School of Natural Resources
April 17, 2025
Samantha Carter receives the 2025 CAFNR William R. Lamberson Distinguished Dissertation Award as part of Celebration of Excellence
Samantha Carter received the 2025 CAFNR William R. Lamberson Distinguished Dissertation Award for her dissertation, “Natural Resource Justice as an Anticolonial Practice: Policies of Sovereignty.” Carter earned her Ph.D. in Natural Resources in summer 2024 and now serves as a postdoctoral scholar at Northwestern University.
April 17, 2025
Morgan Davis receives Outstanding Early Investigator Research Award as part of Celebration of Excellence
At Mizzou since 2020, Davis is a standout early-career researcher with a rapidly growing national reputation. His interdisciplinary work focuses on soil greenhouse gas emissions, soil health, cover crops and sustainable agriculture practices.
April 15, 2025
Charles Nilon
From 1997-2020 Nilon was a co-principal investigator on the Baltimore Ecosystem Study (BES), one of the original urban ecosystems projects included in the National Science Foundation’s Long-Term Ecological Research program. His work with the BES focused on understanding how ecological and socioeconomic factors influence bird species composition and abundance. Because urban areas are homes for people as well as wildlife, Nilon’s research also considers the role of nature as part of an individual’s day-to-day environment, and environmental justice issues associated with access to nature. Nilon and his students have worked on projects Columbia and St. Louis that seek to understand…
April 10, 2025
A walk in the park? Research takes a deeper look at urban green spaces
Nilon’s work focuses on understanding how plants and animals use urban spaces and how people connect with those ecosystems.
March 31, 2025
Xiaoping Xin
Dr. Xin’s research focuses on soil biogeochemistry processes, climate-resilient soil management, soil remediation, soil-plant interactions, crop production, precision agriculture, nanotechnology-enabled agriculture, and environmental risk assessment. She is committed to bridging the gap between academic research and practical agricultural applications, aiming to lead innovative studies in soil fertility and plant nutrition that enhance agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability in Missouri and beyond. Educational background Ph.D., University of Florida, 2020 Ph.D., Southwest University, China, 2017 B.S., Northwest A&F University, China, 2012 Courses taught Soil and the Environment (SOIL 3290) Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition (SOIL 4313/7313) Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition Lab…
March 13, 2025
Mako shark trekking patterns reveal a hidden impact of changing ocean temperatures
Shortfin mako sharks, an endangered species, are among the fastest and most elusive predators in the ocean, and new research led by Michael Byrne, associate professor of wildlife ecology at the University of Missouri’s School of Natural Resources (SNR) sheds light on the limitations of their habitat availability caused by oceanography. The research tracked mako sharks over vast distances using satellite telemetry. Byrne’s findings reveal a pattern in movements and distribution of the apex predators spanning thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean, highlighting the sharks’ dependence on one very specific factor — oxygen levels in the water. “I love…
March 4, 2025
MU Center for Agroforestry patents first black walnut cultivar, marking a milestone for Missouri’s tree nut industry
After a quarter of a century of development, the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry made a significant step toward a long-term goal of furthering the black walnut industry in Missouri with a recent patent for its first black walnut cultivar — The UMCA® “Hickman” Walnut.
Feb. 26, 2025
Missouri’s snowy winter: How La Niña and cold temperatures teamed up to bring more snow
According to Zack Leasor, Missouri State Climatologist and associate professor in the University of Missouri’s School of Natural Resources, a weather phenomenon known as La Niña — cooler than average water surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean — is partly to blame.
Feb. 24, 2025
Arindam Mandal
Feb. 24, 2025