S&T Environmental Science

Vegetation of the Ozarks course this week

We are incredibly proud of Zachary Beers and his work in the classroom and the field.

Seeing the environment through a different lens After getting a chance to photograph the rainforests of Ecuador, Missouri S&T undergraduate Zach Beers will change his equipment and prepare to shoot photos of urban landscapes this summer as he heads to Detroit for an internship.

We’re kicking off the Field Ecology summer class at the Ozark Research Field Station today. Theo’s waiting with breakfast for students!

Beavers are often called one of nature’s greatest engineers, and their work has a remarkable impact on ecosystems. By building dams and slowing water flow, they create wetlands that retain moisture, support biodiversity, and reduce the spread of wildfire. Areas shaped by beavers can remain green and alive even after surrounding land has burned.

Many Indigenous communities have long understood the importance of working with nature rather than against it. Healthy ecosystems depend on balance, and animals like beavers play a role that modern development often overlooks. Their ponds help recharge groundwater, create habitats for countless species, and strengthen the resilience of entire landscapes.

As climate change increases the severity of droughts and wildfires, lessons from the natural world are becoming more important than ever. Sometimes the answers humanity searches for already exist in the systems the Earth created long ago. Protecting ecosystems often begins with respecting the species that help sustain them.

Field courses kicked off with Insect Diversity, taught by Dr Verble today. The rain didn’t slow us down- lots of bugs and lots of fun!

It’s graduation day for these amazing Env Sci students! We can’t wait to see where they go!

On Friday, May 8th, Missouri S&T Biology and Environmental Science students in the ichthyology course spent an afternoon learning fish collecting field techniques on the Little Piney Creek at Newburg.

Leading the session was Nick Girondo, with assistance from Nick Lamey, both fisheries biologists with the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Also participating was Richard Mayden, Saint Louis University Emeritus Professor, and prominent fish phylogeneticist.