| 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. |
