In addition to the work that the students did for the project itself, the three student researchers also are working on individual research agendas. Morrell will analyze ostracodes to reconstruct paleoenvironmental conditions in the area about 6,000 years ago, a critical period of environmental change and human cultural adaptation to such change across the plains. Ostracodes are small molluscs that are good indicators of water temperature and salinity. Landis will use orthophotographs and GIS to map the modern distribution of sand dunes in the study area. She will compare the impact of modern land use on dune stability.
Dunes occur on grazed land, ungrazed land and on private agricultural land.
She will explore the impact these land uses have on rates and magnitude of dune erosion. And Aurit will combine GPS and GIS to create detailed topographic maps of significant archeological localities. His work also will guide future exploration of the area for archeological remains. In addition to their work in Canada, UW-Eau Claire's research team also worked with soil scientists from North Dakota State University and the U.S. Forest Service on a project on the Sheyenne Delta. Identifying the environmental and climatic conditions under which the dunes destabilize, erode and begin to migrate downwind is particularly important.