From our friends at the Center for Aquatic Entomology at Virginia Tech:

"Scientists at Virginia Tech University and the University of Arkansas are chasing salt across watersheds. Globally, soil and streams are getting saltier and they want to know how carbon (C) in forests near streams (also called riparian zones) is influenced by sodium chloride (NaCl) amounts where streamside forests and streams connect. We’re asking teachers, educators, families, and community members to engage in our research so we have more data to support understanding our questions on how salt can stress forests, streams and the microbes, plants and animals that live in them.

How can you help?

We are asking participants to select a safe and legally accessible stream to do the following:

• Sample soil from the riparian zone

• Sample stream water

• Measure decomposition through the use of cotton strips which act similarly to leaves

Participants will go out (following instructions we will give you) and secure little cotton strips in the riparian zone about 20 feet from the stream and directly in the stream as well as a temperature logger in the stream.

Then, about a month later, you will pick up the strips, process them using the instructions we provide, take a water and soil sample, and ship that all back to us. We will provide the cooler, materials, mailing supplies, and instructions.

Your data will help us figure out how stressed salt makes forests and streams and will be indicated by how fast or slow the cotton strips deteriorate. We are lucky to have data on this around the world and to be contributing to this global effort! See the CELLDEX project led by Dr. Scott Tiegs.

Sign up today!

Signup by October 15th, 2025 through this form – see below section 'What kind of streams do you have?' first before submitting to better understand if the stream you would study is agricultural, urban, or rural.

We will send you a kit with all of the research supplies, forms, and protocols. We’ll also pay for the return postage of samples.

We have a limited number of spaces, so please respond as soon as possible.

Timeframe of project:

• October 15, 2025: Submit to be a part of the research project

• October – November 2025: We will send you a kit with monitoring supplies and methods ASAP

• November – December 2025: Collect the data

• January 15, 2026: Return the kits"