Master’s Sustainability Leadership Fellow Cohort: 2026

Department of Geosciences

Research Summary: For my master’s thesis project I am studying the geomorphic and ecological effects of floodplain logjams on soil geochemistry and plant communities. I collected soil samples and conducted plant surveys around logjams on floodplains along Little Beaver Creek in the Poudre River watershed in northern Colorado. Soil samples were analyzed for moisture and nutrient content, and the plant surveys quantified plant density and species richness. Together, this data shows how floodplain logjams support fertile, biodiverse habitat. This research gives land managers science-based evidence that preserving floodplain logjams can improve soil health and riparian biodiversity in a changing climate.