undermines the bed layer forms. This perturbation point, called a knickpoint, migrates upstream as it undermines the stream bed, leaving a deep, incised channel in its wake. Many streams in eastern Nebraska are particularly susceptible to bed and bank erosion problems related to knickpoints (Rus et al., 2003). Recent research also indicates that bank erosion is a significant contributor to Phosphorous yields in the Missouri River Basin (Brown et al., 2011). The goal of the proposed research is to conduct a field investigation of the geometry and hydraulics associated with knickpoint migration in midwestern streams to better understand how to stabilize the streams and reduce unnatural bank erosion. Continuous monitoring of knickpoint geometry and hydraulics is proposed to determine under what conditions the knickpoint will fail and migrate. Time lapse images in combination with Particle Image Velocimetry will be used to monitor knickpoint migration and related water velocity distributions, respectively. The study will help to predict knickpoint point migration and subsequent stream bank erosion more accurately. In addition, better knowledge of knickpoints will allow more cost efficient grade control structures (e.g., sheet-pile weirs and flumes) to be identified to control knickpoint propagation and reduce bed and bank erosion.

Kolok: The primary objective of this project is to develop a two-tier screening tool that can be used to evaluate the contamination of small ephemeral wetlands in agricultural landscapes. In Nebraska as in other states, these wetlands may be numerous and difficult to assess. In the summer of 2012,over 100 wetlands will be assessed throughout Nebraska. Initial screening will evaluate whether or not these wetlands contain the herbicide atrazine at concentrations that exceed the US EPA safe drinking water standard of 3 ppb. As part of the second tier of the screening, nothern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) will be collected at a subset of the wetlands. Current efforts are underway to develop biomarkers of exposure in R. pipiens, focusing on gene expression as related to steroidogenesis. It is our contention that there will be a strong relationship between the presence of atrazine in the ephemeral wetlands and alterations within the steroidogenic pathway of these frogs. If effective, the two-tier screening tool will provide a model that can be applied to ephemeral wetlands throughout the United States.

The Role of Drought Preparedness in Improving the Sustainability of Great Plains Ranches will increase the technical support available to help rangeland managers mitigate and plan for drought in ways that enhance ecological, economic, and social sustainability. Technical support is currently inadequate, despite evidence that sustainable ranching practices and advance planning are necessary for limiting drought losses and damages on the ranch. The project will increase educator and professional awareness of drought mitigation and planning for sustainable ranch management; knowledge of drought mitigation and planning strategies that improve ranch sustainability; and ability to use monitoring and decision-making tools. To meet these objectives, the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) will work with an established multi-state advisory group of ranchers, advisors, and researchers to develop and deliver a series of five to six interactive webinars. The webinar series will be targeted to range educators, advisors, and professional land managers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. Webinars will also be edited, archived, and posted for public viewing online through a new drought planning website for ranchers developed by the NDMC and the project partners. Evaluation of short- and intermediate-term outcomes will be measured through electronic pre- and post-webinar surveys, and follow up surveys six months after the webinar series is compete.

Recent changes in the state of Nebraska official energy policy are encouraging the development of wind energy infrastructure to meet growing energy demands, facilitate economic development, and mitigate climate change. Although wind energy is a renewable energy source and produces significantly fewer pollutants than fossil fuels, there are concerns over the potential for unintended impacts to the local environment. For example, the turbines and power lines necessary to distribute the electricity generated, pose a threat to birds and bats which regularly are killed as a result of colliding with these structures. There is increasing evidence that some species avoid using areas where these structures are built, thus changing the local ecology. Given the need to reduce the environmental impact of energy acquisition, the question remains whether there are strategies to help facilitate the development of the relatively clean wind energy sector in an ecologically sensitive manner.

Here we propose to evaluate the effects of wind developments on greater prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) and sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) and to develop decision support tools for siting wind developments in Nebraska grasslands causing minimal disturbance to these prairie grouse. We have developed a team to leverage existing expertise in wind-power development, prairie-grouse biology, avian breeding strategies, Sandhills ecology, wildlife management, and stakeholder outreach strategies.

Nebraska harbors the core of the greater prairie-chicken continental range; in the Nebraska Sandhills, prairie-chickens are a Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan Tier 1 species of special conservation. Sharp-tailed grouse are declining in numbers across their range due to habitat fragmentation and loss. To accomplish our goals we will conduct a field study to 1) identify effects of wind farm infrastructure on nest and brood survival, as well as individual behavior through nest and brood-site selection, 2) identify indirect effects of raptor presence on prairie grouse, and 3) identify potential for noise interference to effect breeding success of lekking prairie grouse. The study we propose is designed along gradients extending out from an existing wind turbine facility at Ainsworth, NE. Decision support tools that integrate the ecological consequences observed in our empirical data and provide mapping strategies regarding siting of wind farms will be developed. Our approach will allow Nebraska to optimize wind energy development in areas of concern for prairie grouse, while aiding investors, planners, and policy makers to identify ideal locations for future wind energy projects.

Sustainable agriculture in the North Central Region (NCR) of the United States is vital to our nation's economic and environmental security. It is well understood that climate change will greatly impact agriculture: changes in temperature, precipitation amounts and distribution patterns, cloud cover, and carbon dioxide levels affect plant growth, field practices, insect and weed pests, and plant diseases. Because of the complexity of climate change challenges, we believe a regional approach is needed to provide professional development and to foster collaborations on climate change. As such, we propose the following professional development activities: 1) creation of a Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture Handbook and 2) two climate change and sustainable agriculture workshops for Extension Educators and NRCS personnel across the NCR. Each workshop will include scientific training, a farmer panel, and a fishbowl activity to facilitate co-learning between these groups. These activities will increase Extension and NRCS Educator awareness and knowledge and lead to more collaborations across the region, leading to programming aimed at sustainable agriculture practices. Through our previous work we have identified that this is a topic of importance in the NCR. We have a three-tiered targeted learner outcome approach that will be evaluated by an Evaluation Specialist throughout the program. Our efforts reflect our belief that Extension Educators and NRCS personnel can help prepare farmers to thrive amidst changes in the climate. Because of the vast experience and perspectives of the project PIs and partners, we are uniquely poised to help make that happen through this initiative. We believe that this project will help SARE fulfill its goal of contributing to the development of a truly sustainable agriculture future.

The Additional Work Requirement is in accordance with the Contract, EA133E-10-CN-0165, Section C, Paragraph IV. Additional Work Requirements. The HPRCC and NDMC shall provide reporting on a Quarterly Basis of their activities in the following areas. (The report, for the convenience of NCDC, shall be added to the Report of Basic Regional Climate Services as submitted by the HPRCC.)

Engaging Preparedness Communities:

1. Develop NIDIS Engaging Preparedness Community (EPC) Working Group and portal community building, workshop organization and support.

Drought-Ready Communities:

1. Assess needs for hydroclimatic-based drought products in context of community, urban and regional planning processes
2. Identify best practices for increasing resilience to drought in community, urban and regional planning processes
3. Identify opportunities to integrate drought planning into all aspects of community, urban and regional planning processes, such as zoning, comprehensive planning, watershed planning, etc.
4. Identify regional differences in best practices and opportunities for incorporating drought resilience into planning, accounting for differences in law, climate, hydrology, population, land use and culture that may affect water planning.
5. Begin to scope the meaningful thresholds for Drought Readiness certification, scalable for different-sized communities. This is envisioned as a Phase 3 activity, which would be further developed in Year 2 or Year 3 depending on continued funding for the specific DRC project.

Statement of Work

Project 1: Coordinate DRC Activities with the NIDIS Engaging Preparedness Communities (EPC) Working Group

The EPC task shall involve developing a NIDIS EPC Working Group and portal community. It shall also include a workshop to engage water/drought/climate planners and practitioners from around the U.S. The EPC shall include leveraging HPRCC, NDMC (and partners)/NOAA/ and NIDIS efforts in order to initiate efforts to implement a "Drought Ready Community" program. The task shall include webinar, survey/feedback instruments, as needed for the NIDIS pilot and working group communities and other stakeholders, such as western water managers and other decision makers.

Project 2: Enhance the Existing Drought Ready Communities Framework

The DRC project team will continue to build on Phase 1 of the DRC project by following the 5 steps below as outlined in the Project Scope above. In addition, the DRC project team will work with NIDIS (EPC) and our partners to gain input on determining or developing the following:

• What it means for a community to be certified as Drought-Ready. What are likely incentives for communities to undertake focused drought planning? Given the limited resources facing communities, under what circumstances does it make sense for a community to undertake stand-alone drought planning?
• The institutional home of Drought Ready Communities. What is the mechanism for awarding certification?
• The Guide to Community Drought Preparedness.
  
• Planning questions related to common practices, best practices, and case studies, and on climatology needs, such as whether they perceive a gap between large-scale drought indicators and local-scale hydrologic indicators.

Project 3: Engage the American Planning Association and Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI)

The contractor shall work with the American Planning Association (as a conduit to their ~40,000 members) to invite practicing planners to participate in workshops, webinars or on-line surveys to:

• Produce a preliminary characterization of the state of community, urban and/or regional drought planning across the country
• Identify best practices<
• Develop case studies
• Promote the DRC and EPC through exposure via APA's training workshops, audio web conferences and/or webinars, State APA conferences and through interactions and updates on EPC/DRC activities via the APA e-newsletter, which has a subscriber base of 31,000
• Coordinate with APA and our other partners in conducting a workshop/session/panel or short course (to be determined) at the Annual APA National Planning Conference to be held in Los Angeles in spring 2012

The contractor will work with ICLEI to produce and disseminate information and services to their constituents via ICLEI's quarterly e-newsletter, as well as surveys and webinars when necessary. Over 1200 cities, towns, counties, and their associations worldwide comprise ICLEI's growing membership. ICLEI works with these and hundreds of other local governments through international performance-based, results-oriented campaigns and programs.

Project 4: Start the process with the APA to produce a Planning Advisory Service (PAS) Report

The report shall focus on best practices for integrating measures to increase drought resilience into planning processes, including the development and conducting of a preliminary scoping symposium, providing drought and climatological expertise, and helping to identify best practices. NIDIS will also be a partner in the development of this drought-focused PAS report. APA's PAS provides planners and managers with the most up-to-date information on planning trends, tools, and techniques. A Planning Advisory Service subscription provides full access to the entire suite of PAS and APA resources, including PAS Reports, PAS Memo, and PAS QuickNotes, as well as unlimited use of their customized research service. This will be made available to the approximately 900 planning agencies, municipalities, consulting firms and practitioners who subscribe to this APA service.

Project 5: Develop a Drought Ready Communities (DRC) sub-portal

A sub-portal on the NDMC's website and / or the NIDIS portal (in coordination with the Engaging Preparedness Communities working group) shall be developed to provide a framework to help communities start the process and provide access to resources such as worksheets, templates, case studies, decision support tools and other best practice examples. The Drought Ready Communities web presence shall be continuously updated and expanded based on the recommendations and experiences of the DRC/NIDIS teams and other participating communities such as APA and ICLEI. The NDMC will also continue to provide this information freely under its Planning Section as well as through updates via our quarterly electronic newsletter, DroughtScape.

Dr. Gosselin will be a lead convener of a workshop on Sustainable Natural Resource and Environmental Systems and Society aimed specifically at integrating geoscience into courses in environmental studies programs. This topic is of high interest to faculty in social scientists and humanities and underpins a rapidly growing curriculum area where involvement of geoscientists can help strengthen instruction by providing missing expertise around questions such as: How does the process of science contribute to developing strategies to address competing needs for resources, knowing that our decisions may cause harm to livelihoods? What role does geoscience play in helping society preserve resources for future generations?

Over the past 20 years, there has been a huge growth in the applications and technologies associated with the geospatial technologies of GIS (Geographic Information Systems), GPS (Global Positioning Systems), and Remote Sensing. The demand for a skilled labor force that can use these technologies, as well as the need for scientists and developers to create new geospatial applications and tools, has also grown concurrently. Educational resources to assist educators with this demand, however, have not kept pace. The development of geospatial educational materials has been a primary objective of AmericaView (AV) and many resources (tutorials, workshops, videos etc.) have been developed by individual StateViews over the years. What has been lacking, however, is a system by which these resources are organized, branded and easily disseminated. NebraskaView, working in consultation with the AV Education and Website Committees, proposes to identify and consolidate available StateView educational resources into AV-branded, easily accessible and easily useable formats for use by all AV consortium partners.

Nebraskan's rely on limited water resources for a number of activities such as agriculture, sport fishing, recreation, and consumption. Nebraska's aquatic ecosystems have already been invaded by AIS such as Asian carp, white perch, and Phragmites, among others. Carp and white perch invade and their populations quickly increase, eventually dominating the waters. These species and others have led to the rehabilitation of a number of lakes in the last 10 years, costing the state millions of dollars. The environmental and socio-economic costs resulting from AIS infestations will continue to rise with further introductions and invasions, making the costs associated with managing AIS a big concern for Nebraska, because funding for eradication and control is extremely limited. The future of Nebraska's aquatic resources requires a concerted and directed response to the threat posed by aquatic invasive species.

Under Section 1204 of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (NANPCA), the Nebraska Invasive Species Project within the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit submits this grant proposal to support the implementation our state's recently approved Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan.

The planned activities are consistent with the principles outlined in NANPCA and directly related to the goal of the Plan: to minimize the harmful ecological, economic, and social impact of ANS through prevention and management of introduction, population growth, and dispersal of ANS into, within a, and from Nebraska. The Nebraska ANS Program will focus on public outreach to prevent the spread of ANS, monitoring state water-bodies for ANS introductions, and management of ANS infestations.

Invasive species are a source of significant ecological and socio-economic problems throughout North America and are considered one of the most important threats to global biological diversity (Vitousek et al. 1996). Invasive species have colonized virtually every ecosystem type on Earth subsequently affecting the native biota (Vitousek et al. 1997), and causing economic hardships to the citizens of the invaded regions. Globally, more than $1.4 trillion dollars is spent on reducing the impacts of invasive species each year, which represents nearly five percent of the global economy (Pimentel et al. 2005). Dr. David Pimentel and colleagues also estimate that there are over 50,000 plant, animal and microbe invasive species in the United States, costing more than $120 billion annually. A group of invasive species that often go undetected are those that are hidden below water, aquatic invasive species (AIS). The U.S. Geological Survey has identified over 100 non-native aquatic species in Nebraska representing plant, animal, and microbe groups (USGS 2009). Although some non-native species present no readily discernable threat to the economy or environment, several of the species present have already become major problems in Nebraska or in neighboring states, costing millions of dollars in damages (e.g., Phragmites). Two of the most important aquatic invasive species are zebra and quagga mussels. These species produce high-density colonies and filter out food from the water which greatly reduces the availability of food for other fish species, including young sport fish. Zebra and quagga mussels also threaten the availability and quality of water as they are notorious for clogging water intake pipes, irrigation pipes and intake lines of power plants. Spread of these species (like many AIS) generally occurs through transport of boating equipment from one body of water to another, and these species have been known to live out of water for more than two weeks. Zebra and quagga mussels have recently been found in Kansas and Colorado, and Nebraska experienced its own infestation at Lake Offutt, Offutt Air Force Base in 2006 and at Zorinsky Lake in 2010 and the threat of new introductions still exists. Nebraskan's rely on limited water resources for a number of activities such as agriculture, sport fishing, recreation, and consumption. Nebraska's aquatic ecosystems have already been invaded by AIS such as Asian carp, white perch, and Phragmites, among others. Carp and white perch invade and their populations quickly increase, eventually dominating the waters. These species and others have led to the rehabilitation of a number of lakes in the last 10 years, costing the state millions of dollars. The environmental and socio-economic costs resulting from AIS infestations will continue to rise with further introductions and invasions, making the costs associated with managing AIS a big concern for Nebraska, because funding for eradication and control is extremely limited. The future of Nebraska's aquatic resources requires a concerted and directed response to the threat posed by aquatic invasive species. Under Section 1204 of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (NANPCA), the Nebraska Invasive Species Project within the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit submits this grant proposal to support the implementation our state's recently approved Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan. The planned activities are consistent with the principles outlined in NANPCA and directly related to the goal of the Plan: to minimize the harmful ecological, economic, and social impact of ANS through prevention and management of introduction, population growth, and dispersal of ANS into, within a, and from Nebraska. The Nebraska ANS Program will focus on public outreach to prevent the spread of ANS, monitoring state water-bodies for ANS introductions, and management of ANS infestations.

This proposal describes a comprehensive and hands-on approach to increasing ranchers' capacity to manage drought risk. This program will be delivered through a series of day-long workshops and web modules. The program will include a paper workbook for participants, and will also be featured on the Managing Drought Risk on the Ranch website at www.drought.unl.edu/ranchplan. The program will lead to better understanding by livestock and forage producers of (1) the features and appropriate use of available risk management tools such as Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage Insurance, range and forage management techniques, and web-based financial and risk management calculators; (2) the kinds of risks addressed by these risk management tools; and (3) how to make sound risk management decisions using a drought planning methodology developed in conjunction with Great Plains ranchers. NDMC will apply staff expertise and partner with appropriate organizations to ensure that women livestock and forage producers are represented in workshops and served by the educational programming. This program will be delivered to 300 livestock and forage producers in Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. Resulting web modules will be available to livestock and forage producers at-large, expanding the potential target audience for this program. Baseline and evaluation surveys will be administered to workshop participants to measure outcomes and elicit feedback and response.

The UNL and APHIS share a common goal of understanding the health and diseases of free-ranging wildlife, and how to develop risk mitigations to prevent movements of disease among wildlife, livestock, and people. Wildlife diseases are important in three areas - wildlife management, public health and health of domestic animals. Wildlife managers and wildlife health professionals need an understanding of many aspects of disease in order to effectively manage the wildlife populations for which they are responsible. Wildlife diseases also affect human health. Of the recognized emerging diseases, some 75 percent have their origin in animals (zoonoses), and of these, over 60 percent involve wildlife. One disease that epitomizes these concepts is Type A influenza. While much research has been conducted on Type A influenza in various species, a clear understanding of how these viruses move from a harmless form in their natural reservoir (wild birds) to pathogenic forms in poultry, other animals, and people. Such knowledge is crucial in predicting risk of infection in animals and people, and for developing risk mitigations to prevent such interspecific transfer.

Principal Investigator, Rusty Low will spend (1.17) months effort in the proposed project. Her role will be:

• To collaborate with Becky Boger in the creation of new online courses and share resources.
• To co-teach undergraduates and teachers online as a guest lecturer.
• To co-lead workshops for CUNY faculty at Brooklyn University.

Coastal plain wetlands occupy a critical landscape position at the intersection of terrestrial and aquatic and fresh and salt waters. Like all wetlands, coastal wetlands are disproportionately valuable in terms of services provided compared to the area they comprise including nutrient transformation, water purification, and flood control. Humans have drained wetlands throughout much of the southeastern coastal plain for agriculture and forestry, thus diminishing their capacity to provide critical ecosystem services such as nutrient and carbon sequestration. At the same time, fertilizer use and manure from intensive meat and poultry production have dramatically increased nutrient loading to coastal ecosystems. Increased loading and decreased retention of nutrients has caused eutrophication of downstream freshwater and coastal ecosystems, with the associated degradation in water quality and decline in coastal fisheries. Climate change may further exacerbate these trends: higher temperatures and increasingly sporadic precipitation may further diminish the spatial extent of perennially flooded wetlands and is already leading to seasonal salt water intrusion during drought. Predicting the likely ecosystem carbon and nutrient cycling of coastal plain freshwaters into a saltier and increasingly uncertain hydrologic future requires significant improvements to our current understanding of freshwater ecosystems. This proposal focuses strategically on two aspects of this problem: first, incorporating sulfur (~from sea salt) dynamics into our understanding of how microbes alter carbon and nutrient cycling and second, utilizing simulation modeling to mesh dynamic hydrology together with microbial biogeochemistry. Adaptive simulation modeling together with targeted empirical work will allow us to rapidly test and refine current models of wetland carbon and nutrient cycling and to formalize the emerging conceptual understanding of wetland biogeochemistry into a flexible, easily adjusted modeling framework.

Broader Impacts: The focal field site is a formerly ditched and drained agricultural field in NC's coastal plain that was restored to riverine wetland hydrology in 2007, becoming the largest privately owned mitigation bank in the southeast. The site has very little topographic relief (-1 to +1m elevation); experiences significant salt water intrusion via surface water mixing during summer droughts; and has wind tide driven hydrology that generates large gradients in sulfur concentrations in both time and space. The field site is representative of large areas of SE coastal plain agricultural landscapes that are being actively restored or abandoned. The economic and ecological 'success' of this project is closely watched by regulators and practitioners throughout the region. This research program will directly affect the potential for site owners to sell validated carbon and nutrient credits in emerging ecosystem service markets. Resulting research findings (together with their economic implications) will influence future patterns of mitigation and conservation investment throughout the southeastern coastal plain and will provide critical information that will facilitate climate adaptation planning throughout the region.

Here we propose to assess how the availability of suitable habitat across a landscape constrains or facilitates local population responses to upland bird habitat enhancement programs. By understanding how landscape parameters influence local populations we can betters understand how to successfully manage species and appropriate research, monitoring and management efforts. The specific project objective is:

1. to document population densities of pheasant and other grassland dependent bird species on public and private properties managed to enhance upland habitat and identify whether the availability of alternative suitable habitat within the landscape influences local population estimates.

Trees and shrubs planted within the framework of agriculture provide numerous production benefits such as increased crop yields, improved animal health and weight gain, energy conservation of farmstead infrastructure as well as conservation benefits of erosion control, biodiversity and habitat protection and improved water quality. In addition, these plantings provide significant indirect benefits measurable as reduction in GHG emissions. Yet these reductions in emissions are poorly understood and if various models designed to quantify GHG dynamics are to capture the true value of Agroforestry these benefits must be estimated with some degree of reliability.

1. Catalog, synthesize and summarize the amount of potential carbon storage resulting from the incorporation of agroforestry practices on a typical Midwestern (cornbelt) farm. Windbreaks and riparian forest buffers make up the majority of woody plantings on the typical Midwestern farm. Biomass estimates for species (both trees and shrubs) are being developed under companion projects here at UNL. Our goal here is to develop an accounting process whereby landowners can pick and choose among practices and estimate the carbon storage potential of each practice before establishing a planting on their farm.
2. In addition to the direct carbon stored in woody plant biomass there are significant reductions in GHG emission associated with adopting agroforestry practices. Our goal is to catalog, synthesize and summarize the indirect GHG dynamics flowing from the incorporation of agroforestry practices on a typical Midwestern (cornbelt) farm. These include but are not limited to: 1) reductions in acres farmed, (less fuel, pesticide, and fertilizer use); 2) reductions in energy used in support of the farmstead infrastructure; 3) reductions in feed demand by livestock operations; 4) reductions in snow removal and distribution; and 5) reductions in irrigation demands.
3. Our final goal will be to develop an accounting process which summarizes the direct and indirect impacts of incorporating agroforestry practices on the typical Midwestern integrated farm.

As a partner in the NSF funded Connecting Youth to Science through Mentored Experiences in Nature, chapters to commit to the following EnvironMentors Program Standards:

• Follow through in all aspects of EnvironMentors Evaluation Program including: pre-post program survey quantitative research, online student/mentor qualitative research, student focus groups, chapter reports, and E-CAT chapter capacity assessment tool.
• Students matched with faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and other science and environmental professionals in one-to-one mentoring relationships.
• Inquiry-science based approach to application of the scientific method to an environmental topic of the student-mentee's selection.
• Student-driven project topic selection, background research, and experimental design and implementation, and communication of results.
• Carry out the EnvironMentors "curriculum" as presented in the Student - Mentor Manual.
• Active participation of students in the online social networking EnvironMentors Community and integrate other new technology activities articulated in the EnvironMentors Curriculum.
• Facilitation of a pathway to college through exposure to university facilities and coordination of existing college prep and financial aid programs.
• Commit to a retention goal of 50% or more students who start EnvironMentors in the fall, and finish the program by presenting completed projects at the university Fair in the spring.
• Participation of either the director or coordinator in videoconferences, webinars and other chapter capacity building activities.
• Hosting of a university-based EnvironMentors Fair.

Available Equipment and Procedures

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Luminescence Geochronology Laboratory is fully equipped for the preparation of optical dating samples and I currently own two optical dating machines. This includes two Risø DA-20 TL/OSL readers, one of which is fitted with a single-grain OSL unit. The laboratory also contains all of the necessary equipment for preparing luminescence samples including a balance, centrifuge, fume hood, sonicator, and the necessary glassware. A Canberra Genie 2000 3.0 high resolution gamma spectrometer is available for dose rate determinations. A portable gamma spectrometer is available for collecting in situ dose rate measurements. Additional space is available in the School of Natural Resources for the preparation and long-term storage of luminescence and sediment samples. The required procedures requested in the proposal are typical of those I use for the majority of my research projects. In short, I will use the Single-Aliquot Regenerative (SAR) procedure on at least 20 accepted aliquots. Sample pre-heat temperatures will be chosen using a preheat plateau test, and if partial bleaching is suspected for any of the analyzed samples either smaller aliquots or single-grain analysis will be employed. Environmental dose rate values will be conducted on bulk soil samples using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

Our overarching objective is to develop a comprehensive, decadal climate impacts prediction and adaptive decision-making evaluation system using the Missouri River Basin (Basin hereafter) as a case study, and building on a variety of EaSMs (see Table 1 for abbreviations), that will be ready for routine use by the end of the proposed project. The impacts would be felt not only in the Basin, but also the methods used would serve as a prototype for the development of similar systems elsewhere.

Consistent with the NSF's solicitation on "Decadal and Regional Climate Prediction Using Earth System Models (NSF 10-554)"; this proposal requests financial support for the investigators, post-doctoral scientists, and graduate students at the Center for Research on the Changing Earth System, a non-profit research organization; Texas A & M University; National Drought Mitigation Center, University of Nebraska—Lincoln; and University of Maryland—Baltimore County.

Specific objectives of the proposed research are to: (1) assess the fidelity of simulations and hindcasts (retrospective predictions) of major decadal climate variability (DCV) phenomena and the effects on the Basin's hydro-meteorology by three GEaSMs participating in the WCRP's CMIP5 project; (2) develop an experimental decadal climate and impacts prediction system for the Basin using hydrologic, crop, and economic models; (3) downscale simulated and hindcast data from the relatively lower spatial resolution of the GEaSMs to relatively high spatial resolution; (4) quantify decadal predictability of water and crop yields in the Basin, using the downscaled data in the HUMUS-SWAT model; (5) quantify the value of adaptive actions given decadal predictions of water and crop yields in terms of potential economic and other societal impacts, using FASOM and RIVERSIM models; (6) develop water and crop management systems adaptable to decadal climate and impacts predictions, and assess their effectiveness using the HUMUS-SWAT model in conjunction with FASOM and RIVERSIM models, and interactions with stakeholders and policymakers in the Basin; and (7) obtain feedback and disseminate information through interactions with stakeholders and policymakers in the Basin.

The networks of stakeholders and policymakers we have developed in the Basin in our previous work will be closely involved in this project from earliest planning to formulation of conclusions and outreach to user communities. The proposed project will aim to achieve comprehensive, reliable regional predictions of DCV and its societal impacts through a better understanding of coupled physical, biological, and human processes; quantify impacts of DCV on agricultural and other human systems in the Basin, and identify and quantify feedback loops through which human systems help determine outcomes of DCV in the Basin; maximize the utility of available observational and GeaSM data for impact and vulnerability/resilience assessments through downscaling activities in the Basin.

The overall goal of U2U is to improve the resilience and profitability of farms in the North Central Region amid variable climate changes through the development and dissemination of decision support tools, resource resource materials and training. This goal is accomplished through 6 objectives.

1. Develop a knowledge base of potential biophysical and economic impacts related to climate changes and the relative risks they pose to cereal crop producers.
2. Understand how farmers make decisions under uncertain climate projections; the type of information they need to make better decisions and have more resilient farm operations; and the most effective methods for producing and disseminating usable knowledge and promoting diffusion of desirable adaptations within agricultural networks.
3. Develop tools, training materials and implementation approaches that lead to more effective decision-making and adoption of practices associated with farms resilient to climate variability.
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the tools, training materials and implementation approaches, including a quasi-experimental research design in four pilot states (Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, and Michigan).
5. Broadly disseminate validated training materials, tools, and Extension programs to ensure increased usefulness and usability of climate information.
6. Develop and deliver a series of educational programs including: 1) a distance education course on multicultural perspectives of climate change communication for undergraduates; 2) modules for undergraduate and graduate courses on climate change and riculture; and 3) supplementation of existing 4-H materials.

The Nebraska Legacy Plan lists grassland loss as one of the primary conservation threats in the state. The USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides incentives for farmers to take land out of crop production for a 10-15-year period and these retired crop fields are frequently restored to grasslands. In Nebraska, over a million acres are currently enrolled in the CRP program. Although historically CRP was planted to just a few species, recent enrollments have included incentives for landowners to plant higher diversity mixes, which may better simulate native prairies. CRP lands have the potential to provide on-site benefits for at-risk grassland species (including nesting and forage resources for vertebrates and invertebrates) while also assisting off-site aquatic habitat protection through the reduction of run-off and sediment into waterways. Currently, even within the same Conservation Practice program, CRP is planted to a wide range of seed mixes; however, little is known about how plantings differing in diversity and composition may impact faunal biodiversity and conservation threats such as invasive species. This project will survey a range of CRP plantings to evaluate potential benefits for at-risk species, including habitat for butterflies, bees and birds, the exclusion of invasive species, and increased water infiltration.

These funds will be used to "map" Feed Firm locations for an upcoming emergency exercise in 2012. Two student assistants will be hired at $11.00/hr for 200 hours to assist Karin. Karin will also be funded through March 2012.

The Agreement, which became effective on April 5, 2011, by and between the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, (hereafter the "Department" or "NDA") and the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Center for Advanced Land Management Information Technologies (hereafter, "UNL - CALMIT" or "Contractor"), is amended to reflect the following.

Section C, subsection 11 of the Agreement is amended as follows:

11. Invoice NDA on an Interagency Billing Transaction (IBT) for actual costs incurred that are associated with the performance of the activities described in this section of the Agreement, with the final IBT to be issued, so it is received by NDA no later than April 30, 2012.

Section D of the Agreement is amended as follow:

D. Contributions of the Department: NDA will reimburse Contractor for actual costs incurred associated with the performance of the activities described in Section C of this Agreement. Total reimbursement during the term of this Agreement will not exceed $ 41,400 (which includes the required 10% indirect costs.) The sources of funding for this Agreement are grants obtained through the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), CFDA #97.067 and a USDA grant for Notifiable Avian Influenza activities (No. 11-9731-1995 CA). Payment is contingent upon funding availability.

Section F of the Agreement as follows:

F. Term: The term of this Agreement is February 1, 2011 through March 30, 2012.

The foregoing Amendment will become effective on the date that this Amendatory Agreement is executed by the last person signing hereto.

A statewide outdoor recreation recruitment program in Nebraska. A new partnership among the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission recruits, trains, manages, and retains volunteers; develop curriculum; facilitate and deliver training programs; foster communication among involved entitie. Provides education; outdoor recreation, including hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and nature interpretation.

The National Drought Mitigation Center, School of Natural Resources, will organize and implement a workshop in Lincoln, NE, during the Spring of 2010 to showcase the research results of researchers from the University of Idaho and the University ofIllinois. The research findings to be presented are part of a NASA-funded project, entitled Developing Seasonal Predictive Capability for Drought Mitigation Decision Support System. This will include contacting workshopparticipants,hosting the workshop, making presentations at the workshop, and gathering feedback about the utility of the products developed as part of the project through participant discussions and a participant survey.

The HPRCC has and will continue to develop a wide range of climate data products as part of its climate services and applied research missions. A full listing can be found at: http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/articles/index.php?id=106. The HPRCC produces a suite of 38 maps updated on a daily basis and 14 that are updated for the latest month/season. The online archive contains more than 22,000 maps generated by HPRCC. Regional climate products include normals maps (temperature, precipitation, and degree days), a climate atlas, and historical climate data summaries, which include metadata. There are also many products that highlight observational data from the Automated Data Weather Network (AWDN) stations and include information such as soil moisture at various depths, wind roses, solar radiation, and evapotranspiration. Data from this network are critical to agricultural and water management applications that are key for the High Plains region. Cooperation among the states within the region have been paramount to the success of the network.

Specialized climate monitoring products geared toward specific sectors have been developed in recent years. These are also a part of the above web page and include potential evapotranspiration and crop water use estimates for the agricultural sector, in addition to a nationally unique soil moisture monitoring network as part of the AWDN. An interface for this product suite will be incorporated into the Applied Climate Information System (ACIS) and the School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln software will be made available for implementation at other RCCs. The product is automatically updated each day as real time climate observations are received by the HPRCC.

iii. Decision Tools

The HPRCC develops decision support web pages as the need arises. These are an extension of the specialized monitoring pages described above. They differ in that decisionmakers supply a number of location specific parameters that, when combined with the relevant real time climate information, provide recommendations tailored to a user's site and past practices.

Dr. Xun-Hong Chen, professor and hydrogeologist in the School of Natural Resources at UNL, will be principal investigator and he will work closely with Jay Bitner of the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District in York, Nebraska. The Conservation and Survey Division drilling crew will be hired to perform Geoprobe EC logging and sediment coring. A graduate student under the supervision of Dr. Chen will be hired to assist in-channel streambed tests, permeameter tests on the sediment cores, and the analysis of geological and hydrological data sets.

Clear Creek is a tributary of the Platte River. It originates in the northwestern part of Polk County, flows nearly parallel to the Platte River and joins the Platte River in the northwestern corner of Butler County. Concerns about the impact of groundwater irrigation on the streamflow in this creek occurred. However, there has not been investigation of the hydrologic relationship between the creek and the surrounding aquifers. Therefore, it is difficult to evaluate whether groundwater irrigation has impacted the flow of Clear Creek. The objective of this study is to investigate the stream-aquifer hydrologic connection for Clear Creek. The investigation will include collection of hydrogeological data along Clear Creek and gathering and analyzing the hydrologic and geological information for quantification of the hydrologic connectedness level between Clear Creek and the surrounding aquifers.