Adaptation to Climate Change in the Lake Champlain Basin: New Understanding through Complex Systems Modeling

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ABSTRACTProposal Number: EPS-1101317Proposal Title: Adaptation to Climate Change in the Lake Champlain Basin:New Understanding through Complex Systems ModelingInstitution: University of Vermont & State Agricultural CollegeProject Director: Judith Van HoutenThis Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) proposal from Vermont EPSCoR (VT EPSCoR) is focused on understanding the effects of changing climate and land use on the Lake Champlain Basin through the creation of two centers, the Center for Research on Adaptation to Climate Change (RACC) and the Center for Workforce Development and Diversity (CWDD). Funded participants include Johnson State College (JSC), Middlebury College (MC), St. Michael?s College (SMC), and University of Vermont (UVM). The Community College of Vermont (CCV) is an unfunded partner.The project will build transdisciplinary teams of social and natural scientists to study the Lake Champlain Basin as a coupled human and natural system affected by climate change, with an emphasis on complex systems modeling. Scientists will investigate the relative importance of endogenous in-lake processes (e.g. internal loading, ice cover, and hydrodynamics) versus exogenous to-lake processes (e.g. land use change, snow/rain timing, storm intensity, land management) to algal blooms. Scientists will use extensive scenario testing to investigate how adaptive management can be designed and implemented to respond to climate change and land use. The central theme of ecosystem and water research aligns well with Vermont State Science and technology (S&T plan), as well as national and international interest.Intellectual MeritThis project will address how the interaction of climate change and land use alter hydrological processes and nutrient transport within the Lake Champlain Basin, and investigate the resulting implications for adaptive management strategies. The RACC will leverage existing watershed studies and biophysical and add significant value through its integration of those studies with socio-economic and governance studies. The project will combine extensive observations and monitoring with modeling of two of the contributing watersheds and 10 smaller catchments. Broader ImpactsManagement of water resources in response to climate and land use changes is a scientific issue that has broad applicability across the US and internationally. The project?s multi-scale approach has the potential to be broadly applicable, in that it includes the investigation of broader global environmental issues of climate change, urban/agricultural change, and the socio-ecological interfaces. The project will be continuing VT?s very successful Streams project for outreach to high school students and teachers and undergraduates, which has shown a significant impact in workforce development and in encouraging underrepresented minorities in STEM to pursue science careers. The CWDD will integrate workforce and diversity efforts, and will offer an extensive suite of approaches to outreach to the general public and work with small businesses to encourage economic development across the state.