Decades of Collaboration Lead to Outstanding Ecological Insights

The Savannah River Ecology Lab partners with the Department of Energy to explore a rare environmental testing ground

In the 1950s, the Atomic Energy Commission, predecessor to the United States Department of Energy, built a nuclear complex in Aiken, South Carolina. Questions about the impact of nuclear materials abounded in those years. University of Georgia researcher Eugene Odum wanted to answer them.

To understand the effects of nuclear facilities on the environment, Odum, now recognized as the “father of modern ecology,” established the Savannah River Ecology Lab at the complex. Today, the lab continues groundbreaking research into nuclear remediation strategies and conducts other environmental studies that would be impossible outside this uniquely secluded area.

Two young girls stand behind a bush and look up at something off-camera.

UGA students in a field studies course at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory spot a raccoon while practicing telemetry tracking.

“Our job at SREL is to be puzzle solvers. We aim to understand the ramifications of contamination that has occurred here and protect the health of our environment and the health of the public living in this area.”
Gene Rhodes, Georgia Athletic Association Professor of Applied Ecology and Director of the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory

A Unique Position

Using radiotracer technology and other cutting-edge techniques, Odum mapped the Savannah River facility’s hidden impact on the surrounding area. This on-site collaboration helped the Department of Energy plan more sustainable nuclear projects in the future, exemplifying the unique role the Savannah River Ecology Lab would occupy in the coming decades.

As lab director Gene Rhodes puts it, the Savannah River Ecology Lab supports the Department of Energy’s work while also conducting independent research and educating the public. But the lab’s opportunities don’t stop there.

A group of college students observe natures and take photos.

A field studies course brings wildlife research to life as students learn to see the flora and fauna with new eyes.

A line of college students walk through a forest filled with very tall trees.

Professor James Beasley guides his students on a wildlife research and management field course.

Thanks to its isolation and the decades of data collected there, the Savannah River area presents a chance for researchers from the Odum School of Ecology and Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources to observe ecological patterns over time in a controlled environment. That sort of research takes many forms, from tracking the behaviors of invasive species like wild pigs to monitoring water toxicity to exploring how to avoid late-night vehicle collisions with wildlife.

International Impact With Educational Value

Now approaching 75 years of research, the lab continues its multi-faceted mission through people like James Beasley, Terrell Distinguished Professor of Wildlife Management.

A professor in a red hat and several students wade through a creek and use a large net to catch specimens.

Beasley’s work monitoring wildlife at the Savannah River lab helps inform management, policy, and conservation decisions. He refers to the lab as one of the most respected ecological research facilities in the world. But for Beasley, the lab is more than just a renowned research location: It’s also an opportunity to teach the next generation of ecologists.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for these students to get out into the field and get some real-world exposure,” Beasley says. “This experiential learning process, it’s real. They’re seeing the actual applied side of all the work they’re learning on campus.”

For decades, the Savannah River Ecology Lab has provided singular opportunities to research, remediate, and educate. As UGA and the Department of Energy continue their historic collaboration, it can provide those opportunities for decades more.

College students on a boat in a lake observe nature at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL).

Graduate student Chris Leaphart (center) took students out on the lake to showcase his research on ducks.

Decades of Collaboration Lead to Outstanding Ecological Insights

A Unique Position

International Impact With Educational Value

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