AMES, Iowa—A library of video resources on nutrient-related water quality research is growing, and the Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State University invites viewers to explore the variety of topics available.
“We’re working to develop a diverse set of videos to communicate news about nutrient research, and we encourage Iowans interested in water quality to check them out and learn more about work underway to better understand and address Iowa’s water quality challenges,” said Kay C. Stefanik, INRC assistant director.
The library includes short videos on recent INRC-funded research projects and new conservation practices, such as a three-minute review of research on nitrate-reducing bioreactors, led by Professor Michelle Soupir in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. Other videos include updates on research on saturated riparian buffers and cover crops, as well as updates about the INRC and its activities.
“We are pleased to be able to enhance our outreach through this popular medium and appreciate the undergraduate student interns who have worked with us to create our short videos,” said Ann Y. Robinson, INRC communications specialist. “Look for their names, along with the researchers’, in the final credits.”
For those who want to dig deeper into a topic, INRC’s video library also includes recordings from water quality research seminars over the last three years. These longer webinar-type videos include a wide range of presentations from scientists who bring findings from watersheds in Iowa and beyond, new computer applications for research and conservation implementation, and lessons learned from past water quality research in Iowa and nationally.
The most recent set of recordings from the spring 2022 seminar series “Focus on Phosphorus” highlights findings from research projects in Iowa, Canada, Indiana and Ohio that address especially challenging problems related to phosphorus pollution. The fall 2021 water quality research seminar series reviews the latest in “New Technologies, New Tools, Emerging Concerns.” Other seminar recordings cover research approaches from modeling to monitoring, what they tell us and how they can be applied.
The complete water quality research video library can be found at the INRC’s webpage under Resources and Publications, at https://www.cals.iastate.edu/inrc/video. Or find the Youtube playlist of INRC videos available on the ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences website.
The Iowa Nutrient Research Center was established by the Iowa Board of Regents in response to legislation passed by the Iowa Legislature in 2013. The center pursues science-based approaches to areas that include evaluating the performance of current and emerging nutrient management practices and providing recommendations on implementing the practices and developing new practices. Iowa State University leads the partnership that includes the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa.
