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Natural Resources & Environmental Science (NRES) brings together faculty from
disciplines spanning the physical, chemical, and biological sciences. As a diverse
faculty, NRES effectively
 addresses complex research
issues linking humans and land uses to abiotic and living systems than any other
faculty on campus. Departmental extramural funding for competitive grants and contracts
is consistently successful and is among the highest in the University. Departmental
faculty have extensive publication records in internationally respected scientific
journals, with research support from the National Science Foundation, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of the Interior,
the Electric Power Research Institute and other highly competitive grants programs.
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology
 Faculty involved
with research in this area contribute well-respected insights about large mammal
behavior, habitat use by birds of prey, waterfowl, and shore birds. This research
elucidates important interactions between genetics, environmental characteristics
and conservation and management strategies.
Chemical and Nutrient Cycling
Research in this area addresses local, regional, national and international concerns
about natural and anthropogenic sources of chemicals. These include mercury,
nutrients, arsenic, trifluoroacetic acids and organophosphate pesticides.
Research outcomes contribute greater understanding of global and local scale geochemical
cycling to improve understanding of relative influences of different types of sources.
 Water Resources Quality and
Quantity
The arid environment of Nevada poses challenges that anticipate important water
resources issues on a global scale. Faculty concentrate on many aspects of
water resources that relate to environmental quality and human health. This
includes water conservation and use, riparian area function, groundwater recharge,
water supply protection, hydrologic processes, wetland function, watershed management,
groundwater quality, human exposure to contaminants, reservoir and nonpoint source
management, and international water resources development.
 Natural Resources
Management
The natural resources of Nevada, including forests and rangelands, are the focal
point of faculty research about maintaining living, productive landscapes.
Research focuses on interactions between humans and the physical and biological
environment, grazing and riparian ecosystem function, forest processes, fire ecology
and nutrient cycling.
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