A University of Kentucky researcher is dedicating a significant portion of her career safeguarding a crucial component of the Earth's ecosystem. Tiffany Messer, an associate professor in the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, is on a mission to protect pollinators and other wildlife from the hazards of neonicotinoids, an insecticide commonly used to shield crops from pests.
In a previous study published in the Journal of Environmental Quality (JEQ), Messer studied floating treatment wetlands (FTWs), engineered platforms covered in wetland vegetation that float on water bodies and naturally purify water by filtering pollutants and promoting beneficial ecological processes. She found they could help protect endangered bee populations, aquatic ecosystems and human health.
Neonicotinoid pesticides have long faced scrutiny for their impact on pollinators like bees, butterflies and other essential wildlife. Studies show these pesticides jeopardize biodiversity and taint surface water, harming aquatic creatures and human well-being. Additionally, nitrates, which are widespread surface-water pollutants, contribute to ecological disturbances.
Messer’s research suggests that floating treatment wetlands is a creative and ecologically conscious approach to combatting these issues. These engineered wetlands, designed to drift on water surfaces, are brimming with wetland vegetation that collaboratively employ physical, chemical and biological processes to purge pollutants.
Source: uky.edu
Photo Credit: University of Kentucky
Categories: Kentucky, Education