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

RUI：合作研究：网络集群：从大盆地到落基山脉关键区域的灰尘

• 批准号: 2012082
• 负责人: Jeffrey Munroe
• 金额: $ 77.75万
• 依托单位: Middlebury College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Cooperative Agreement
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-09-01 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2012082&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Collaborative; Research; Network; Cluster

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.

在干旱气候下改变稀疏植被景观的自然和人类干扰极大地增加了可用于风侵蚀的细粒沉积物。 该材料被广泛通过大气作为灰尘。 这种尘埃在顺风山生态系统中的沉积改变了地表水的化学，有助于土壤形成，为植物提供大量养分，并改变了积雪熔化的时机。 该项目将调查西南我们西南部的整个尘埃系统，从内华达州南部沙漠到落基山脉的一系列研究地点。 结果将使沙漠和山区环境的相互联系得到评估，并将用于土地管理机构和政策制定者。 从历史上看，科学人口不足的本科生将通过与既定计划的合作来支持。 一项针对中学女孩的科学外展计划将在盐湖社区学院与社区合作伙伴一起组织，包括盐湖城学区和犹他州女童军。 该计划将包括现场经验，科学家，研究生和本科生，担任内容专家和榜样。 该项目还将确定负责向盐湖城市区提供灰尘的大气条件，从而提供对灰尘曝光频率进行建模所需的信息。 该项目将建立一个关键区域主题集群，以研究从干旱景观中衍生的灰尘如何影响下风山生态系统中的关键区域（CZ）。 在从内华达州南部到犹他州山脉的研究地点，六名研究人员将领导旨在阐明的互补项目1）控制灰尘排放的因素； 2）负责尘埃运输的大气过程； 3）灰尘源区域中灰尘和表面材料的地球化学特性； 4）灰尘沉积对冬天积雪的影响； 5）通过时间和整个景观的山尘沉积的变化； 6）长期灰尘沉积对山区土壤发展的影响； 7）在山区生态系统中，粉尘源性营养素的生物利用度，命运和作用。 这些研究站点的选择基于先前工作，已建立的监视网络和独特的多年数据集的扎实基础。 在灰尘排放地点安装监视设备，继续进行雪研究站点以及现有的尘埃收集器网络的扩展和维护将增强物理基础架构，以收集关键的环境变量，以更好地阐明CZ流程。 该项目旨在为各级学生参与提供许多途径。 从历史上看，科学人口不足的本科生将通过与既定计划的合作来支持。 中学女孩的科学外展计划将在盐湖社区学院内组织。 观察和建模工作以确定负责向盐湖城市区提供灰尘的大气条件的工作，将提供建模灰尘曝光频率所需的信息。 结果将以旨在在计划中使用的格式转移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和土地使用动态计划共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准通过评估来通过评估来支持的。