Included in the April 10, 2025, biweekly update 

This week’s articles by MSU faculty, specialists, and students making a difference feature beach erosion and phosphorus fertilizer overapplication among Michigan corn farmers.
 

Multidecadal patterns of coastal profile change reveal low likelihood of beach recovery following a period of high Lake Michigan water level

Penrod et al. (2025) examine why some eastern Lake Michigan shorelines recover after storms and others continue to erode. As lake levels rise, erosion worsens, and, combined with strong waves, accelerates beach loss, threatening nearby infrastructure, beaches and ecosystems. Predicting long-term shoreline recovery can be difficult, largely because the movement of sand in the nearshore zone is not fully understood.

To investigate, researchers analyzed 33 years of beach profile and wave data from six sites. They found that longshore sediment transport—sand moving along the coast through waves—is the main force shaping the shoreline. Calmer conditions allow some sand to return from offshore sandbars, but high-energy waves remove sand from the beach and push it into deeper waters, where it rarely returns.

Human-made structures like seawalls and jetties often make erosion worse by disrupting natural sand flow and reflecting wave energy back toward the shore. This study offers a framework for predicting beach recovery after storms—an important step toward more sustainable coastal planning.

Penrod, N. H., Theuerkauf, E. J., Meadows, G. A., & Meadows, L. A. (2025). “Multidecadal patterns of coastal profile change reveal low likelihood of beach recovery following a period of high Lake Michigan water level.” Journal of Great Lakes Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2025.102537

Corresponding author: Ethan Theuerkauf, theuerk5@msu.edu.

Phosphorus application rates and farmers' perceptions of environmental concerns

Sarkar et al. (2025) explore the persistent issue of phosphorus (P) fertilizer overapplication among Michigan corn farmers, despite efforts to promote efficient nutrient management practices. 

Using survey data from 1,650 farmers, the research identifies factors influencing fertilizer application decisions, with a focus on farmers’ attitudes and perceptions regarding P use. The researchers found that 30% of farmers overapply P fertilizer, even though soil testing is widely used. Key factors affecting fertilizer decisions include environmental concerns, advice from agricultural consultants, and risk tolerance related to yield outcomes. Notably, farmers who overapply P also demonstrated a heightened concern for the environment, indicating a greater willingness to adopt new management practices than other farmers.

This study underscores the importance of targeted outreach to farmers who overapply P, suggesting that improving information dissemination through trusted sources—like extension services and consultants—could reduce overapplication and its associated environmental impacts, particularly nutrient runoff into the Great Lakes and other bodies of water.

Sarkar, S., Lupi, F., & Basso, B. (2025). “Phosphorus application rates and farmers’ perceptions of environmental concerns.” Agricultural & Environmental Letters. https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.70014

Corresponding author: Sampriti Sarkar, sarkars6@msu.edu.