FW 5350 - Assignment

Research Proposal

You are working for the Research Division of a large environmental resource company, which has many subsidiaries dealing with natural resource management and utilization. Your CEO has recently established a competitive research fund for your Division to investigate environmental problems for any of the subsidiary Divisions. Four possible research topics have been submitted for possible investigation. They are:

1) The impact of European earthworm introduction on: 1) plant community dynamics, or 2) soil productivity and plant growth in a northern hardwoods ecosystem.

2) The use of wood chips, sawdust, or sewage effluent as a soil amendment to establish vegetation on abandoned copper mine tailings in Houghton County, Michigan.

3) Removal of either: 1) creosote, or 2) PCB's from contaminated soil in a company storage area.

4) Effects of (1) soil mounding or bedding, or (2) installation of a drainage system after timber harvesting - on soil carbon and/or nitrogen cycling after harvesting timber from a forested wetland.

Maximum funding levels for each proposal will be $650,000 over 3 years. Select one of these subject areas and prepare a research proposal on some aspect of this topic. Three copies of your first draft (with your name on the back page) will be due on April 20, 2001. A review committee will make suggestions on how to improve the proposal, and it will be returned to you for revision. A final proposal is due on May 4, 2001.