) KSU's Appalachian Land Reclamation Research and Education Initiative (KSU ALRREI) Project

Microclimate, Trace Gas, and Soil Moisture Monitoring Station in Martin County, Kentucky

 

Project Summary:

Kentucky State University (KSU), in collaboration with Renew Appalachia, established a microclimate, trace gas, and soil moisture monitoring station in Martin County, Eastern Kentucky, on March 20, 2025. The station supports KSU's Appalachian Land Reclamation Research & Education Initiative (KSU-ALRREI) and addresses the challenges of managing active, abandoned, and reclaimed mine lands. These sites are characterized by heavily compacted soils, heavy metals in soil and water, altered stream flow, and limited soil moisture and nutrients, all of which make it difficult for vegetation to survive. Because restoring mined land takes many years, the station provides real-time data to show how reclamation activities improve the ecosystem over time.

The station is equipped with an eddy flux system and multiple sensors that measure carbon dioxide and water vapor exchange, precipitation, soil moisture, radiation, wind, and humidity, and it is powered by solar panels. It has been delivering real-time weather and flux data at 30-minute intervals since installation. The data will support long-term studies of CO₂ exchange, regrowth phenology, biomass productivity, water, vegetation, and carbon balance, as well as validation of remotely sensed data. The data will also be shared across academic networks for collaborative research proposals, student training, and experiential research.

Beyond research, the station is a hub for education and community outreach. It will support field camps and training for high school teachers and students, and it will help residents of Martin County learn about microclimate change and early warnings of heavy precipitation, flooding, heatwaves, and drought. This will be done through community workshops, station visits, and sharing real-time data at public events through the Office of Cooperative Extension in Martin County.

Funding: The eddy flux system was funded by two USDA Evans Allen Grants, “Studying Long-term Agroecosystems Changes in Reclaimed Mine Land Properties in Eastern Kentucky” and “Ecosystems Resilience and Extreme Weather Events,” and by the Department of Energy (DOE) Geospatial-Artificial Intelligence Enhanced Curriculum for Minority Serving Institutions (GAEC-MSI) grant. All are directed by Dr. Buddhi R. Gyawali.

Project Team: Dr. Buddhi R. Gyawali (Project Director), Dr. Maheteme Gebremedhin, Ife Familusi, Lauren Traitz, William Rogers, Richard Shmikler, and graduate students.