Our research aims to determine if vacant land parcels in Detroit can provide hydrological benefits to the urban landscape, specifically regarding flood mitigation. Detroit has over 100,000 vacant lots across the city, and as the impacts of climate change become more visible, Detroit has suffered adverse consequences due to the increased flooding events.
Though a partnership with community gardens from around the city of Detroit. They seek to understand the potential interactive effects of air pollution and heat island effects on urban agriculture yield and metal concentrations (e.g. contamination/nutritional values) in the crops.
The city of Detroit has many new GSI installations being introduced actively; however, no detailed assessment guides exist for evaluating their functionality and their role in the ecosystem services.
Stormwater runoff is an issue in Detroit that has become more critical with climatic changes and results in peak rainfall events that overwhelm Detroit's combined sewer system.
Groundwater plays a critical role in the water balance of the Great Lakes, contributing between 22-42% of the total water input and impacts many systems ranging from supplying drinking water, to industrial water supply, to transportation.
This is an interdisciplinary, ethnographic study that aims to document the social perceptions and ecological impacts of the common reed (Phragmites australis), an invasive plant that is prevalent in public parks in southeast Michigan.
Our team is working to identify vulnerabilities as a result of climate change in the procurement and distribution of a representative “market basket” of goods in the Southeast Michigan region food system.
