Studying Surburbia

Suburban ecosystems are one of the last frontiers for scientists trying to understand how people change the natural world.

1 minute read

December 11, 2005, 11:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen

"From the woodsy suburban enclaves of Vermont to sprawling Chico, Livermore and Gilroy, researchers are starting to probe the role of lawns in global warming, how garden fertilizers and pesticides affect wildlife and how storm water running from roofs, roads and driveways undermines the health of streams.

Jennifer Jenkins of the University of Vermont "is involved in a study of 40 suburban yards near Baltimore. Starting this week, researchers will clip plots of lawn by hand, weigh the clippings, measure the grass stubble and thatch and even rake up leaves for analysis."

FULL STORY: New turf for science: suburbia

Sunday, December 11, 2005 in The Mercury News

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