Collaborative Research: Network Cluster: Dust in the Critical Zone from the Great Basin to the Rocky Mountains

自然和人为干扰改变了干旱气候下植被稀疏的景观，大大增加了可用于风蚀的细粒沉积物的丰度。 这种物质以灰尘的形式在大气中广泛传播。 这些灰尘在顺风山区生态系统中的沉积改变了地表水的化学性质，有助于土壤的形成，为植物提供重要的养分，并改变积雪融化的时间。 该项目将在从内华达州南部沙漠到落基山脉的一系列研究地点，调查美国西南部从源头到汇的整个尘埃系统。 结果将有助于评估沙漠和山区环境的相互联系，并将为土地管理机构和政策制定者所用。 来自历史上在科学领域代表性不足的人群的本科生将通过与既定项目的合作获得支持。 盐湖社区学院将与包括盐湖城学区和犹他州女童子军在内的社区合作伙伴共同组织针对中学生的科学推广计划。 该计划将包括实地经验，由科学家、研究生和本科生担任内容专家和榜样。 该项目还将确定导致盐湖城市区产生灰尘的大气条件，为灰尘暴露频率建模提供必要的信息。 该项目将建立一个关键区域专题集群，以研究干旱景观产生的灰尘如何影响顺风山区生态系统的关键区域（CZ）。 从内华达州南部的沙漠到犹他州北部山区的研究地点，六名研究人员将领导补充项目，旨在阐明：1）控制粉尘排放的因素； 2) 负责粉尘输送的大气过程； 3）尘源区尘埃及地表物质的地球化学性质； 4）粉尘沉积对冬季积雪的影响； 5) 山地尘埃沉积随时间和景观的变化； 6）长期沙尘沉降对山地土壤发育的影响； 7) 山地生态系统中尘埃营养物质的生物利用度、归宿和作用。 这些研究地点的选择基于先前工作的坚实基础、已建立的监测网络和独特的多年数据集。 在粉尘排放点安装监测设备、雪研究站点的持续运行以及现有除尘器网络的扩展和维护将增强收集关键环境变量的物理基础设施，以更好地阐明 CZ 过程。 该项目旨在为各个级别的学生参与提供多种途径。 来自历史上在科学领域代表性不足的人群的本科生将通过与既定项目的合作获得支持。 盐湖社区学院将组织针对中学生的科学推广计划。 旨在确定导致盐湖城市区产生灰尘的大气条件的观测和建模工作将为模拟灰尘暴露频率提供必要的信息。 结果将以可用于规划的格式传回适当的土地管理机构和政策制定者。该奖项由关键区域协作网络计划、物理和动态气象学计划以及地貌学和土地利用动态计划共同资助。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Natural and human disturbances that alter sparsely vegetated landscapes in arid climates greatly increase the abundance of fine-grained sediment available for wind erosion. This material is transported widely through the atmosphere as dust. Deposition of this dust in downwind mountain ecosystems alters the chemistry of surface water, contributes to soil formation, delivers significant nutrients for plants, and changes the timing of snowpack melting. This project will investigate the entire dust system in the southwestern US from source to sink at an array of study sites from the deserts of southern Nevada into the Rocky Mountains. Results will allow the interconnectedness of desert and mountain environments to be evaluated, and will be of use to land management agencies and policymakers. Undergraduate students from populations historically underrepresented in the sciences will be supported through collaborations with established programs. A science outreach program for middle school girls will be organized out of Salt Lake Community College with community partners including the Salt Lake City School District and Girl Scouts of Utah. This program for will include field experiences, with scientists, graduate students, and undergraduate students serving as content experts and role models. The project will also identify atmospheric conditions responsible for delivering dust to the Salt Lake City urban area, providing the information necessary for modeling dust exposure frequency. This project will establish a Critical Zone Thematic Cluster to investigate how dust derived from arid landscapes impacts the Critical Zone (CZ) in downwind mountain ecosystems. At study sites from the deserts of southern Nevada to the mountains of northern Utah, six researchers will lead complementary projects designed to illuminate 1) the factors that control dust emission; 2) the atmospheric processes responsible for dust transport; 3) the geochemical properties of dust and surficial materials in dust source areas; 4) the effects of dust deposition on winter snowpack; 5) the variability of mountain dust deposition through time and across the landscape; 6) the impacts of long-term dust deposition on mountain soil development; and 7) the bioavailability, fate, and role of dust-derived nutrients in mountain ecosystems. Selection of these study sites is grounded on a solid foundation of previous work, established monitoring networks, and unique multi-year datasets. Installation of monitoring equipment at dust emission sites, continued operation of sites for snow research, and expansion and maintenance of an existing dust collector network will enhance the physical infrastructure for the collection of key environmental variables to better illuminate CZ processes. The project is designed to offer numerous avenues for student involvement at all levels. Undergraduate students from populations historically underrepresented in the sciences will be supported through collaborations with established programs. A science outreach program for middle school girls will be organized out of Salt Lake Community College. The observation and modeling work to identify atmospheric conditions responsible for delivering dust to the Salt Lake City urban area will provide the information necessary for modeling dust exposure frequency. Results will be transferred back to the appropriate land management agencies and policymakers in a format intended to be of use in their planning. This award is co-funded by the Critical Zone Collaborative Network Program, the Physical and Dynamic Meteorology Program, and the Geomorphology and Land-use Dynamics Program.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.