Student researcher uses frog’s call to preserve rare amphibian
Valeria Aspinall was at the Tapir Valley Nature Preserve in northern Costa Rica the day an expert herpetologist declared that the tree frog living there is a distinct species, something that had not been recognized by science. Aspinall is now at the Odum School of Ecology working on a master’s degree with a Spencer Fellowship and conducting research that she hopes will protect the very rare, critically endangered frog, which has only been found in a 20-acre wetland within the larger nature reserve adjoining Tenorio Volcano National Park.
What’s in a name: Consumers prefer purified water to recycled or reused water (even though they’re the same thing)
Athens, Ga. – “Purified water,” “reused water,” “recycled water”—these terms mean exactly the same thing. Even though all three refer to water that’s been treated to the highest drinking water standards, research has shown that people much prefer the idea of consuming purified water to reused or recycled water. A recent study from a team of University of Georgia River Basin Center affiliates has for the first time put a dollar value on that preference.
Wetland protection primer supports local efforts
The Land Conservation Clinic and the River Basin Center have released the updated Local Wetlands Protection Primer, a guide to help protect wetlands that provide flood prevention, water quality improvements, protection from erosion, support for fisheries and biodiversity, and opportunities for recreation activities.
Finding where freshwater shrimp fit into the food web
As an undergrad at the University of Benin in Nigeria, Justin Jimawo studied tropical zooplankton, the tiny organisms that live near the surface of streams and ponds.
Water Resilience Shines at Biennial Georgia Water Resources Conference
ATHENS, GA – Interdisciplinary knowledge is a critical aspect of solving big environmental problems. That’s why, for the 2025 Georgia Water Resources Conference, we brought everyone together. We do mean everyone: ecologists, hydrologists, engineers, geoscientists, lawyers, anthropologists, consultants and certified fish enthusiasts.
2025 Spencer Research Grants Awarded to Six
Athens, Ga. – Six graduate student affiliates of the River Basin Center have been named recipients of John Spencer research grants for 2025. This year’s awards will provide a total of $10,000 to support a range of projects that contribute to water sustainability and resilience across the southeastern United States and beyond.
World Water Day 2025: Delivering safe water resources to all
Few resources are as vital as water. But as human activity continues to shape urban rivers, that refreshing dip in the stream, summer kayaking trip, or glass of ice water can be harder to achieve. This is why every year, on March 22, we observe World Water Day: a tradition started by the United Nations in 1993 to highlight the importance of clean, accessible water. Sustainable water management is important not just for the environment, but for the 8.2 billion people that rely on water.
‘We Need to Emerge!’ : SFS Program Fosters Diversity in Freshwater Science
RBC affiliate and Odum School of Ecology Foundation professor Amy Rosemond started the Emerge Program five years ago, with of increasing diversity in freshwater science. The program has since sent its students across the globe in the name of adventure, science, and inclusivity.
RBC Affiliates Team up to Rescue Species From Extinction
This summer, researchers from the River Basin Center assisted the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute (TNACI) in rescuing one of the last populations of the Laurel Dace, an endangered minnow species, from a drying stream in Tennessee. The rescue, conducted in collaboration with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, has since attracted media attention from multiple Chattanooga news outlets as well as Pattrn, an affiliate of The Weather Channel that covers climate change and conservation.
A genetic clock can predict lifespan in mammals, UGA’s SREL research suggests
RBC Affiliate Benjamin Parrott, an Associate Professor at the Savannah River Ecology Lab, have gained new insight into the phenomenon of epigenetic drift, a “clock” within an animal’s DNA that determines its rate of aging. The study has the ability to significantly affect aging research.