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research
research
The Angela Dandini Garden, in collaboration with the TMCC Natural History Museum, supports several course-based and undergraduate research projects ultimately aimed at better understanding the biodiversity of an urban pollinator garden. Courses such as Organismal Biology (BIOL191), General Botany (BIOL202), and Entomology (BIOL137) have contributed greatly to our understanding of the Garden ecosystem and biodiversity.
These research projects have been supported by the TMCC Foundation Faculty & Staff Innovation Grant and Nevada NIH INBRE
Owl Nest Project
Owl Nest Project
Owls are apex predators because they are key in maintaining ecological balance of rodent populations, which minimizes their damage to ecosystems and food crops. For example, a single barn owl family can consume thousands of rodents annually, providing a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides. Their hunting habits also reduce disease spread and maintain healthy, stable food webs. At TMCC, both great horned and barn owls are present.
The Owl Nest Project aims to increase the owl population on campus by strategically installing nesting habitat for great horned owls and boxes for smaller owl species in our region, such as barn owls. Increased owl presence will assist in efforts to naturally and sustainably control rodent populations on campus and promote native ecosystem function.
This research project has been supported by the TMCC Foundation Faculty & Staff Innovation Grant, Facilities, and Biology students. Please contact Dr. Cecilia Vigil (cvigil@tmcc.edu) and Ryan Daugherty (rdaugherty@tmcc.edu) to report any issues or for more information.
Soil Report
Soil Report
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) provides geological reports for much of the country's terrain including surface soil, slope, and substrate composition (silt, sand, rock, etc.). Because substrate is the foundation for an ecosystem, it is important to understand, protect, or enhance the environment. Dandini Gardens is characterized by the NRCS as Xman-Rock outcrop complex with 30-50 % surrounding slopes. Xman soils are shallow and well-drained, and occur in association with hills. Most of the soil at Dandini Gardens is nutrient-poor, which inhibits the diversity and abundance of naturally-occurring plants. We add compost created from plant debris around campus to provide critical nutrients needed by plants, including nitrogen (vegetative growth), phosphorous (root, flower, fruit growth), and potassium (general growth). We also monitor other physical and chemical properties of the soil such as pH and other nutrients, to optimize the health of the plants and the ecosystem they support.
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